Vol. 20: #20 • Your Voice • (5-12-2024) Tidbits of Coachella Valley

to someone elseʼs but it has endless variations that quickly set it apart as uniquely yours. When we talk our voice drops many clues about who we are, where weʼre from, and possibly our physical attributes. So listen up as Tidbits tunes into the facts about the human voice and finds some interesting information weʼll bet you never knew about the communication sounds we produce every day.

VOCAL BASICS

• The human voice originates from the larynx, a small organ made of cartilage and flesh in our throats. Also called the voice box, it sits atop the windpipe. Inside are two flaps of thick tissue called the vocal cords. To speak, sing, or hum, the vocal cords are stretched taut, vibrating at an incredible speed.

• The sound varies in pitch according to how loose or tight the vocal cords are. The tighter the cords, Voice: Turn to page 3

TRIVIA NEWSFRONT

(Answers on page 16)

1. MUSIC: The 1980s group Duran Duran took its name from a character in which movie?

2. SCIENCE: What is the science of making maps called?

3. GEOGRAPHY: Which country is surrounded by the country of South Africa?

4. MOVIES: What is the name of the boy who owns the toys in “Toy Story”?

5. THEATER: What are the major divisions in a play?

6. TELEVISION: Which sitcom has the theme song, “Everywhere You Look”?

7. GAMES: How many checkers does each player get to start the game?

8. LITERATURE: Which children’s book features a construction vehicle named Mary Anne?

9. ANATOMY: What are the smallest blood vessels in the human body called?

10. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is the name of the dog mascot on the front of a Cracker Jack box?

The NAVEL

your body

Are you an “innie” or an “outie”? To the medical world it's the navel; for the rest of it's the belly button. This week Tidbits answers this question and more as we examine the bodily feature that's universally common to all of us.

• The belly button is the remnant at the location where the umbilical cord connects a baby to the motherʼs placenta. The word “umbilical” springs from the Latin word meaning middle or center, originally referring to a scroll’s ornamental end.

• Every mammal with a placenta also has a belly button: elephants, dolphins, bats. Some mammals may have a very faint belly button, including the platypus, which lays an egg, and marsupials, where the cord falls off while the baby is still in the pouch.

• Birds and reptiles, while not being mammals, also have a faint belly button that marks the spot where they were once attached to an egg yolk. Even dinosaurs had belly buttons.

• The human umbilical cord forms in the 2nd month of gestation. Four things are running through it: a vein that brings oxygen and nutrients to the baby; an artery taking waste away from the baby; a duct that turns into the intestinal tract; and a tube that develops into the bladder.

• Blood moves through the umbilical cord at around four mph. At full term, about a quart of blood flows through the umbilical cord every minute.

• After birth, the umbilical cord is clamped before being cut. The belly button forms when the stump of the cord dries up and falls off. It’s a baby’s first scar. The difference between the innie and the outie is not due to the doctor tying the umbilical cord wrong, or cutting it differently. It’s simply a matter of how the skin grows around the cord. If there is less skin, it folds inward making an innie; if there is more skin, it folds outward to

make an outie. Often, a baby has an outie at first that turns into an innie later on. Plastic surgery can improve the appearance of a belly button after reaching adulthood.

• Around 90% of humans have “innie” belly buttons and 10% have “outies.”

• Just like fingerprints, no two belly buttons are alike.

• In a survey, oval belly buttons were voted most attractive, with the outie as least attractive.

• A pregnant woman’s stomach protrudes so much that an innie often temporarily turns to an outie, reverting after the baby is born.

• In 2011, researchers studied the bacteria that live in the human navel. They asked 60 volunteers to swab their belly buttons. The bacteria was cultured and the DNA was analyzed. Called the Belly Button Biodiversity project, researchers found about 2,300 different strains of bacteria in the navels of the 60 participants.

• The average person has about 67 types of bacteria in the navel. Some of the strains were completely unknown to science. Just eight of those species were frequent and abundant across the individuals sampled (they were present in more than 70% of people). The rest of the species were rare, often appearing in just a single navel. Furthermore, not a single type of bacteria was found in all 60 people. Each person had their own unique “fingerprint” of belly button flora. In November 2012, the team published their findings in a paper called “A Jungle in There: Bacteria in Belly Buttons are Highly Diverse, But Predictable.”

• The town of Shibukawa in Japan is referred to as the belly button of the country because of its location in the center of the country. Townfolk capitalize on this by throwing a Bellybutton Festival every year in late July. Participants paint faces on their torsos, with the belly button as the mouth. A kimono and a large hat hide the rest of the body. There are contests, parades, food, souvenirs, and lots of laughs. 

Q: How would you identify Adam and Eve in heaven?

A: They're the only ones without belly buttons.

the less air passes through, and the higher the pitch. The length of the vocal cords also matters: longer vocal cords produce lower sounds (men), and shorter cords produce higher tones (women). Children have high voices because they have short vocal cords.

• Vocal cords are less than a half-inch long at birth and grow to about an inch over time.

• When you’re not speaking, the vocal cords relax and separate, allowing air to pass freely through and regulating airflow to the lungs. They also prevent food from going down the trachea instead of the esophagus.

• To produce a simple phrase, about 100 muscles in the chest, neck, jaw, tongue, and lips must work together.

• In an average conversation, the vocal cords vibrate, closing and opening 100 times per second or more. The rate of vibration increases when singing. It’s easy to feel what’s going on by wrapping your hand around your throat and saying, “ssssssZZZZZZssssssZZZZZZ.”

• Speaking a single word such as “Hello” can relay much information, showing how the speaker feels through tone and intensity.

• In everyday speech, people speak at an average rate of 125 to 150 words per minute (about 2 1/2 words per second) or much higher if they’re excited. The world’s fastest talker is Canadian Sean Shannon, who earned the world record in 1995. His feat was reciting Shakespeare’s “Hamlet” soliloquy “To Be, Or Not To Be” in just 23.8 seconds. The speech has 260 words, meaning he spoke at a rate of 655 words per minute, around 11 words per second.

• The average human vocal range spans about three and a third octaves, or about 40 notes. Most songs cover around 1.5 octaves. Like height or eye color, vocal range is primarily determined by

genetics, though it may change during sickness or in old age.

• A man can typically sing a sustained note for about 20 seconds, and a woman can do it for about 15 seconds. The world record for holding a note belongs to Richard Fink, who sang a continuous note at the required decibel level without taking a breath for 2 minutes, 1 second in Las Vegas, Nevada, in 2019.

