Vol. 20: #21 • Vinyl Records • (5-19-2024) Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Neatest Little Paper Ever Read"

by Kathy Wolfe

Ever wondered about the story behind those iconic vinyl records that spin tunes from generations past?

Strap in for a rockin' journey through the history of vinyl, from its humble beginnings as a solution to wartime shellac shortages to its modern resurgence in an age of digital dominance. From 78s and LPs to CDs and MP3s, then back again, let’s explore how vinyl records have shaped the way we experience music over the decades. So, grab your headphones and let’s drop the needle on this sonic time machine!

• A vinyl record takes its name from its composition of polyvinyl chloride, or PVC. Most of PVC, 57%, consists of chlorine, with the other 43% derived from crude oil.

• Beginning in the late 1890s, records were made of shellac, a rather heavy, brittle material. These 10-inch records were called “78s,” due to the number of rotations per minute (rpm). Recording duration per side was three to five minutes. During World War II, the War Production Board called for a 70% cut in production of phonograph records. Why? Because shellac wasn’t used just For the Record: Turn to page 3

TRIVIA NEWSFRONT

(Answers on page 16)

1. GEOGRAPHY: Which European country has the largest population?

2. TELEVISION: Which sitcom features a character named Ron Swanson?

3. SCIENCE: What are the three layers of the Earth?

4. MOVIES: Which 2001 movie has a famous “bend and snap” scene?

5. MONEY: What is a modern U.S. penny made of mostly?

6. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is a common name for an animal in the Leporidae family?

7. LITERATURE: Which children’s book contains the line, “Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast”?

8. ANATOMY: Where is the pinna located in the human body?

9. HISTORY: Who was the fourth president of the United States?

10. BUSINESS: What did Amazon sell exclusively when it started business in 1994?

(Trivia Test answers page 16)

your body

How many of these body parts beginning with the letter “M” are you familiar with? Tidbits invites you to “get physical” to test your knowledge.

• The malleolus and the malleus might sound similar, but they’re in no way related. The malleolus is the bone that sticks out on either side of the ankle joint, providing stability to the joint. The bone on the inner side of the ankle is at the lower end of the tibia, while the one on the outer side is formed by the lower end of the fibula. The malleus is also a bone, but it’s located in the middle ear, and transmits sound vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear. This small bone is commonly referred to the “hammer,” due to its shape.

• Also related to the ear, the mastoid is that bony protrusion located just behind the earlobes. This bump is connected to the middle ear and critical for hearing and balance, as well as acting as the attachment site for several muscles in the head and neck.

• “M” parts related to the jaw include the mandibula, the maxilla, and the masseter. The mandibula, or lower jawbone, is the face’s largest and strongest bone, providing support to the lower teeth and structure for the lower face. The mandible works closely with the maxilla, or upper jaw, in the chewing process and to assist with speech. The maxilla contains the upper teeth and helps form the roof of the mouth and the floor of the eye sockets and nasal cavity. It also helps you smile along with other facial expressions. The masseter is a muscle within the jaw, one of the strongest muscles in the body, and critical for biting and chewing food. It’s connected to the mandible and the cheekbone.

• In the chest, the mediastinum, as the central compartment of the chest cavity, holds the heart, lungs, esophagus, trachea, lymph nodes, and nerves. It’s located right in the middle of the chest between the lungs and is surrounded by the ribcage. The manubrium is also part of

the chest, the uppermost part of the breastbone, or sternum, that flat bone located in the center of the chest. Several muscles and ligaments are attached to this handle-shaped portion of the sternum, which functions as the protector of the heart, lungs, and blood vessels.

• If you’ve torn your meniscus, you’ve damaged that C-shaped piece of cartilage found in the knee joint, and suffered one of the most common knee injuries. It occurs when the knee is forcefully twisted or rotated while bearing weight on the knee. Each knee has two menisco, which act as a cushion between the shinbone and the thighbone.

• Continuing our journey through the body's mysterious corridors, we encounter the metatarsophalangeal joints. Situated at the base of the toes, these joints enable pivotal movements essential for walking, running, and maintaining balance. Their intricate design allows for flexibility while providing crucial support to the foot's structure.

• You may have heard of macular degeneration, but may not be aware of what the macula does. This tiny oval-shaped area (just 0.25 inch wide), is at the center of the eye’s retina at the back of the eyeball. Composed of photoreceptor cells, it’s responsible for translating light that enters the eye into a signal that the brain can understand. It enables vision for objects directly in front of you. When the macula begins to deteriorate, mostly after age 50, the eye can still take in light, but images that are straight ahead are blurry and without fine detail. Those with the condition maintain their peripheral vision, able to see things off to the sides. About 20 million Americans have macular degeneration, which can be brought on by family history, obesity, smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, head injuries, infections, or a poor diet without essential nutrients.

CLIP AND SAVE

(from page one)

in record production, but was also needed for the manufacture of explosives. The shortage of shellac paved the way for vinyl records.

• RCA had already been experimenting with 12-inch vinyl records, having released the first long-playing record in 1931, a recording of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 by the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra. Its rotational speed was 33 1/3, able to hold more than 20 minutes of music per side. These larger records became known as LP’s, for “Long-playing.”

• Improvements were made to vinyl over the next several years, and in 1948, Columbia Record Company introduced the first 12-inch microgroove record album. With 23 minutes of music on each side, it was a recording of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor performed by New York’s Philharmonic Orchestra.

• RCA’s 1949 innovation was a 7-inch record with a bigger hole in the center. It played a single song at 45 rpm, and was the preferred format for jukeboxes. The 45s had a better sound than the LPs, because they rotated at a faster speed. This made for more waveform definitions and grooves on the record’s surface, creating better audio quality.

• The first 45 rpm record, a green vinyl recording of Eddy Arnold’s “Texarkana Baby,” went on sale on March 31, 1949. The most valuable 45, a 1965 recording of “Do I Love You, Indeed I Do” by Motown artist Frank Wilson, sold for $37,000 in 2009. If you have a copy of the Beatles’ “Love Me Do” 45 record, it can be worth up to $20,000.

• In 1970, a vinyl record could be purchased for around $5.00 (about $33 in today’s dollars). The price of a 45 rpm was 95 cents.

