Vol. 19: #2 • Fungus • (1-8-2023) Tidbits of Coachella Valley

by Janet Spencer

A PERVASIVE PLANT

different

• It is estimated that there are somewhere between 2.2 and 3.8 million species of fungi in the world, which is six to ten times more than the estimated number of all plant species. It’s estimated that only about six percent of all fungal species have been discovered. To date, only about 135,000 have been named.

TRIVIA NEWSFRONT

ROBERT EARL HUGHES

• Jon Minnoch has held the world record for the heaviest human ever to live since 1978 when he died at the age of 42, weighing in at 1,400 pounds. But before him, Robert Earl Hughes held the record at 1,071 pounds.

• Robert Earl Hughes was born in 1926 and grew up in Fishhook, Illinois. He weighed nine pounds when he was born.

• When he was a few months old, he came down with whooping cough. Although he recovered, doctors theorize this illness damaged either his thyroid or his pituitary gland. His mother gave birth to two more boys who grew normally, but Robert grew extraordinarily fast.

• By the time Robert entered the first grade at age seven, he stood a few inches taller than his classmates, but weighed 225 pounds, about the same as his teacher, a grown man.

• At ten, he weighed 378 pounds. A doctor predicted he’d be dead by the age of 15 due to the stress on his heart.

• Still, Robert was phenomenally intelligent, reading everything he could get his hands on, and never forgetting a thing.

• At age 14, Robert weighed nearly 550 pounds and could not move well. He quit school because he could no longer walk that distance. There was no school bus service, and his family did not own a vehicle to drive him there.

• By 16, he weighed 600 pounds and stood five feet, nine inches, but he was unable to perform simple tasks. Yet, all who knew him said he ate normal amounts of food and was never a glutton.

• A local news reporter visited with Robert and described him as a wonderful conversationalist, full of humor, with a pleasant personality.

day’s end, he had grossed $240 (about $3,800 today). In 1947, Robert decided he wanted to see the world.

• He began with local fairs and festivals, travelling in a horse-drawn wagon, and earning up to $100 for an appearance. Throngs of curiosity seekers paid 25¢ to see him, and another 25¢ for a photo. Newspapers covered his appearances. Newsreels featured him. One fan built a reinforced, oversized chair for him which he used for the rest of his life. His brother’s wife sewed his enormous clothing. By the age of 23, he tipped the scales at 800 pounds, and a single shirt required a length of fabric nine feet wide and 18 feet long.

• For seven years, Robert travelled the country, transported in the back of a pickup truck.

• In 1954, at the age of 28 and weighing 946 pounds, Robert signed with a carnival and became a popular sideshow attraction. He bought a carnival trailer that had once belonged to the travelling Siamese twins, which allowed him to perform at one end of the carnival grounds and live in the other end. By now he could only walk 20 feet without resting, but his income was now higher than ever before.

• While on tour in Indiana in 1958, he complained of a rash and fatigue. Doctors connected three blood pressure cuffs to fit his arm. A doctor diagnosed measles. Within hours, he died.

• His body was shipped to Illinois and he was buried in his hometown of Fishhook, next to his parents. His casket was fashioned from a fullsized piano case. An estimated 2,000 people attended the funeral service, and a large black granite memorial stone has been erected in his memory.

• Robert was 32 years old, and weighed two pounds less than his heaviest recorded weight: 1,071 pounds. □

1. HISTORY: What is the name of the ancient trade route that connected the East and West?

2. LITERATURE: What was playwright Anton Chekhov’s other profession?

3. TELEVISION: Who are the next-door neighbors in TV’s sitcom “Laverne & Shirley”?

4. GEOGRAPHY: Which continent has the most countries?

5. MUSIC: What does the shortened term K-pop stand for?

6. FOOD & DRINK: What is another name for a kiwi?

7. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: From which Roman god did the month of January get its name?

8. MEDICAL TERMS: If you suffer from medial tibial stress syndrome, what is the condition commonly called?

9. PSYCHOLOGY: What irrational fear is represented in the condition called ablutophobia?

10. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is a baby turkey called? Answers

• In 1946 when he was 20, he and his family attended the local Fall Festival, where he pushed the scale past 700 pounds. He attracted a crush of observers, and sold 160 photos of himself. By

1. The Silk Road. 2. Physician. 3. Lenny and Squiggy. 4. Africa.

(Trivia

• The fossil record indicates that the dominant life form was a fungus called Prototaxites, which stood more than 20 feet tall, standing in a form similar to today’s saguaro cactus. They died out when vascular plants began their ascent.