VOICE VARIATIONS

• The human voice is sorted into categories based on pitch, ranging from soprano to bass.

• Soprano comes from the Latin “supra,” meaning “above.”

• “Mezzo” is Latin for “middle” for mezzo soprano.

• The Latin “altus” means “high” giving us alto.

• The Italian “contra” means “against or opposite” so a contralto is “the next voice after alto.”

• Countertenor also comes from “contra” meaning “the voice next to tenor.”

• The Latin “teneō” means “I hold” and refers to the one who holds the melody.

Pat Welsh was a chain smoker whose raspy voice gave E.T. its signature sound. She was a heavy smoker puffing three or four packs of cigarettes a day. Sound effects creator Ben Burtt overheard her talking in a camera store and was fascinated with what he heard. He invited her to audition for the part, and she immediately got it.

• Baritone originates with the Greek “barytonos” meaning “deep-toned.”

• The Latin “bassus” means “short, low” for bass.

• Falsetto is the diminutive form of the Italian “falso” meaning “false” and denotes a “false voice.”

• The baritone range is the most common for men, whether speaking or singing. For women, mezzo-soprano is most common.

VOICE PERCEPTIONS

• Researcher Sarah Collins from the Dutch University of Leiden had 34 men say various vowels out loud for a study done in 2000, while she recorded them on tape. She played the recordings to a group of women individually, asking them to rate the men according to their perceived weight, height, age, and attractiveness, all based solely on these recorded vowel sounds.

• The women were unable to gauge any of these qualities reliably. However, one thing made clear during this study was that women consistently voted the men with the deepest voices as being the most attractive – whether or not they had these attributes in real life.

VOCAL FACTS

• A baby in the womb can recognize their mother's voice by 25 weeks of development. Babies prefer their mother's voice over all others when they are born.

• American singer Tim Storms holds the world record for the lowest note ever sung by a human. His lowest recorded note hit an incredible 0.189 Hz. That’s eight octaves below the lowest G on a piano, and is so low that humans can’t hear

Voice: Turn to page 15

1. Do men tend to raise or lower their voice when flirting?

2. Do women tend to raise or lower their voice when flirting?

A teacher's assistant named Jill Drake of Sussex, England, holds the record for the world's loudest scream ever recorded. She hit 129 decibles. A jackhammer comes in at around 100 decibels.

By Lucie Winborne

* Forget “hair of the dog” -- a banana milkshake sweetened with honey is one of the best ways to cure a hangover. The banana helps calm the stomach while the honey builds up depleted blood sugar levels.

* If you sign up for the National Do Not Call Registry, anyone who places a sales call to your number can be fined up to $40,654 per call.

* Asian hair grows 30% faster than Caucasian hair.

* The rainbow eucalyptus tree sheds strips of bark as it grows, revealing a green inner layer that changes color over time, taking on vibrant blue, purple and orange hues.

* Java junkies, did you know that when coffee spread from Arabia to Europe, some people called it a “Muslim drink” and wanted it banned? Fortunately, it became widely accepted when the Pope tried a cup and liked it enough to declare it a Christian beverage.

* In much of the U.S. it is illegal to buy a new car directly from the manufacturer.

* Japanese scientists successfully created an MRI machine that can record dreams and reconstruct them for you to watch while you’re awake.

* In 1818, the U.S. began building a fort near the New York-Quebec border to defend against invasions from Canada. After two years they realized the fort was actually on the Canadian side. The abandoned project was appropriately named Fort Blunder.

* Blue-eyed people have the highest rate of alcohol dependence.

* Ever wonder if you have a doppelganger? Head on over to Twinstrangers.com, where you can register to find your lookalike from anywhere in the world by uploading photos, selecting your facial features, and looking through matches. ***

Thought for the Day: “A wise man can learn more from a foolish question than a fool can learn from a wise answer.”

-- Bruce Lee

Everyday CHEAPSKATE®

by Mary Hunt

The Excess of Consumption

valid. Some of you reading this have, in a sense, taken your “inheritance” in the form of home equity loans, credit card loans, student loans and all manner of consumer debt to which you’ve felt entitled. You even borrowed from your retirement accounts. You’ve been living it up, convincing yourself that you were building wealth and somehow believing you could raise yourself by pulling up on your bootstraps.

Now you are in dire straits. But in your case there’s no wealthy, forgiving father, no bailout. It’s time to figure out what it was in you that gave way to the demon of overconsumption.

The dreaded disease we know as tuberculosis was at one time known as consumption.

Everyday CHEAPSKATE®

by Mary Hunt

A highly contagious illness, consumption got its name from the way it takes a person’s life slowly from within -- first with a bloody cough, then fever, pallor and the long, relentless wasting away.

The irony that consumption, as we know it today, has an eerily similar effect.

Consumption is what consumers do to excess. We buy, acquire, eat and otherwise use. We’d rather pay to have things made and done for us than do that work ourselves. We want to be served and entertained. When we take it to an extreme, consumption eats us from within and causes a relentless economic wasting away of soul, spirit and finances.

If production is at one end of the spectrum, consumption is ready at the other.

Take food, for instance. When you buy and eat food, you consume it. When you grow, store, preserve or cook it, you produce it.

The U.S. used to be the world’s dominant producer. We were also the world’s dominant creditor. We made enough to lend to others. We produced so well that we created wealth at home and exported it to the rest of the world, too.

Slowly, over many decades, that has changed. We stopped saving. Instead, we sent manufacturing overseas, deciding to deal in non-exportable services to the point that we have become the world’s biggest debtor nation -- borrowing money to finance excessive consumption of imported goods, our hat in hand, looking for more credit, or borrowing money we now can't even pay back.

All this excessive consumption reminds me of the biblical story of the prodigal son.

A wealthy man has two sons and loves them both. The younger son asks his father to give him an early inheritance of his portion of the family estate so he can enjoy it in his youth.

The father reluctantly agrees, and the son immediately leaves home and travels far away with his newly received wealth. Blowing through his fortune in record time on wine, prostitutes and raucous living, he finds himself penniless.

... A little literary license here, please: He applies for credit and takes all he can get. He borrows from friends and neighbors but soon learns how impossible it is to keep everything paid on time and his life now becomes a shambles. He loses everything and finds himself in dire financial circumstances.