MUSIC ON THE GO

• The popularity of vinyl led to the end of production of shellac records in the late 1950s. Yet vinyl’s popularity was coming to an end as well. Philips debuted the cassette tape in America

in 1964, with music recorded on magnetic film. This innovation gave listeners the ability to record their own tracks of audio, giving rise to the era of the popular “mixtape.” Within five years, cassettes outsold records. Then in 1979, Sony’s Walkman strutted onto the scene, putting the power of portable music in the palm of your hand.

• More new technology put vinyl and cassettes at risk in 1982 when Sony created the first compact disc, a 4.75-inch disc with a capacity of 80 minutes of audio. The disc’s tracks are scanned by an infrared laser, spinning at a rate between 210 and 480 rpm. CDs were small, portable, convenient, and could be played on a portable devices that could go anywhere.

• The success of CDs wound down when the first version of the MP3 digital music format was introduced in 1993. This format launched the downloading of digital music, and the capability of listening to music files on a computer.

• Apple revolutionized the way people listened to music with the introduction of the iPod in 2001, a sleek and portable device marketed as providing music lovers with “1,000 songs in your pocket” thanks to its 5 GB storage capacity. Prior to the launch of the iTunes Store in 2003, users added music to their iPods from CDs or various online sources such as Napster.

Although the Beatles' recording of "Ob-LaDi, Ob-La-Da" was a hit for the band, the Jamaican-style song was included on a list of "50 Worst Songs Ever" and voted the worst song of all time in another online poll.

• By March 2002, an updated iPod could accommodate 2,000 songs. In September of the same year, an upgrade expanded storage to 10,000 songs, while the 80 GB iPod released in 2005 boasted a capacity of 20,000 songs!

• In 2022, Apple bid farewell to its beloved iPod line, bowing out amidst shifting consumer preferences and technological advances. The rise of smartphones and music streaming services made standalone music players obsolete, with multifunctional smartphones stealing the show. As demand tanked, Apple pulled the plug on iPod, marking the end of an era in portable music.

VINYL'S BIG COMEBACK

• Yet all of the new innovations haven’t marked the end of vinyl records. Since 2007, there has been a renewed interest in vinyl records. The comeback was small at first, but by 2010, growth was quickly picking up. By 2020, the increase was 29.2%, surpassing sales of CDs for the first time in over 30 years. In 2021, 41.72 million vinyl records were sold in the U.S. For the first half of 2023, sales exceeded 23 million, with Taylor Swift leading the pack. These days,

nearly every major artist is releasing their newest records on vinyl.

• What’s created this resurgence of vinyl records? Part of it is a sense of nostalgia as listeners enjoy adding a new record to their collection and displaying them creatively. They like the imaginative cover art and the bonus items, such as posters, included in albums not present with CDs, MP3s or streaming services. Some say that the sound of vinyl is “warmer” and “more authentic,”

Record: Turn to page 15

1. What does the contraction MP3 stand for?

2. If you played records on the hi-fi, what did it stand for?

Answers page 16

A high school P.E. teacher was the inspiration for the name of the band Lynyrd Skynyrd in 1969. Originally calling themselves My Backyard when they formed in 1964, they switched to a moniker based on Leonard Skinner, the teacher who continually sent the band members to the school principal for their long hair.

By Lucie Winborne

* Football player Ronaldinho Gaucho lost a $750,000 deal with Coca-Cola simply by taking a sip from a Pepsi.

* Some farmers started feeding their pigs waste products from the marijuana industry, such as plant stems, leaves and roots, saying it boosted the animals’ appetites so they would bulk up to 30 pounds heavier than normal, also that it had the effect of making the meat taste “more savory.”

* The fastest any human has ever traveled was during the re-entry of the Apollo 10 module, at a maximum speed of 24,830 miles per hour, or 7 miles per second.

* If you can convince yourself that you slept well last night, even though you didn’t, your brain will be tricked into thinking you aren’t tired. It’s called “placebo sleep.”

* When an astronaut working on the International Space Station needed a tool he didn’t have, NASA came to the rescue by designing one with computer software and emailing the file to him. He then used a 3D printer to create the first object ever designed on Earth but made in space.

* Studies show that the human brain remains half-awake when sleeping in a new environment for the first time.

* Just before WWII, the U.S. created the Logan Bar, a chocolate bar that deliberately tasted “a little better than a boiled potato,” as an emergency ration to prevent soldiers from snacking on it outside of emergency situations.

* Too much grape soda will make your poop turn blue.

* A shopping mall in China offers “husband storage” pods, where wives and girlfriends can leave their partners while they shop. Each pod is equipped with a TV, a gaming console and a leather massage chair.

Thought for the Day: “A comfort zone is a beautiful place -- but nothing ever grows there.”

Everyday CHEAPSKATE®

by Mary Hunt

How to Beat Inflation at the Supermarket

ket, ALDI carries just 1,300 of the most needed food products, including produce and meat. As I write, ALDI operates stores in more over 20 countries, with 2,372 locations in the U.S. (Sadly, none currently in Colorado, where I live). To find a complete list of locations, go to aldifoods. com, or call ALDI headquarters in Batavia, Illinois, at 630-879-8100.

Everyday CHEAPSKATE®

Could you handle a big announcement that overnight food costs in the United States have miraculously dropped by 20%? That you will see this miracle in your local grocery or supermarket on your next visit? You can if you pay attention and then heed what you’re about to read. Know this: There’s not one single way to reduce your family’s food costs. The key is to use a combination of strategies.

by Mary Hunt

EAT THE SALES. Build your grocery list from the sale ads. If it’s not on sale, don’t buy it, at least not this week. Every supermarket and grocery store -- even the discount outlets -- have weekly sales. In fact, over a 12-week period, something in every department of that store will be on sale, and I’m talking about an authentic, fabulous sale!

LOSS LEADERS. Loss leader means the store is willing to let you buy the item at a crazy sale price that is even lower than its cost -- just to get you through the door. They know that once you’re in, you will end up paying full price for so many other things, you’ll willingly make up for its loss many times over. But don’t fall for that! Beat them at their own game. Load up on those loss leaders if they’re items you and your family will eat and you have room to store in the pantry or freezer. Now you won’t need to rebuy until the next sale.