• About 90% of plants depend on mycorrhizal fungi, which link them in shared networks sometimes referred to as the “wood wide web.” The word “mycorrhizal” comes from the Greek word for fungus “mykes” plus the word for root “rhiza” from which we also get the word “rhizome.”

• Trees manufacture carbohydrate molecules through photosynthesis, which they share with the fungus living at their roots. The fungus is able to spread farther and faster than the tree roots, reaching water and nutrients which it delivers to the tree, in a symbiotic exchange of needed resources.

• Many types of fungus can live on the roots of a single plant, and many plants can connect with a single fungal network.

• Not all strains of fungus are beneficial to plants, and there are many types that kill the tree or the plant they infect.

FUNGI AS MEDICINE

• Scottish bacteriologist Alexander Fleming is best known for his 1928 discovery of the mold that produces the wonder drug penicillin, which started the antibiotic revolution. After this scientific breakthrough, the search was on for other kinds of molds that might also serve the purpose.

• Throughout World War II, pilots serving in the war effort overseas were asked to scoop up vials of soil from where ever they landed, and return those vials to a lab in Peoria, Illinois, to be tested for possible molds.

• A civilian woman was given the job of visiting the local markets in Peoria in order to gather whatever moldy fruits she could find there. She was the one who returned one day with a moldy cantaloupe. The mold that was on that melon was found to be just as effective at killing bacteria as the original strain, but produced it in far greater quantities. Much of the penicillin produced today springs from that moldy melon.

• Historical records show that many cultures have known of the healing properties of certain molds, with evidence that moldy soybean curds, moldy cheese, and moldy bread were used in poultices to heal wounds.

A stinkhorn mushroom is capable of pushing its way through newly laid asphalt, producing enough force to lift an object weighing 286 pounds (130 kg). One toadstool displaced a stone that weighed 83 pounds (38 kg).

• One type of medication used to treat migraine headaches is derived from a fungus called ergot, which lives on certain grains. In the past, ergot infestations caused hallucinations and death throughout entire populations when the fungus-infested grain was milled into bread. Ergot is also the original source of LSD. But when specific alkaloids are isolated from ergot, it’s an effective remedy for migraine.

• One strain of moldy fungus kills other fungi. Extracts from it are used to treat fungal infections such as ringworm and thrush.

FUNGI IN FOODSTUFFS

• Yeasts are single-celled members of the fungal kingdom. If yeast is added to wheat, the result is leavened bread. If yeast is added to grape juice, the result is wine. Sake comes from rice which has been partially rotted by fungus, after which yeast is added to ferment it. Yeast plus partially

germinated barley seeds results in beer.

• Mushrooms vary in protein content from 10% to 45%, but regardless of their protein level, they beat every other vegetable’s protein content. Only milk, eggs, and meat contain more protein than mushrooms.

• Half of all the mushrooms grown commercially in the U.S come from Chester County, PA. This industry began in 1886 when William Swayne decided to grow mushrooms there, choosing this location because all of the horses that ran the public transportation in Philadelphia were stabled here. Swayne had learned that

Fungus: Turn to page 15

QUIZ BITS

1. Do fungi "breathe" oxygen (as animals do) or carbon dioxide (as plants do)?

2. The standard mushroom with a cap represents what percent of the entire organism?

(Answers page 16)

The word “fungus” generally refers to a single species, but if you are speaking of many species, then “fungi” is the plural. Why? Because it’s Latin and that’s how they did it in Rome. The same does not hold true for “octopus” vs “octopi” because “octopus” is Greek, so the plural is “octopodes.”

By Lucie Winborne

* A Cornish milkman named Steve Leech was making his rounds when he saw a shop on fire. Using over 300 quarts of milk, he not only extinguished the flames, but saved seven other stores in the process, earning a “Hero Milkman of the Millennium” award from the National Dairymen’s Association.

* An albatross typically spends the first six years of its life flying over the ocean without ever setting foot on the ground.

* In the 1990s, a mysterious soda vending machine dispensing rare and discontinued drinks appeared in Seattle. No one knew who filled it, but sadly, in 2018, it vanished as suddenly as it came, with an explanatory note saying it “went for a walk.”

* The first women’s boots were designed for and worn by Queen Victoria.

* “Ergophobia” is the fear of work or the workplace. Psychologists attribute the condition to a combination of concerns about failing at tasks, public speaking and social anxiety.