Back to the prodigal: His wealth now exhausted, he takes what he can get -- sinking so low he has to slop pigs for some poor farmer. He is so bad off that he see the pigs are eating better than he does. He soon comes to his senses and humbly returns to his father's estate. He admits his foolishness and begs to be taken back as a hired servant. But the father is overjoyed at his return and receives him back to his former family status, because his beloved son who was once lost has now been found.

...Ok, the biblical account has a different message than I do here, but the premise is still

A life of consumption stifles productivity -the production of physical objects, experiences, relationships, knowledge. You’ve been so busy consuming what others have produced that you haven’t taken time to be productive yourself. And the more you consume, the lazier you get. Consumers import, producers export. Consumers borrow, producers lend. Of course, we cannot eliminate consumerism altogether; consumption is a vital part of the production cycle. The problem arises when we’re consuming more than the amount of cash we can produce to pay for it. At this dreaded point, it becomes a crippling and addictive drug.

Here are simple ways you turn the tables on over-consuming -- and start producing: Downsize -- That may mean shopping at a different grocery store, start clipping and using coupons, moving to cheaper rent, combine several car trips into one to save on gas. Whatever you can do, stop complaining and get busy. Save -- Stop whining about not having enough money to save. Just give it up. Take $50 from your next paycheck and put it away, period. If that means you have to ride your bike to work, great. In fact, in that way you're producing your own energy instead of buying someone else's. Produce -- What else can you do so you don’t have to buy from someone else? What skills do you have that are lying dormant? Where can you give back? What can you do for others? Really give this some thought. You'll be surprised at the number of things you can jot down.

The day that your cash imports exceed your consumption is the day you find yourself back in the family of the financially wise.

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 2024 CREATORS.COM

• Of all the Star Wars characters, it’s Darth Vader who earns the most money from his likeness being used for merchandise, including Halloween costumes, figurines, coffee mugs, and toasters that burn the likeness of Darth Vader into the bread.

• Only four people knew of the surprise ending in “The Empire Strikes Back” where Darth Vader reveals he is Luke’s father: George Lucas, Mark Hamill, James Earl Jones, and director Irwin Kershner. George Lucas told Prowse to deliver the line: “Obi-Wan Killed your father!” which was later dubbed over by James Earl Jones. Even the people on set or viewing the rushes, including Carrie Fischer and Harrison Ford, were kept in the dark.

• Many people think the famous line is: “Luke, I am your father” when the actual line is, “No, I am your father.”

• The 6’6” bodybuilder David Prowse played the physical version of Darth Vader on screen because of his intimidating stature. However, he had a high-pitched voice and a thick British accent. He was nicknamed “Darth Farmer” on set because his voice wasn’t authoritarian. He worried his voice couldn’t be heard clearly through the mask but was reassured that it would be dubbed over. He was never told it would be dubbed over by someone else, and it shocked Prowse when he finally found out, causing some hard feelings. In subsequent movies, he sometimes recited gibberish, knowing it would be dubbed over anyway.

• Although most people can’t imagine any other voice for Darth Vader than that of voice actor James Earl Jones, George Lucas considered

Orson Welles for the job. However, he worried that Orson Welles’ voice was far too well known, whereas James Earl Jones was a newcomer whose voice would not be recognized. After “Star Wars” became a hit, James Earl Jones became more famous than Orson Welles.

• Neither David Prowse nor James Earl Jones were credited in the original film. Prowse feared the movie would flop; Jones feared being typecast. Jones received full credit when “Return of the Jedi” was released in 1983.

• The two actors never met each other.

• Every single version of the movie not in English had to find an actor with a deep voice to dub Darth Vader’s voice.

• In America, throughout the entire franchise, including all the movies, video games, and animations, about 13 people played the role of Darth Vader either by their physical presence or by dubbing the voice.

• Professional sword-fighter and fencer, Bob Anderson, choreographed sword fights for movies. He played Darth Vader during the lightsaber battle scenes in “The Empire Strikes Back” and “Return of the Jedi.”

• The words “Darth Vader” mean nothing. Lucas started with “dark water” and fooled around with syllables until he got the sound he sought. He may have liked it because it sounds similar to “death invader” or “dark father.”

• In some languages, Darth Vader’s name had to be changed. In Italian, “Vader” is close to the name used for a toilet bowl flush lever, so it was changed to “Lord Fener.” In France, he is named “Dark Vador” simply because the “th” in “Darth”

is unpronounceable to most French people.

• Darth Vader’s heavy breathing sound effect has been patented. Patent #77419252 describes it as “The sound of rhythmic mechanical human breathing created by breathing through a scuba tank regulator.”

• In the entire original first Star Wars trilogy, Darth Vader is on screen for only 43 minutes: 11 minutes for “A New Hope,” 14 minutes in “The Empire Strikes Back,” and 18 minutes for “Return of the Jedi.” 

Q: We recently retired & want to move to the Coachella Valley for the

- Recently retired.

A: YAY! Congratulations on your recent retirement! Yes, the Coachella Valley is a Retirement Paradise, with so many wonderful communities for every budget and lifestyle. Marcanne & MJ, your seasoned local Real Estate Agents, are here to make your “Dream Home Finding Process” a breeze! Here’s what to keep in mind as you embark on your journey:

1. Location: Prioritize neighborhoods with amenities suited to your retirement lifestyle, such as proximity to healthcare facilities, recreational activities, and social opportunities.

2. Accessibility: Look for homes with single-story layouts, wide doorways, and accessible bathrooms for aging in place.

3. Climate: Consider properties with shaded outdoor spaces and energy-efficient cooling systems suited to the desert climate.

4. Community: Explore retirement communities with amenities like golf courses and clubhouse activities.

5. Budget: Determine your budget and explore financing options suited to retirement income.

Steps to Purchasing a Home in the Coachella Valley:

1. Define Priorities: Identify must-have features and preferences.

2. Research Neighborhoods: Explore different areas to find the right fit.

3. Work with a Real Estate Agent: Partner with a knowledgeable and experienced agent familiar with the market and senior amenities.

4. View Properties: Tour homes that meet your criteria.

5. Negotiate and Close: Work with your agent to negotiate a fair price & navigate closing.

Call Marcanne & MJ to help you focus on all these considerations to help you make the Smart Moves, to guide you to the perfect Coachella Valley home to enjoy your retirement years to the fullest.

by Dana Jackson

Q: What is the name of the show that preceded “NCIS”? It had a very handsome leading man, but I’m blanking on the show and the star. -- K.L.