KNOW YOUR PRICES. Supermarkets routinely drop prices by 20% or more for lossleader sales. That’s the time to buy. Devise a system that will keep you current on the shelf price versus a “sale” price of food items you buy on a regular basis. It might be a small notebook you carry with you or a spreadsheet you maintain in your device. Marketing campaigns take advantage of the ignorance of the buying public. You need to be smart enough to know real deals and counterfeits when you see them. It’s difficult to not find the humor in a sign that announces “Two for $5” unless you know the regular price is $2.29 each. Think I’m kidding? No! It happens all the time where I shop, and I get a good laugh every time.

USE COUPONS. These days you’re more apt to see digital coupons than paper, but the strategy still stands. Make sure you are signed up with the store you’re shopping at, then consider every coupon (paper or digital) it offers. However, just because that digital coupon will give you 25% off does not mean it deserves a place in your shopping cart! Anticipate and plan ahead. If your family doesn’t need that item, or it’s something you will never find a way to use, walk on by.

SHOP ALDI. This is a discount grocery retailer specializing in its own private-label products. ALDI prices are so low it’s like having a double coupon on everything. Instead of managing 25,000 different items like a mega-supermar-

THINK SEASONAL. Pound for pound, fresh produce can be much cheaper and more nutritional than fast food, chips, cookies, candy, soda or pre-packaged, pre-processed convenience items. But there is a catch: You have to buy what’s in season. If it’s $4.99 a pound, it’s not in season. When apples are two pounds for 99 cents, bananas 49 cents per pound and flame seedless grapes 99 cents per pound, you know they’re in season. There’s a glut on the market; this retailer needs to move those items now! There are always bargains in the produce department. Adjust your tastes accordingly.

SET LIMITS. This is the fun part. Example: I don’t spend more than $2 for a box of cereal. It’s not always available at that price, but when it’s on sale or I have coupons to match, I stock up. My personal limit for boneless skinless chicken breasts is $1.97 per pound; $2 for 16 ounces of salad dressing and so on.

CONTROL PORTIONS. Dr. Dean Edell, author of “Eat, Drink, & Be Merry,” says the healthiest diet is not one that is low on fat or high on carbs. The healthiest way to eat is to eat less -- small amounts of a large variety of foods. Rather than serving dinner family style (passing the food around the table), try restaurant style: Plate the food in the kitchen. Now the cook controls portion sizes -- a great first step to reversing overconsumption.

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

MARSHMALLOWS MARSHMALLOWS

This week, Tidbits has “s’more” than enough facts about one of our favorite sweet treats – the marshmallow!

• Did you know that marshmallows grow on trees? Well, sort of anyway. There really is a marshmallow plant found in Europe, Asia, and North Africa. It’s a beautiful flowering plant that’s covered in white flowers, but it’s the roots and sap that provide the real benefit. For centuries, dating back to ancient Egypt and Greece, people used these parts of the marshmallow plant for its therapeutic properties -- to heal wounds, to soothe throat inflammation, and relieve coughs. The sap and root pulp were boiled and mixed with honey. The healing concoction was strictly for use by royalty.

• The Egyptians moved the marshmallow from merely medicinal to a confection, combining it with grains and nuts and baking into cakes.

• It wasn’t until the mid-1800s that the marshmallow started to become the form we know today. French confectioners took the plant’s roots and sap and whipped them together with sugar, water, and egg whites, resulting in a soft, puffy treat. Each marshmallow had to be hand-formed, so in the latter part of the century, they created cornstarch molds that allowed for mass-production.

• The process remained tedious and timeconsuming despite advancements. Extracting sap from the plant and allowing it to dry took over a day. Manufacturers replaced it with the more-convenient gelatin, which had the added bonus of helping marshmallows to better hold their shape. Corn syrup, starch, powdered sugar, and water were added to the gelatin, resulting in a fluffy texture.

COMING TO AMERICA

• Marshmallows came to America in the early 1900s, sold as penny candy. German immigrants, the Rueckheim brothers, opened Angelus Marshmallows in 1907, adding to the popular confection they had already introduced in 1893, known as Cracker Jack.

• In 1927, the Girl Scouts’ Handbook and “Scouting Magazine” published a recipe they called “Some More,” maybe because the

girls were always asking for more of the treat consisting of two roasted marshmallows and a chocolate bar sandwiched between two graham crackers. The name was later abbreviated to “s’mores.”

burnt. (To each their own!)

ADVERTISING PROOF

Final Changes DUE:

Please review carefully. Double check:  Phone Number(s)  Spelling

• In 1948, a new process transformed production. It involved an extrusion machine, in which the mixture was piped through tubes, then cut into equal pieces. It also pumped more air into marshmallows, making them even puffier!

Contact your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or

Office: 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com Fax:

• In 1940, a Pennsylvania-based candy company named Just Born introduced a new candy they called Mike and Ike. In 1950, a cinnamonflavored candy known as Hot Tamales was added to Just Born’s lineup. They presented another famous sweet treat in 1953, a chickshaped marshmallow they dubbed Peeps. Originally, a batch of Peeps took about 27 hours to create, all made by hand. Today’s equipment enables the company to crank out the chicks and bunnies in about six minutes. Each Peep contains about 28 calories.

• Kellogg’s started printing the recipe for their “marshmallow squares,” as they were called, on the Rice Krispies packages in 1941. The recipe was a joint project between the Kellogg test kitchens and a fundraiser for the Camp Fire Girls, producing a treat the girls could sell doorto-door. The recipe has remained unchanged ever since. General Mills added marshmallows to oat cereal in 1964, calling them Lucky Charms, and using Lucky the Leprechaun as their sales mascot.

• Marshmallows, originally a plant-based treat, are now made primarily from animal-based gelatin, although vegan marshmallows are available. Americans consume about 90 million lbs. (40,823,313 kg) of marshmallows every year.

Please

SWEET CLOSING FACTS

• The largest marshmallow ever made weighed a whopping 1,429 pounds, which is more than a concert grand piano. This giant marshmallow was made by Mazapan de la Rosa, in Guadalajara, Mexico, in April 2023, earning a spot in the Guinness World Records.

• Marshmallows have even been featured prominently in Hollywood pop culture. One such character is the Stay Puft Marshmallow Man from the 1984 movie “Ghostbusters.” This giant, lumbering marshmallow monster wreaked havoc on New York City in the film's climax.

• When it comes to roasting marshmallows over a campfire, preferences vary. Surveys suggest that approximately 70% of people prefer their marshmallows golden brown, while the remaining 30% enjoy them charred and slightly

• As for what confectioners look for in a quality marshmallow, several factors come into play. Firstly, texture is crucial. A quality marshmallow should be soft, fluffy, and have a smooth consistency. It should also have a balanced sweetness without being overly sugary. Additionally, confectioners look for marshmallows that hold their shape well, both during production and storage. This ensures that they maintain their appealing appearance and texture for consumers. Lastly, ingredients play a significant role in determining the quality of marshmallows. Confectioners typically prefer using high-quality ingredients, such as pure cane sugar and natural flavors, to create marshmallows with superior taste and texture.

• Whether you're a fan of fluffy treats or intrigued by culinary oddities, marshmallows have a rich history and continue to sweeten our lives, whether at home or around the campfire. ‭

to a Lender before I start looking at homes? - Home Hunting Hannah

A: Great question, Hannah! Talking to your lender first is a Smart Move, because you need to know how much you can afford for your Dream Home. Knowing your budget upfront prevents wasted time and disappointment about homes you can’t afford. Your lender will give you a pre-qualification letter & we will submit that with your offer. You will need to show verification of funds for the down payment and closing costs, and cash if it’s an all cash offer. This puts you in a better position for your offer to be accepted. Get the home you want. Call or email us today for personalized help or with questions.

by Dana Jackson

Q: Is it true that Bella Hadid has quit modeling? Is she still recovering from Lyme disease? -- S.E.

A: When Bella Hadid first appeared on “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” alongside her mother, Yolanda, and sister, Gigi, she was riding horses, not modeling. She didn’t seem interested in following her mother’s footsteps on the runway, but within a few short years, she and her sister were considered modern-day supermodels and fodder for the tabloids.

The girl who loved horses is reemerging now. Hadid has taken a break from modeling and calls Fort Worth, Texas, her new home. She’s been dating cowboy and horse trainer Adan Banuelos since the two were seen together last October, and he’s gotten her back into riding. Hadid placed third in a riding competition back in January, according to a post on his Instagram page.

This past August, Hadid opened up about her health struggles on an Instagram post and shared that she was “finally healthy” after getting diagnosed with Lyme disease in 2012.

Q: Is it true that Tracy Morgan is returning to “Saturday Night Live” as part of the cast again? -- K.S.

A: Tracy Morgan spent seven years as a cast member on “Saturday Night Live,” but he has no plans to return in that capacity. He has returned to host twice so far and will no doubt host again someday.

Morgan starred in his self-titled sitcom “The Tracy Morgan Show,” but it was canceled after one season. He made a much bigger splash playing a hilarious parody of himself in the Tina Fey sitcom “30 Rock.” He later went on to star in another successful series “The Last O.G.” for four seasons.

You’ll likely see him hosting “SNL” to promote his new sitcom “Crutch” when it begins airing on Paramount+. “Crutch” is a spin-off of the hit CBS sitcom “The Neighborhood.” Morgan has guest-starred on that show before and played Calvin’s (Cedric the Entertainer) wealthy brother, Curtis, but he’ll be playing a completely different character on “Crutch.”

According to the official logline, Crutch is Cedric’s cousin, “a Harlem widower whose empty nest plans are put on hold after his millennial son and free-spirited daughter move back home.” Production on “Crutch” will begin later this year with an official premiere date to be announced.

***

Q: Whatever happened to the show “Deadliest Catch?” I know that a couple of people who were originally on it have passed away. Is it ever coming back? -- T.A.

A: “Deadliest Catch,” a documentaryreality show about the perilous world of crabbing on the high seas, premiered in 2005 on the Discovery Channel. Tragedy has struck the show numerous times in the form of natural causes, overdoses, and accidents involving the ships and their equipment. Despite all the hardship and heartbreak, the show is going on its 20th season this summer.

According to Entertainment Weekly, fanfavorite captains Sig Hansen, Keith Colburn and Wild Bill Wichrowski are all returning and will be competing in a derby-style race to reach a $1 million quota.

Season 20 of “Deadliest Catch” premieres on Tuesday, June 11, at 8 p.m. ET on Discovery and will be available to stream on Max soon afterward. *** Send me your questions at

gmail.com, or

Photo Credit: Depositphotos

Model Bella Hadid

Please

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Good Recipes from Spring Pea Dip

This delicious dip has all the best qualities of springtime: a luscious, green color, fresh flavors and a delicate texture. Along with cut-up vegetables, homemade pita chips are another tasty way of getting this dip from dish to mouth.

1 pound fresh peas in the pod (or 1 cup of frozen peas)

1/4 cup (loosely packed) fresh mint leaves, chopped

Salt and ground black pepper

1/3 cup part-skim ricotta cheese

2 tablespoons freshly grated Parmesan cheese

Assorted spring vegetables for dipping, such as cucumber strips, yellow and red pepper strips and baby carrots

1. Shell peas: run thumb along length of seam to open pod and release peas.

2. In 1-quart saucepan, heat 1-inch water to boiling over high heat; add peas and heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium; cover and cook 3 minutes or just until peas are tender. Drain peas and rinse under cold running water; drain well.

3. In food processor with knife blade

For the Record...

attached, puree peas with mint, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon pepper. Transfer to small bowl; stir in ricotta and Parmesan. Serve dip, with vegetables, or cover and refrigerate to serve later. Makes 1 cup dip.

* Each serving: About 20 calories, 1g protein, 2g carbohydrate, 1g total fat, 1g fiber, 2mg cholesterol, 55mg sodium.

Spring Ramen

Chicken Soup

5 cups water

2 packages (3 ounces each) chickenflavor ramen noodle soup mix (substitute Oriental-flavor)

fat (4g saturated), 32g protein, 32g carbohydrate, 3g fiber, 66mg cholesterol, 920mg sodium.

2 cups (about 6 ounces) snow peas

2 green onions

1 large carrot

We usually associate the hit “I Will Always Love You” with songstress Whitney Houston, featured in the 1992 film “The Bodyguard.” But it was a hit long before by its composer Dolly Parton, who wrote it in a day in 1974. Actor Kevin Costner contacted Parton for permission to use it in the film. Parton never heard another word about it, until she was driving her car down the road after the movie’s release and heard Houston singing it on the radio. Houston’s version is the bestselling single by a female artist of all time. The song was played at Houston's 2012 funeral.