A: “JAG,” which is a United States military acronym that stands for Judge Advocate General, debuted on NBC in 1995, but the show moved to CBS a year later and lasted another nine seasons. The handsome leading man was played by David James Elliott, who was previously known as one of Elaine’s boyfriends on the “Seinfeld” episode titled “The Couch.”

“JAG” also starred Catherine Bell, Patrick Labyorteaux and John M. Jackson, all of whom have gueststarred on its very successful spin-off “NCIS.” Mark Harmon, Cote de Pablo and Michael Weatherly launched the original “NCIS” series, which was currently just renewed for its 22nd season.

Elliott and Bell have both moved on from the show, working steadily since. Elliott starred alongside Jennifer Finnigan in another legal drama “Close to Home,” from 2005 to 2007, and Bell starred in “Army Wives” for seven seasons. She’s since acted in several TV movies for Lifetime and Hallmark. Elliott can be seen in the upcoming film “Harvest Moon,” written by and starring Paul Bettany (“WandaVision”).

“JAG” ultimately led to five “NCIS” series in total, each set in a different city. Unfortunately, “NCIS: Hawai’i” -- the first one with a female headliner (Vanessa Lachey) -- was recently canceled af-

ter three seasons. It was axed days before the network was planning to announce its fall schedule. Its series finale will air on May 6. ***

Q: I recently read how much money Mark Cuban had to pay in taxes. Is he the richest of the “Shark Tank” investors? -- E.E.

A: According to an article on TVInsider, the main panel members of ABC’s “Shark Tank” have collectively invested $200 million into products and investment opportunities featured on the show. Barbara Corcoran has the least net worth at an estimated (gulp) $100 million. However, the top three wealthiest are Daymond John, the CEO of FUBU, who is worth $350 million; Kevin O’Leary (AKA “Mr. Wonderful”), who has an estimated $400 million net worth; and Mark Cuban, the only billionaire in the group, who has about $6.86 billion.

there going to be another season, or is it a limited series? -- Y.F.

A: The new FX series “Shogun” is based on a novel by James Clavell that was published in 1975. Set in the 15th through 17th centuries, it first became a hit miniseries back in 1980, originally starring Richard Chamberlain and Toshiro Mifune. Since the newest series tells the entire story of the novel, the writers would have to come up with another chapter for there to be a second season.

According to TV Guide, the series creators Rachel Kondo and Justin Marks are open to the idea of another season, but they don’t know if it’s possible, pointing out that even the novelist Clavell moved on to other stories after writing his acclaimed book.

Venice Motorcars

Cuban recently wrote, “After military service, paying your taxes is the most patriotic thing we can do.” His contribution to the IRS was said to be $275.9 million.

***

Q: I love the new series “Shogun.” Is

Send me your questions at NewCelebrityExtra@gmail.com, or write me at KFWS, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803. (c) 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

1. Split ................................ (PG-13)

1. Challengers

James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy

(R) Zendaya, Mike Faist

2. Rings ............................... (PG-13)

2. Unsung Hero

Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz, Alex Roe

(PG) Daisy Betts, Joel Smallbone

3. A Dog’s Purpose (PG)

Josh Gad, Dennis Quaid

4. Hidden Figures (PG)

3. Godzilla x Kong: The New Empire (PG-13) Rebecca Hall, Brian Tyree Henry

Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer

5. La La Land (PG-13)

4. Civil War (R) Kirsten Dunst, Wagner Moura

Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone

5. Abigail (R) Melissa Barrera, Dan Stevens

6. Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (R)

Milla Jovovich, Iain Glen

6. The Ministry of Ungentlemanly Warfare (R) Henry Cavill, Alan Ritchson

7. Sing (PG) animated

8. Lion ................................ (PG-13)

7. Kung Fu Panda 4 (PG) Jack Black, Awkwafina

Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman

9. The Space Between Us .. (PG-13)

8. Ghostbusters: Frozen Empire (PG-13) Paul Rudd, Carrie Coon

Gary Oldman, Asa Butterfield

10. xXx: Return of Xander

9. Dune: Part Two (PG-13) Timothée Chalamet, Zendaya

Cage .................................... (PG-13)

Vin Diesel, Donnie Yen © 2017 King

10. Boy Kills World (R) Bill Skarsgard, Jessica Rothe

David James Elliot and Catherine Bell in "JAG" Courtesy of CBS

Good Recipes from

Sweet

and

Spicy Salmon Burgers

Grated lime adds zing to the robust flavors in these salmon patties, which are made with red bell pepper, cilantro, fresh ginger, garlic and red curry paste, and served with a limeflavored soy sauce.

Sauce:

1/4 cup lime juice (grate zest first)

1 tablespoon less-sodium soy sauce

1 tablespoon sugar

1/4 tablespoon crushed red pepper

Burgers:

1/2 red bell pepper

1/3 cup packed fresh cilantro

1 slice peeled ginger

1 clove garlic

2 teaspoons red curry paste (see Tip)

1 teaspoon grated lemon zest

1 teaspoon sugar

1 1/2 pound skinless salmon

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1. Sauce: Mix ingredients in a small bowl. (You can do this first, or while fish is cooking.)

2. Burgers: Put bell pepper, cilantro, ginger, garlic, curry paste, lime zest and sugar in a food processor and pulse until blended. Add fish and pulse until just blended.

3. Shape level 1/4-cupfuls fish mixture into twelve 3-inch patties. (At this point, the fish burgers may be loosely covered and refrigerated for up to 4 hours.)

4. Heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium-high heat. Add half the fish burgers and cook about 1 minute on each side, until just cooked through. Drain on paper towels. Cook remaining fish burgers. Serve with sauce. Serves 4.

TIP: You can find red curry paste in the Asian foods or spice section of your market. Oc casionally it contains shrimp paste, so be sure to check ingredients if you have a shellfish allergy. Refrigerate jar after opening.

Double Chocolate Chip Cookies

Here’s a new take on America’s most popular cookie, combining semisweet and white chocolate chips for a delicious double-chocolate sensation.

1 1/2 cups all-purpose

1. Heat oven to 375 F.

2. Into large bowl, measure all ingredients except semisweet and white chocolate chips. With mixer at medium speed, beat ingredients until blended and smooth, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. With spoon, stir in chips.