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1 pound chicken breasts, skinless and boneless

1 teaspoon Asian sesame oil

1. In 4-quart saucepan, heat water with seasoning packets from ramen soup mix to boiling over high heat. Meanwhile, remove strings from snow peas and cut each diagonally in half. Slice green onions and shred carrot. Cut chicken into 3/4-inch pieces. Break ramen noodle block into 2 layers.

2. When water mixture boils, add snow peas, green onions, carrot, chicken and noodles. Cook 3 to 5 minutes over high heat or until chicken just loses its pink color throughout. Remove saucepan from heat. Stir in sesame oil.

* Each serving: About 355 calories, 11g total

Dolly Parton in the 1970s.

By John Allen

DIAMOND LIL

by Brett Koth

Donald Duck by Walt

Dog Talk with Uncle Matty

By Matthew Margolis

Dog Talk

“The trouble with her is that she lacks the power of conversation but not the power of speech.”

George Bernard Shaw said that, and I can’t help but wonder whether he was referring to his dog.

Dogs can’t converse with us, but they speak canine just fine. They talk, howl, whine and chat. They yip and yap. Much of it sounds like nonsense to us, but some of it transcends the communication gap.

If your dog looks at you and whines, or whines while pacing in front of a door, you’d be smart to let him out.

If he barks while play-bowing in front of a ball, you’d be kind to accept his invitation to a game of fetch.

If he employs his deepest bark prefaced by a throaty growl, you’d be wise to flip on the exterior lights and have a look around.

Some dogs sing at the sound of sirens. By the dog’s perception, the siren is the song of another dog, a member of the universal pack, and his mournful response is both a matter of politeness and of unity. I’m here. You’re not alone. We’re in this together, pal.

Dogs bark out of excitement, concern, territorialism, fear, alertness, loneliness, boredom, playfulness and even pain. You probably love the sound of your dog’s voice. I know I do. Within reason.

Excessive noise from a dog is annoying. It’s grating. And left unchecked, it can be enraging.

More and more people are working from home. More and more homes are being crammed

Wuzzles solution Page 16

Cody's Corner: Turn to Page 10

(CryptoQuip Solution on page 14)

the library, usually the kid section.

SENIOR NEWS LINE

by Matilda Charles © King Features Synd., Inc.

Losing Friends

I’d heard that once we seniors reach a certain age, we start losing people -- friends, acquaintances, other senior relatives -- they start dying one by one. I’d reached my age unscathed by much of that loss, and was happy to consider that it might always be so, that the others I hold dear would continue being part of my days. But no, that unfortunate phase of life has caught up with me.

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On Friday afternoons, I deliver prescriptions for a pharmacy here in town. I was told that most of the customers are other seniors who aren’t well enough to get out to pick up their own prescriptions, which has certainly been an attitude adjustment as I ponder their conditions (unhealthy) versus mine (healthy enough to play with dogs, shelve books and so on.)

The other days I walk laps at the rec center.

Getting out every day helps. But I still dread answering the phone.

Herndon 1/16th page, Full Color, 26x Freq.

•

It got to the point where I didn’t want to answer the phone, so sometimes I didn’t. I would unplug it the night before and wouldn’t plug it in the next day until noon. I would tell myself it was because I didn’t want my sleep disturbed by the robocalls or sales pitches. But the truth was that I feared hearing about yet another death in my circle.

I had to take myself in hand to deal with the endless sadness about the evergrowing list of appearances at funerals. My way of handling the grief has been to get out of the house at least once each day, no matter what.

On Monday afternoons, I walk and socialize dogs at the humane society, working with the animals to get them more suitable for adoption. On Wednesdays, I shelve books in

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.

Estate Planning Attorney

into neighborhoods. Yards are getting smaller. Neighbors are getting closer. Is it just me, or is it hard to breathe in here?

If your beloved dog makes so much noise that it’s irritating to you, it’s at least 10 times more irritating to everyone around you. Don’t let excessive noise go unchecked. Figure out the trigger and make a plan.

For example, if your dog barks at that squirrel in your tree every morning, you have two choices: train the squirrel to exit the tree on command, or train the dog to be quiet. My money’s on the dog.

Teaching your dog to simmer down requires precision timing, loads of praise and possibly some high-value rewards: a favorite toy, cheese or meaty delights. I don’t typically train with food, but you aren’t a professional trainer and a squirrel is tough competition for your dog’s attention.

Next time your dog is barking, say in a calm, firm voice: “Quiet.” Once. As soon as he stops barking, if only to take a breath, praise him and offer his toy as a substitute behavior or a treat as a last resort. Repeat. Repeat. Repeat. Eventually, your dog will get that “quiet” means “stop barking.”

Things to keep in mind:

--Consistency. Decide on an acceptable amount of bark time (5 seconds? 15 seconds?). Anytime he exceeds that time, issue the “quiet”

--Shouting at your dog while he’s barking is, to him, tantamount to barking. Now you’re in it together -- kinda like the pack howl. Don’t go there.

--A tired dog is a quiet dog, and the same can be said of a sufficiently stimulated dog. Make sure your pup is getting walks outside the yard and plenty of exercise.

--If you can’t break him of his bark on your own, bring in a pro. This is a problem that begets bigger problems.

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.

COPYRIGHT 2012 CREATORS.COM

tion.”

YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY

by Tom Margenau

Social Security Administration Services: The People Speak

In last week’s column, I shared the results of a survey I conducted with my readers in which I asked you to rate the service you got from the Social Security Administration using the ubiquitous star system: 5 stars for good service down to 1 star for poor service. I got more than 200 responses. And your responses averaged out to 4.5 stars.

Many of you included comments. Thank you so much for that. There is just no way I can include all those comments, but here are a few that I hope are representative:

“5 stars. I applied over the phone and it went just great. I was very impressed with the knowledge and professionalism of the lady I spoke with.”

“5 stars. When my wife applied for Social Security benefits prior to her full retirement age, the in-person SSA representative completely explained all of her options. When I retired at my full retirement age, my online application was quick, easy, and accurate. Subsequently, when we called the SSA with questions, representatives have always provided great friendly, courteous, and knowledgeable customer service. Even though I was disappointed with the long wait times, I was still highly satisfied!”

“5 stars. This is based on how easy it was for my wife to get her own benefits, how easy it was to get mine, and how easy it was to convert my wife’s benefit to spousal benefits when I started receiving mine. In fact, we were personally contacted by an agent who had a conference call with us to go over the details, and what can be expected. And it all went as explained and expected, complete with follow-up correspondence.”

“5 stars. My wife and I visited our local Social Security office three times over the years and the service was outstanding. I was scared by all the horror stories, but the service couldn’t have been better. We dealt with SSA offices in both Pennsylvania and South Carolina and there was no difference -- both top shelf service.”

“5 stars. We went in person to our local Social Security office to apply. The place was packed. We stated why we were there and were told to take a seat. Thinking we would be there for hours, our names were called in a matter of minutes. We followed the person through a door and it became a whole different environment! It was very calm and peaceful. We were seated with a very lovely lady that made us feel like we were her only client of the day. What a pleasant surprise! She answered all of our questions and treated us as if we were her friends. It was a very positive experience.”

“4 stars. I note importantly that we did extensive research about our options before contacting the SSA, so I relied on them for just executing transactions. No advice or consulting, as that seems to be a thing of the past when dealing with front desks. We used online processing and only called when we had to. Why not 5 stars? Mostly the long delays on the phone, usually 1-3 hours on hold. They did not offer a call-back op-

“4 stars. I found the online system excellent and the in-person support somewhat lacking in expertise but my problem was ultimately resolved, so pretty good overall.”

And I was surprised how sometimes the ratings people gave seemed to contradict one another. Here is an example.

“4 stars. I got good service from my local Social Security office and bad service from the 800 number.”

“3 stars: I got bad service from my local Social Security office but good service from the 800 number.”

And sometimes, one problem could skew someone’s overall rating. Here is an example:

“1 star. SSA’s front line employees do routine work very well. But I recently had trouble getting a corrected SSA-1099. We had nothing unusual happen in 2023 yet our 2023 1099 form was goofed up.”

In last week’s column, I commented on the vagaries that exist in these rating systems. (My daughter-in-law’s pie business got a 1-star review because she used Colorado cherries instead of Michigan cherries in her cherry pie!) I saw quite a few examples of those vagaries in the comments I got. For example, one guy gave a 3-star review even though he was totally satisfied with the services he received from the SSA. He said, “3 stars should be taken as high praise regardless of what Yelp reviewers think.” (To me, that’s like telling students who got an A on their test that you are giving them a C because in your opinion, a C is “high praise.”)

As I said, I got so many thoughtful comments. But let me end with these two reviews: “5 stars plus. I’ve had better customer service at the SSA than in just about any other private sector company I can think of. It’s one of the reasons why I, even as a die-hard conservative, don’t accept the idea that government is necessarily evil, or that we can live without a good government. On the contrary, great people in our government agencies enhance the lives of all of

1. The book of 2 Thessalonians (KJV) is found in the a) Old testament b) New testament c) Neither

2. From Titus 1, Paul wrote that unto the pure all things are...? a) Justified b) Legal c) Forbidden d) Pure

3. What archangel is mentioned by name in the book of Jude? a) Howard b) Gabriel c) Michael d) Melchizedek

4. In 1 Kings 21, who forbid Naboth to give his vineyard to Ahab? a) The Lord b) Haman c) Absalom d) David

5. Jared was the father of Enoch and lived how many years? a) 120 b) 453 c) 600 d) 962

6. In Psalm 103:5, what bird's youth is renewable? a) Dove b) Eagle c) Raven d) Sparrow

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

(Answers on page 16) For comments or more Bible Trivia go to www.TriviaGuy.com

us and they are one of the reasons why we can be proud of our country. We really have some great people working in federal offices (not all of them, of course). We really need to appreciate and acknowledge the great work these professionals do -- and not just deride our government.”

I found that last comment very enlightening since I also got several reviews like this one: “1 star. We all know the government can’t do anything right and the Social Security office is just an example of that.”

Oh, well. Thanks anyway to all the readers who responded to my totally unscientific survey. I apologize if you sent me some insightful comments and I didn’t include them here. I just ran out of room. Still, it seems that overall, the Social Security Administration can be proud of the work they do. Now if they just cut down on those waiting times in their field offices and at their 800 number!

***

If you have a Social Security question, Tom Margenau has two books with all the answers. One is called “Social Security -- Simple and Smart: 10 Easy-to-Understand Fact Sheets That Will Answer All Your Questions About Social Security.” The other is “Social Security: 100 Myths and 100 Facts.” You can find the books at Amazon.com or other book outlets. Or you can send him an email at thomas.margenau@comcast.net. To find out more about Tom Margenau and to read past columns and see features from other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS.COM

6-30-24

Immunotherapy for Peanut Allergies Still a Work in Progress

DEAR DR. ROACH: Why can’t people see an allergist and get desensitized to a peanut allergy? As a child, I was allergic to dust, pet hair, milk and other things, but I received treatments. I am not bothered by any of these now. It would seem prudent to desensitize people who have allergies that are life-threatening, like peanut allergies. -- S.S

ANSWER: Allergy immunotherapy continues to be a commonly used and valid treatment for many allergies, including environmental allergies, insect venom allergies and, more recently, food allergies. The treatment can be used for peanut allergies, but it is certainly not perfect. So, it isn’t used very often.

The goal of immunotherapy is to get a person to tolerate the allergen that they have an allergic response to. This involves giving very tiny amounts of the allergen below the level that would trigger an allergic response. Over time and under extremely close observation, the amount of the allergen is increased. For allergens like pollen, they are typically given by injection under the skin (or by drops under the tongue), but for food allergens, they are given orally.

For peanut allergies in particular, reactions are common during oral immunotherapy. For about 1 dose per 1,000 under supervision in an allergist’s office, emergency treatment with epinephrine was required. Even during maintenance therapy at home, a reaction occurred 3.5% of the time, requiring treatment with 0.7% of all doses.

Although oral immunotherapy is effective at getting people to tolerate peanuts, the effectiveness is not long-lived, with only 13% of people still being able to tolerate a peanut challenge three years after discontinuing maintenance therapy. (Thirty-seven percent of people who continued maintenance therapy were able to tolerate the peanut challenge.)