Changes DUE:

3. Drop dough by rounded tablespoons, 2 inches apart, onto ungreased large cookie sheet. Bake cookies 10 to 12 minutes or until golden. Immediately transfer cookies to wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough. Store cookies in tightly covered container up to 1 week. Makes about 2 dozen cookies.

3/4 cup packed brown sugar

1/2 cup butter (1 stick), softened (no sub stitutions)

1 large egg 3/4 cup semisweet chocolate chips

cup white chocolate chips

CLIP AND SAVE

By John Allen

DIAMOND LIL

by Brett Koth

Donald

5/12 Mothers Day

5/13 Frog Jumping Day

5/14 National Decency Day

5/15 Peace Officer Memorial Day

5/16 National Barbeque Dinner Day

5/17 Syttende Mai

5/18 National Armed Forces Day

Dog Talk with Uncle Matty

By Matthew Margolis

When Grownups Say the Darndest Things

Grownups say the darndest things. Recently, I had the opportunity to speak with a director of one our nation’s many humane societies. I asked him what single factor more than any other drives people’s decision to abandon their dogs to a shelter. He said, unequivocally: behavioral problems.

Then I asked him what he tells the people who want to adopt these troublemakers. He said, without flinching: I tell them the dog needs training.

I then advised him to take his own advice. You see, he had called me because his 6-year-old Great Dane had been growling at his wife of three years and finally bit her in the face. When I asked him what took him so long to seek help, he said the darndest thing: “He doesn’t do it all the time!”

Another grownup, this one female, called to inquire about her dog, who has bitten several of her family members and friends. I warned her that she’s going to get sued eventually, and she, too, said the darndest thing: “Not if he only bites my family and friends!”

A woman who runs a rescue later called regarding someone who had returned a dog because it bit her. She wondered what went wrong. “Did the dog have a history of aggression,” I asked, to which that rescue worker replied: “Yes, but the woman said she’s good with dogs!”

I’ve never met a dog lover who didn’t think they were good with dogs.

The man with the 6-year-old 125-pound Rotweiller that growls at his kids believes he has a special touch with the canine crowd. “I taught him to sit and come. And whenever he growls, I say, ‘Bad dog. No.’”

I asked, “Does he stop?”

I think we all know the answer.

People with smaller problems are even less likely to cry uncle. It’s too late to become a

Wuzzles solution Page 16

Cody's Corner: Turn to Page 10

(CryptoQuip Solution on page 14)

SENIOR NEWS LINE

by Matilda Charles © King Features Synd., Inc.

Walking, Finally

Not too long ago, I devoted a column to the need we seniors have for regular exercise and the many ways it benefits us with improved quality of life and longevity. And I stressed how walking was one of the simplest ways to get into this on a regular basis.

And then the guilt hit me that I was instructing readers to do as I say, not as I do. Sure, I walked most every day on my routine errands, but only for short distances - but none of it on a programmed or measured basis.

So I decided to own up to myself (and my readers) by ordering a home-use treadmill online. After a less than satisfactory experience trying to accomplish this, I signed up at the local rec center with my freebie senior membership card to have a safe place for daily walking.

The New England community where I live has narrow roads with no sidewalks. The big-box store that used to be ideal is now heavily crowded during the day. The high school no longer has after-school hours for people to walk the hallways and climb the stairs - a result of the crazy school shootings around the country and other out-of-control crime.

So this, along with the failed online treadmill purchase, meant it was to the rec center I go if I wanted to have a safe place for walking.

But I neglected to consider the very big men who play basketball and run or fall into the walking track oval that goes along the outside wall. I neglected to consider the kids who play basketball and throw that heavy ball everywhere but into the net. I neglected to consider the people who are learning to play pickleball.

However, all is not lost. With the help of front desk staff and a copy of the current monthly schedule, we identified one afternoon hour that should be fairly hazard free: before the kids get out of school, before the men get off work, before the pickleball games start and -- best of all -- the hour when the only activity on the sched-

ule is track walking.

I tried it today. It was wonderful. Just several other seniors and me, each pacing along at our own speed and contented.

The next step is a new pair of walking shoes. I’ve been reading reviews and have determined what are likely the best shoes for me, even available at a local shoe store. Add my step-counter pedometer and a lightweight jacket (staff warned that the air conditioning will be running full blast when the weather warms up), and I’ll be ready to get in shape this summer -- and I can do it with a clear conscience!

* * *

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.

Cody’s Corner (from page 9)

veterinarian, so instead they imagine themselves dog trainers. These folks call to complain that their dog barks at the mailman or at the phone, or that he chews the furniture or urinates on the carpet. They don’t want to pay for training. They just need “a quick tip.”

For the truly diligent among them, a tip might do the trick. For most people, though, especially those whose dogs display aggressive tendencies, a quick tip isn’t going to cut it. As the director of the humane society said: These dogs need training. Even then, sometimes all the gold in Fort Knox can’t fund enough training to make an aggressive dog safe company for kids.

The reason so many people put up with disruptive or even dangerous behavior from their dogs is that feeling of unconditional love that is largely absent from relationships between humans. Well-adjusted individuals set boundaries and have expectations. Successful, healthy relationships require compromise and negotiation. Or, as Ava, age 8, put it when asked about love and marriage, “One of you should know how to write a check. Because, even if you have tons of love, there is still going to be a lot of bills.”

When kids say the darndest things, it’s hilarious. When grownups try it, not so much. Woof!

* * *

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.

COPYRIGHT 2012 CREATORS.COM

"Stop talking about getting a pardon. You happen to be the governor, remember?"

YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY

by Tom Margenau

Survey Says: 4.5 Stars

Well, the votes are in. Several weeks ago, I asked my readers to rate the service they got from the Social Security Administration in the form of stars: 5 stars for good service down to 1 star for poor service. More than 250 of you responded. And the overall rating averaged out to a solid 4.5 stars.

This is much higher than I would have guessed based on the emails I get from folks complaining about problems they had with the agency’s services and its employees. So this survey reinforces what I speculated about in a prior column. On a routine basis, people are much more likely to complain to me about poor service than they are inclined to send me an email praising good service. But when given the chance to voice their opinion, the folks who were very satisfied with the SSA’s services and employees let me know what they think. I’m going to expound on your rating and your responses in a bit. But first, here are some general thoughts about ratings.

Whether you’re buying some underwear at Kohl’s or a burger at McDonald’s, the clerk you deal with is likely to say something like this to you: “And we would appreciate it if you could take a minute and complete a survey about our service.” And if they are especially bold (and honest), they might add: “And we sure would love it if you give us 5 stars!” (5 stars being the top grade in most rating systems.)

It’s interesting how in the past 10 years or so, these ratings have come to mean so much to businesses, especially because of the online world and the omnipresence of social media. And it probably isn’t too much of an exaggeration to say that some of them, especially smaller businesses, live and die by those ratings. I’ll give two examples. Last summer, we had a new deck installed in our backyard. I got to know the guy we hired to do the job quite well. He owns a small deck-building business in our town. I was very pleased with the work he and his crew did and the deck he built. And even though I paid him rather handsomely for the job and thanked him profusely, he let me know that wasn’t enough. He practically pleaded with me to go on Google Reviews and other online sites and give him a 5-star rating. He told me that in today’s world, that’s how he gets a lot of business. Without a high ranking on those sites, he’d be in trouble. And here is another rating story that’s closer to home. My daughter-in-law runs a small pie business in our town. She has a pie truck and a newly opened brick and mortar shop. Because hers is a relatively new business, and because she is going up against some well-established and very well-financed bakeries in town, she has learned that good ratings on social media sites are the key to growing her little business. And thankfully, she almost always gets 5-star reviews from her customers.

But she’s also learned that those ratings can be a double-edged sword. For example, she recently got a 1-star review. She was surprised and hurt -- so much so, in fact, that she contacted the guy. It turns out that my daughter-in-law uses cherries grown in Colorado for her cherry pie. And this guy insisted that only Michigan cherries should be used in pies. And thus, his 1-star rating!

That’s just my way of saying that these rat-

ing systems can be important and can be an indication of the value or quality of the product or service being rated. But at the same time, sometimes these ratings must be taken with a grain of salt. I’ll explain more about that with respect to my Social Security service survey in just a bit, but first, here are the results. I got 254 responses from readers. And the ratings broke down like this:

-- 5 stars: 191 ratings

-- 4.5 stars: 7 ratings

-- 4 stars: 31 ratings

-- 3 stars: 13 ratings

-- 2 stars: 4 ratings

-- 1 star: 8 ratings

If I’m doing my math right, that comes out to a 4.5-star average rating. I understand this is an unscientific survey. But I still think it’s a pretty good representation of what most people think about the service they get from the SSA.

And I did glean some points from the responses I got. As I suspected, the SSA does routine work extremely well. And the good news is that when it comes to our involvement with the Social Security Administration, almost all of us have routine issues. We file for retirement benefits, or we want to change our address in the SSA’s records. These jobs are handled quickly and efficiently -usually by the SSA’s website: www.socialsecurity. gov. In fact, many readers who gave 5-star reviews specifically mentioned the ease of using the website.

Conversely, many people who gave lower ratings had messy situations. One guy had been trying for years to get disability benefits. And even though he eventually got those benefits, he gave the agency a 1-star review.

Two other readers gave a low rating because they said they got wrong answers from SSA reps. But when they described their situation to me, they actually got correct information. I don’t think you should give a low rating based on what you think an answer is supposed to be. But still, they did.

Some people who gave lower ratings cited

1. The book of Samson is found in the a) Old testament b) New testament c) Neither

2. From Numbers 21:6, what repulsive creaures bit the Israelites in the wilderness? a) Scorpions b) Fiery serpents c) Vipers d) Ravens

3. Before the Tower of Babel, how many languages were spoken in the world? a) One b) Six c) Twelve d) Unknown

4. From Matthew 7:7, Jesus said that we should seek, knock, and do what? a) Pray b) Worship c) Ask d) Wait

5. What book's last verse is "Remember me, O my God, for good"? a) Genesis b) Nehemiah c) Revelation d) Hebrews

6. From Genesis 5:5, how old was Adam when he died? a) 194 b) 491 c) 930 d) Age not specified

Sharpen your understanding of scripture with Wilson Casey's latest book, "Test Your Bible Knowledge," now available in stores and online.

the long wait times when calling the agency’s tollfree number (800-772-1213). One guy gave a 1-star rating for that reason. But interestingly, another person who said he waited for about an hour gave a 4-star rating because once his call was answered, he said he talked to a knowledgeable rep who gave him good advice.

This leads me to another observation: I think happy and optimistic people tend to give good ratings and grumpy and pessimistic people give low ratings. Here is a perfect example of that: Two people, one kind of grumpy and one kind of happy (I could just feel those vibes in the emails they sent), reported almost identical issues with the SSA’s in-office service they experienced. They each ended up sitting about two hours in the waiting room of their respective local SSA office before being served. Mr. Grumpy gave the SSA 1 star because of that. Mr. Happy still gave a 5-star review because he said he understood there have been staffing cutbacks and once he was served, he got his issues taken care of in a professional way. By the way, I am not saying that all those who give low reviews are grumpy people. But I am saying that all grumpy people give low reviews.

And speaking of those reviews, in next week’s column, I’m going to relay some of the comments many of you shared with me about your experiences dealing with the Social Security Administration.

* * *

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) For comments or more Bible Trivia go to www.TriviaGuy.com

“Don’t die without it!”

 Licensed

California and Florida

Diabetics Receive Great Results From a PlantBased Diet

DEAR DR. ROACH: Your recent column about treating diabetes left me wondering. Diabetes, as I understand it, is usually a result of too much sugar being consumed. But consuming carbohydrates is not that different because they are quickly converted to sugar through the human chemical processes. So, why are you promoting a plant-based diet that is high in carbohydrates?

Consuming protein, which is easily obtained by eating meat, seems to be the answer to reducing the consumption of simple and complex carbohydrates that are quickly converted to sugar in our body. I’ve switched to a high-protein diet (both plant and animal protein), and my blood sugar has been very well-controlled for a couple of years. -- F.B.

ANSWER: Diabetes is not a result of consuming too much sugar. Type 1 diabetes is an autoimmune disorder where the cells that make insulin are destroyed by the body. Type 2 diabetes is a disease of insulin resistance and a relative inability to secrete insulin in response to a sugar load.

In a person with Type 2 diabetes, consuming too much sugar in a short time overloads the body’s ability to respond, so their blood sugar goes up. It is persistent high blood sugar that is responsible for most of the damage to the kidneys, eyes, blood vessels and nerves.