Until there are significant improvements in outcomes, I am unlikely to recommend oral immunotherapy for people with peanut allergies, unless they are unable to effectively avoid exposure to peanuts and they continue to have repeated reactions. Whether they’re on immunotherapy or not, patients are still advised to continue careful avoidance and have emergency treatment immediately available.

A new treatment for food allergies was just approved by the Food and Drug Adminstration. Omalizumab works by blocking the immunoglobulin IgE, which is critically important in allergic diseases. The study showed that 47% to 80% of subjects who were treated with omalizumab for four months (given by injection every two to four weeks) were able to tolerate a standard dose of the foods that they were allergic to

(peanuts, plus at least two other foods).

However, it appears that the benefit of the treatment does not persist after the treatment is discontinued, and it is intended for use in conjunction with food allergen avoidance to protect against accidental exposures.

In the future, combining this new medication with oral immunotherapy could be superior to using either alone, and it can help prevent serious or fatal allergic reactions from inadvertently being exposed to peanuts. Further studies are addressing this issue.

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.

VETERANS POST  

by Freddie Groves

New Rules After a Dishonorable Discharge

Not all of us left the service unscathed and with an honorable discharge (and all the benefits that would give us) clutched in our fist. Some of us, for one reason or another, did not make it out with an honorable or general discharge, or we even had a bad conduct discharge and/or a court martial. We left lots of benefits on the table when that happened.

That’s changing, at least a little bit. There are now finalized rules about discharge determinations that expand health care and benefits for some of those who did not get an honorable discharge. They’re calling it a “compelling circumstances exception.”

There are certain circumstances where prior actions can now be reviewed. They’ll take into consideration a list of things, such as length of prior service, mental health at the time, any sexual harassment or assault, physical problems, anything caused by combat duty and other reasons and circumstances for the actions that caused the discharge you were given.

You have to apply to see what their determination is. You might find that they conclude, once they know all the facts, that the discharge is under conditions other than dishonorable.

If you want to apply, see: www.va.gov/discharge-upgrade-instructions/.

Additionally, see the detailed factsheet at benefits.va.gov/BENEFITS/docs/COD_Factsheet.pdf.

You can apply online, over the phone or by mail, or you can even show up at a VA medical facility and ask for care. Any of those will get the ball rolling. You’ll be sent a letter asking for details. Give them. It’s your chance to provide evidence or make a statement about what was going on that led to the less than honorable discharge. You can mail your reply or deliver it to a VA office, and you can also ask for a hearing to present your evidence at a VA regional office.

The new rule will take effect June 25, 2024.

(c) 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

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. *

M.D.

-- by Jim Miller

Ways to Make Gardening Easier as You Age

Dear Savvy Senior, What gardening tips can you offer to older seniors? I love to putter around and work in the garden, but my back and knees have caused me to curtail my gardening activities, which I miss greatly. --Older Gardner

Dear Older, There’s no doubt that gardening can be hard on an aging body. Joints stiffen up, kneeling for prolonged periods hurts, and bending and reaching can strain muscles. But that doesn’t mean you have to give up your hobby. You just need to garden differently, add some special tools and know your limits. Here are some tips that may help you.

Limber Up

With gardening, good form is very important as well as not overdoing any one activity. A common problem is that gardeners often kneel or squat, putting extra pressure on their knees. Then, to spare their knees, they might stand and bend over for long stretches to weed, dig and plant, straining their back and spine.

To help protect your body, you need to warm up before beginning. Start by stretching, focusing on the legs and lower back. And keep changing positions and activities. Don’t spend hours weeding a flowerbed. After 15 minutes of weeding, you should stand up, stretch, and switch to another activity like pruning the bushes or just take a break.

It’s also important that you recognize

your physical limitations and don’t try to do too much all at once. And, when lifting heavier objects, remember to use your legs to preserve your back. You can do this by keeping the item close to your body and squatting to keep your back as vertical as possible.

Get Better Tools

The right gardening equipment can help too. Kneeling pads can protect knees, and garden seats or stools are both back and knee savers. Lightweight garden carts can make hauling bags of mulch, dirt, plants or other heavy objects much easier. And long-handled gardening and weeding tools can help ease the strain on the back by keeping you in a standing upright position versus bent over.

There are also ergonomic gardening and pruning tools with fatter handles and other design features that can make lawn and garden activities a little easier. Fiskars and Felco make a number of specialty tools that you can buy online or at local retail stores that sell lawn and garden supplies. Also check out Gardeners.com and RadiusGarden.com, two online stores that sell specialized gardening tools and equipment that are very helpful to older gardeners.

Make Watering Easier

The chore of carrying water or handling a heavy, awkward hose can also be difficult for older gardeners. Some helpful options include lightweight fabric or expandable hoses instead of heavy rubber hoses; soaker or drip hoses that can be snaked throughout the garden; thin coil hoses that can be used on the patio or small areas; a hose caddy and reel for easier hose transport around the yard; and a self-winding hose chest that puts the hose up automatically. There are also a variety of ergonomic watering wands that are lightweight, easy to grip, and reach those hard to-get-to plants.

To find these types of watering aids

check with your local lawn and garden supplies stores or visit Gardeners.com.

Bring the Garden to You

If your backyard garden has become too much to handle, you should consider elevated garden beds or container gardening – using big pots, window boxes, hanging baskets, barrels or tub planters. This is a much easier way to garden because it eliminates much of the bend and strain of gardening but still provides the pleasure of making things grow.

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.

Let's Get Our Hands Dirty and Grow Pretty Blooms

Here in the Coachella Valley, we can beat the heat this summer and kickstart our indoor gardening adventure by nurturing blooming flowers suitable for transplantation in the fall. Consider starting with vibrant options like desert marigolds, Mexican evening primrose, and desert bluebells. These resilient blooms not only thrive indoors during the summer but also acclimate well to the outdoor conditions of the Coachella Valley desert come fall. With proper care and attention, we can cultivate a kaleidoscope of colors indoors this summer, and transplant them to our outdoor gardens in the fall, ensuring our homes burst into full bloom when cooler temperatures arrive in November! Mexican evening primrose

I know this is very little information, but can you give us any idea of the value of our dishes? We don’t intend to sell it; we are just curious.