I am careful about what I mean by a plant-based diet. While it’s true that a diet consisting entirely of maple syrup and orange juice would be extremely bad for a person with diabetes because of the concerns about blood sugar that you raised, a plant-based diet that is mostly vegetables, whole grains, legumes, fatty fish and nuts/seeds with moderate amounts of whole fruits does not raise blood sugar more than a standard Western diet.

The high fiber content of the legumes, whole grains and vegetables prevents rapid absorption, and the protein and healthy fat in nuts and fatty fish likewise slow stomach-emptying. Finally, there is good evidence that people with diabetes have excellent results with this kind of diet.

You are right that protein is important for a person with diabetes, but many high-protein diets based on meat also have high amounts of saturated fat, which increase the risk for heart blockages. In addition, saturated fat is a major cause of disease and death in people with diabetes. However, it is possible to have a healthy, high-protein diet with care.

***

DEAR DR. ROACH: The supplemental facts on the One A Day Men’s 50+ vitamins and Women’s 50+ vitamins are similar -- only the men’s had vitamin K, and the women’s didn’t. Other than this, the sole differences were variations in some of the daily values. Is there any potential downside to a man taking a Women’s 50+ vitamin or vice versa? --J.M.

ANSWER: I don’t recommend daily multivitamins for healthy people, besides a few exceptions: Women of reproductive age who are considering pregnancy should be on a folatecontaining regimen. People with known deficiencies (such as vitamin D) should be getting replacement supplements. Finally, vitamin E may increase prostate cancer risk and should be avoided in those with a prostate.

Women who are menstruating need more iron than men do, and sex-specific vitamin formulations keep these issues in mind. (Iron generally isn’t dangerous for people who aren’t menstruating, unless they have hemochromatosis.) So, while I don’t recommend them, and although they are very similar, there are subtle reasons to choose a sex-appropriate vitamin.

Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to ianswer individual questions, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu.

(c) 2024 North America Synd., Inc.

FINANCIAL

VETERANS POST  

by Freddie Groves

When You Think You Can’t Be Shocked ...

The Office of Inspector General for the Department of Veterans Affairs uncovers, investigates and helps bring to justice all types of criminals for all types of crimes. But sometimes the details are surprising and especially appalling.

This is a new charge: forced labor. Specifically, the charges were forced labor, slave labor trafficking and theft of government funds.

In the scam, four people obtained the labor and services of an Indian national and kept him a prisoner by use of force and threats of force against his family back in India. They were arrested late last year on the slave labor trafficking charges.

Then it was discovered that the ringleader, a former U.S. Army veteran, and his wife had been collecting caregiver support money from the VA, falsely claiming the veteran was unable to care for himself, that he couldn’t walk, cook, shop, manage finances and medicine, take a bath by himself nor do anything else. They claimed caregiver funding for his care for four years before being caught. There were 47 counts alone of stealing government funds, as well as the counts for labor trafficking and forced labor.

Very appalling, besides the theft of government money, was that the kidnapped person was a young man here in the country on a student visa sponsored by the veteran. The kid was brought here to go to college but was instead held captive and physically abused, forced to sleep on the concrete floor in the basement.

Thankfully, a neighbor called police asking for a wellness check, during which the young captive was able to get to the front door to safety when the police showed up. He was hospitalized and found to have both old and new injuries, including open wounds and broken bones as a result of reportedly being beaten with boards, pipes, metal rods and more. The judge in his wisdom denied all the criminals bail.

Most disturbing, however, is knowing that it was a veteran who was behind all the violence.

* * *

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.

-- by Jim Miller

How to Find a Good Doctor

DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: Can you recommend some good resources to help me locate some quality doctors in my area?

I’m looking for an orthopedic doctor for my 77-year-old mother and a new internist for me, as my doctor retired last year. There also seems to be a shortage of doctors in the hospital and clinics in this area.

-- Searching Susan

Dear Susan: Finding and researching doctors today is a lot easier than it used to be. Today, there are variety of websites you can turn to that provide databases of U.S. doctors, their professional medical histories, and ratings and reviews from past patients on a number of criteria. Here are some good sites to help you get started, along with a few additional tips that can help you find the right doctors:

Searching Tips

To help you locate some good doctors in your area, a good first step is to get referrals from trusted friends, along with any doctors, nurses or other healthcare professionals you know.

You also need to check your insurance provider. Call your insurer for a list of approved doctors or ask whether the doctor you’re considering is in-network.

If your mother is enrolled in original Medicare, you can use the care compare tool at Medicare.gov/care-compare – click on “Doctors & Clinicians.” This will let you find doctors by name, medical specialty or by geographic location that accept original Medicare. If she’s enrolled in a Medicare Advantage plan, call or visit the plan website to get a list of approved candidates.

Once you find a few doctors, you need to call their office to verify that they still accept

your insurance, and if they are accepting new patients.

You should also consider hospital affiliation. Your choice of doctor can determine which hospital you go to, if needed, so find out where the doctor has admitting privileges. Then use some hospital ratings services like Medicare. gov/care-compare (click on “Hospitals”) to see how it compares with other hospitals in the area.

Researching Doctors

After you find a few doctors you’re interested in, there are various websites you can consult, to help you evaluate them. For example, the Federation of State Medical Boards offers a tool at DocInfo.org that will let you find out doctor’s board certifications, education, states with active licenses, and whether or not a physician has been disciplined by a state medical board.

The Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services (CMS Data) is also a good source for researching doctors. For example, it will help you find out how many times a doctor did a particular procedure and what they charge for it – go to Data.CMS.gov/tools and click on “Medicare Physician & Other Practitioner Look-up Tool.” And to learn about the financial relationship that doctors have with drug and medical device companies, visit OpenPaymentsData.CMS.gov

Some other good sites for finding and researching healthcare professionals include Healthgrades (healthgrades.com) and Vitals (vitals.com).

Both sites provide substantial doctor’s information on education and training, hospital affiliations, board certification, awards and recognitions, professional misconduct, disciplinary action, office locations and accepted insurance

plans.

They also offer 5-star ratings scales from past patients on issues such as communication and listening skills, wait time, time spent with the patient, office friendliness and more. But be aware that while physician rating websites can be helpful, they can also be misleading and unreliable.