ANTIQUE -- OR -JUNQUE

ANTIQUE -- OR -JUNQUE

A: Noritake China Company is located in Japan and began selling their porcelain dinnerware for the American market in 1904. Its dinnerware was also sold on military bases, especially after World War II. Anything marked “Occupied Japan” was made during the United States’ occupation of

by Anne McCollam Creators News Service

by Anne McCollam Creators News Service

Collectors Clamor for Cow Butter Molds

Q: Enclosed is a photo of an antique clear-glass butter mold. When the butter is extracted from the mold, it produces an impression of a cow on the top of the butter. How old is it, where was it made, and what is its current value?

A: Glass butter molds were made from around 1875 to the early 1900s. Wood molds were also available. People often preferred the glass molds, because they were cleaner and didn’t retain unpleasant smells. Images of cows, flowers or stars were embossed in the bottom of the glass. The wood plunger was used to push the butter out and then revealed the image imprinted on the butter. Cow molds were preferred by collectors by a country mile. Check your glass mold. Some were marked with the name of the manufacturer or a patent date. There are reproductions on the market, and they generally have no identifying marks. Your butter mold was made in the late 1800s, and if it is in pristine condition, it would probably fetch $100 to $200 in an antiques shop. One with some wear and a chip or two would probably sell from $25 to $50.

Noritake China patterns can be difficult to identify.

Japan from 1946 to 1952. Identifying Noritake patterns can be very difficult if the name of the pattern or a pattern number is not included with the mark. An Internet search can sometimes turn up answers.

Your Circa 1946 dinnerware should be insured for $800 to $1200.

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

COPYRIGHT 2023 CREATORS.COM

Q: This mark is on a set of Noritake dishes that we recently inherited. There are 94 pieces in the set and not a chip or scratch on any of them. Each dish is decorated with a scrolled burgundy border and gold trim. Also within the scroll are bouquets of flowers. The background is white. We have researched books on Noritake and cannot find this pattern.

* On May 20, 1506, the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus died in Valladolid, Spain. The first European to explore the Americas since 10th-century Vikings set up colonies in Greenland and Newfoundland, he traveled the West Indies, South America and Central America, but died feeling he had been mistreated by his patron, King Ferdinand of Spain.

* On May 21, 2000, the bones of President James Garfield’s spinal column, showing where one of two assassin’s bullets had passed through it in 1881, were displayed for a final day at the National Museum of Health and Medicine in Washington, D.C., in an exhibit featuring medical oddities from the museum’s archives.

* On May 22, 1856, South Carolina Representative Preston Brooks, wielding a cane he used after suffering injuries in a duel fueled by a political debate years before, savagely beat Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumber during a meeting of Congress when tensions escalated over the expansion of slavery.

* On May 23, 1900, Army sergeant William Harvey Carney became the first Black American serviceman to receive the Medal of Honor, for heroically protecting the American flag during the Civil War.

* On May 24, 1797, Thomas Jefferson wrote to his friend Angelica Church with a casual inquiry about their mutual friend, Maria Cosway, a woman who’d once captured his heart and inspired a romantically themed essay. Her marriage, his desire to maintain integrity and their physical distance had helped cool his hopeless passion for her some years before.

* On May 25, 1977, China’s communist government lifted its decade-old ban on the writings of William Shakespeare, providing additional evidence that the Cultural Revolution initiated by Mao Zedong in 1966 had ended. Officials also announced that a Chinese-language edition of the Bard’s works would soon be available.

* On May 26, 1962, clarinetist Bernard Stanley “Acker” Bilk’s instrumental single “Stranger On the Shore” provided an initial, but false, hint of the British Invasion to come when it went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Despite its popularity, it was Bilk’s only significant hit.

busy on those social media sites."

(c) 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

"He doesn't think for himself. But, his knack to repeat what everyone else says sure keeps him

Glass butter molds were made from 1875 to around 1900.

a unique sound different from digital music. THE GREATEST AND THE WORST

• Michael Jackson’s Thriller, which was released in 1982, is the biggest-selling album of all time. It sold 32 million copies its first year, with an estimated 70 million number of sales to date. The honor of best-selling single of all time worldwide belongs to Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas,” recorded in 1942. Conservative estimates place the total at 50 million copies. “Rock Around the Clock” is the biggest-selling rock and roll single of all time. It was originally released on a vinyl 45 and a shellac 78 in 1954. Its sales are estimated at 25 million.

• Songs that were slammed by broadcasters, critics, and listeners as the “worst ever” include “Achy Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus, the Baha Men’s recording of “Who Let the Dogs Out?,” and “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin. ‭

Give your golf-related advertising message targeted visibility in full color in this weekly 2” x 6” fixed location $153 per insertion reaches 70,000+ readers each week at the low cost of

Game Changers

by Jason Jenkins

Keeping your eye on the ball has been a misleading phrase for decades of golf instruction. The worst misuse of the concept results when players try to keep their head down or the eyes facing the ground long after the ball has been struck.

These golfers get stuck not transferring weight correctly and inhibiting proper arms swing release in the follow through. It’s better to simply allow the head to turn toward the target with the follow through.

Players like Dustin Johnson and Henrik Stenson even turn their head toward the target before the ball is struck. “Looking off the ball” was a principle made popular by teacher Jimmy Ballard, who hated the eyes down syndrome. So if you do watch the ball take off in flight toward the target, you’ll truly be keeping your eye on the ball.

1.

2. TELEVISION: Which sitcom features a character named Ron Swanson?

3. SCIENCE: What are the three layers of the Earth?

4. MOVIES: Which 2001 movie has a famous “bend and snap” scene?

5. MONEY: What is a modern U.S. penny made of mostly?

6. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is a common name for an animal in the Leporidae family?

7. LITERATURE: Which children’s book contains the line, “Why, sometimes I’ve believed as many as six impossible things before breakfast”?

8. ANATOMY: Where is the pinna located in the human body?

9. HISTORY: Who was the fourth president of the United States?

10. BUSINESS: What did Amazon sell exclusively when it started business in 1994?

Answers

1. Russia.

2. “Parks and Recreation.”

3. Crust, mantle and core.

4. “Legally Blonde.”

5. Zinc.

6. Rabbit or hare.

7. “Alice in Wonderland.”

8. Ear.

9. James Madison.

10. Books.