Sadly, your perception of a doctor shortage is very likely true, although it's not just in your area. America is experiencing a physician shortage, and it’s only expected to get worse—a concerning situation that could lead to poorer health outcomes for millions of patients.

Although it's a complicated subject, one of the simple reasons is that the over 65 age group is now growing much faster than the number of physicians needed to provide them with proper care. In fact, as doctors are now retiring by the thousands, they are not being replaced at a rate needed to fill the void. Unfortunately, it is not a comforting look into the coming years.

P.O.

sures about 15 inches. She is wearing a bonnet, 17th-century clothes and high heels. She has blonde curls, rosy cheeks and is holding a basket filled with fruit. The figurine is in perfect condition.

Please tell me who made our figurine, how old it is and what it is worth.

ANTIQUE

by Anne McCollam Creators News Service

by Anne McCollam Creators News Service

Ice Was a Luxury in Victorian Era

Q: Enclosed is a photo of a silver tankard that has been in our family for somewhere around 100 years. On the bottom are the words “Barbour Silver Co. -- Quadruple -- 50.”

What can you tell me about the history and value of my tankard?

A: You have a Victorian tilting ice pitcher with a matching goblet and stand. It was made around 1880 by Barbour Silver Co. in Connecticut. “Quadruple” means your pitcher is silver plate rather than sterling silver.

Available ice was a luxury in the Victorian era. Silver plate ice pitchers were a symbol of wealth and status. They are lined with metal, glass or porcelain to help keep ice from melting quickly. Few tilting ice pitchers have survived with their stands and goblets intact.

Similar pitchers that are in excellent condition and not in need of re-silvering are selling in the range of $500 to $800.

Q: This mark is on the bottom of a porcelain figurine that has been in my family for as long as I can remember. We think it was a wedding gift to our great-grandparents when they were married in 1913. It is a young woman standing on a base and overall mea-

A: Dux Porcelain Manufactory made your figurine. They were located in Dix, Bohemia, now Duchcov, Czech Republic. E. Eichler founded his firm in 1860. The image of the acorn on the mark is attributed to the word “eichel,” which is similar to the name “Eichler” and means “acorn” in Germany. This mark was used from 1900 to 1918.

Your figurine was made in 1913 and is collectible. It would probably be worth in the neighborhood of $1,100 to $1,400.

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 May 13, 1958, Vice President Richard Nixon’s car was attacked and nearly overturned by an angry crowd shouting antiAmerican slogans as Nixon traveled through Caracas, Venezuela, during a goodwill trip through Latin America. None of the car’s passengers were injured and the driver was able to speed away to safety.

* On May 14, 1904, the first Olympic Games to be held in the United States opened in St. Louis, Missouri. The Games had initially been awarded to Chicago, but were later given to St. Louis to be staged in connection with the St. Louis World Exposition. Unfortunately, the Games were poorly organized and overshadowed by the fair.

* On May 15, 2009, General Electric, one of America’s most prestigious corporations, finally began its government-mandated efforts to clean up New York’s Hudson River, after decades of environmental damage and legal wrangling. The company had dumped harmful chemicals into the river for years and spent a fortune trying to avoid a cleanup.

* On May 16, 1975, Norma Armistead checked into a Los Angeles hospital with a newborn infant she claimed to have given birth to at home. But when it became clear she hadn’t, and another woman turned up dead nearby with the baby she was carrying cut from her body, Armistead was arrested for murder and sentenced to life in prison.

* On May 17, 1885, Apache leader and medicine man Geronimo escaped from an Arizona reservation. After a year and a half of running, he and his 38 remaining followers surrendered the following September. Geronimo was relocated to Florida before finally being freed two years later.

* On May 18, 1593, an arrest warrant was issued for Christopher Marlowe after fellow playwright Thomas Kyd claimed that “heretical” documents found in his room were actually written by Marlowe. Arrested two days later, Marlowe bailed out but died in a bar brawl on May 30.

* On May 19, 1943, British Prime Minister Winston Churchill and President Franklin Roosevelt set a date of May 1, 1944, for the cross-Channel landing that would become D-Day. Due to bad weather, it was rescheduled for June 6 instead.

(c) 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

"Dude, check this out. The strategy guide says if you kill Gigaslime, you must immediately wipe out triclops before attacking any other Tron - 'or else.' I wonder what they mean by 'or else'?"

Barbour Silver Co. was located in Connecticut.

Dux Porcelain was located in Czechoslovia.

it, although elephants can. It was recorded and verified on a special low-frequency microphone in 2012. He also holds the record for the largest vocal range of any singer, with a ten-octave reach.

• The “A” note, which is about in the middle of a piano keyboard, resonates at 440 Hertz (Hz). An octave higher and it resonates at 880 Hz. An octave lower and it’s 220 Hz.

• A typical human can hear frequencies from 20 Hz to 20,000 Hz.

• An average man can sing a low note of about 60 Hertz; an average female soprano can sing a high note up to about 1200 Hz.

• By contrast, the record for the lowest note sung by a woman is 34.21 Hz, set by Canadian singer Joy Chapman in 2021.

• Singer Georgia Brown of Brazil holds the record for the greatest female vocal range with an eightoctave reach. Singer Mariah Carey, renowned for her range, reportedly can only sing in five octaves.

• Is it possible to shatter glass with just the voice? To start with, the singer would need to be singing at the exact pitch that matches the glass’s resonant frequency, making it vibrate the most. That’s usually in the range of C above middle C. Then, the singer would need to be extremely loud. During a segment on the TV show “Mythbusters,” one singer hit the right note and sang it at the decibel level of a jackhammer, but only managed to break one out of 12 glasses that he attempted to shatter. 

your golf-related advertising message targeted visibility in full color in this weekly 2” x 6” fixed location $153 per insertion reaches

Game Changers

by Jason Jenkins

One of the signs of advanced golfing skills is the presence of some form of waggle or movement before a shot is struck. Players who freeze over the ball tend to be overly worried about a list of movement cues.

By employing a waggle, you’ll tend to minimize tension and improve focus on the shot at tend. The question lies in which waggle is right for you.

Traditionally, players employed a “hands” waggle where the wrists moved the club back and forth with little body movement. Today, players like Jason Day use a mini “one-piece” waggle. They take the club back a short distance with the shoulders and arms, while using very little wrist action. Both players are using movement to keep tension from creeping into the body.

Jason Jenkins was a 16-year member of the Jim McLean Golf