* A 59-year-old man with no previous criminal record held up a bank for the measly sum of just $1. So what was he actually after? A prison sentence, so he could get free health care.

* Red is the first color a baby sees.

* If diamonds really are a gal’s best friend, she might like to pay a visit to the planet known as 55 Cancri e, which is believed to be principally covered in graphite and diamond. Of course, she would also need to bring enough rocks back home to cover the cost of the $12 million spaceship she’d need to get there.

* There are more historic artifacts under the sea than in all of the world’s museums.

***

Thought for the Day: “I have learned over the years that when one’s mind is made up, this diminishes fear.” -- Rosa Parks

Inc.

Everyday CHEAPSKATE®

by Mary Hunt

Answers to Your Questions

Dear BethAnne: Congratulations on your debt-free status! I am so proud of you, and I’m sorry to hear about your father’s illness. But that doesn’t change my response: You are not wrong. You shouldn’t bail them out by going into debt. I think you’ve discovered why paying their debts isn’t such a hot idea, either, even if that does not create new debt for you.

on

Credit Unions, Banks and Deadbeat Parents

I would say the same thing if your mother were writing to me about you: You cannot fix anyone by making them comfortable in their misery. That only enables them to stay there. And continue their spending habit.

Everyday CHEAPSKATE®

CREDIT UNIONS VERSUS BANKS

DEAR MARY: What is the difference between a bank and a credit union? -- Justina

by Mary Hunt

Dear Justina: Great question! A bank is a for-profit financial business run by paid board members whose primary purpose is to make profits for the shareholders.

ADVERTISING PROOF

Final Changes DUE: 5:00

I suggest you diligently save and invest now because the day may come that you decide you want to contribute to their day-to-day care. But even then, you will not be responsible for their debts and should not feel guilty for that.

Contact your Tidbits representative immediately

Office: 760-320-0997 email: valleybits@msn.com Fax: 760-320-1630

A credit union is a nonprofit financial business that’s owned by its members and run by unpaid volunteer board members. In a credit union, the profits go back to the members in the form of better rates and lower fees.

To find a credit union you can join, go to MyCreditUnion.gov and click on “Credit Union Locator.”

OVERDRAFT PROTECTION SOFTENS THE BLOW

DEAR MARY: When a person, who shall remain nameless, overdraws her bank account by accident, is there anything she can do to stop the chain of events and horrendous fees? -- Bettye

Dear Bettye: Don’t worry. Your secret is safe with me. Banks hope you won’t fight back by requesting a courtesy credit, but you should fight back. The minute you realize you have a problem, call the bank or go into your local branch in person.

Many banks will credit back the fee, or some of it, if it’s your first offense.

You need to move into prevention mode by setting up an overdraft protection account that attaches to your checking account. Then, to make sure you never have to use it (you have to pay it back, so it’s not some kind of gift), get into the habit of checking your balance frequently (set up your account online so you can check using your smartphone), and never let it drop below, say, $100. Ever.

BAILING OUT THE PARENTS

DEAR MARY: Thanks to you and “Debt-Proof Living,” my husband and I have been debt-free for three years.

My father has recently been very ill, and my mother spilled the beans about their debt. They have two credit cards and several store cards with balances. They also have a mortgage and a car payment. I’m frustrated, disgusted and heartbroken to find out they have so much debt at their age.

My husband and I paid off one major credit card for them that had several thousand dollars owed on it. Afterward, my mother went out and ran the account right back up to the limit.

I’m not willing to go into debt to pay off their debt. I explained to her that with that kind of debt, they will never retire. Am I wrong? I would appreciate any advice you might have for us. -- BethAnne

I hope everyone reading this -- regardless of age -- will take stock of the way they are managing their finances and preparing for the future. The best gift we will ever give our kids is our own solvency. In that way, we will not become a financial burden to them.

* * *

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 2023 CREATORS.COM

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starve, and became vulnerable to diseases.

• It’s estimated that half of Irish people born between 1830 and 1930 left Ireland, fleeing from the famine. It wasn’t until 1996 that Ireland reported a net gain in population instead of a loss.

• Although the potato blight also hit the U.S., there were so many other crops being grown in America that no one starved.

country during World War I, copper was in such short supply that there was none available to create the copper sulfate needed to keep the blight at bay. The crop failed two years in a row and the populace began starving. Some historians feel that the German population was so weakened by shortages caused by the blight that their downfall was already in the making by the time the U.S. joined the war against them in 1917. □

• A single acre of reasonably fertile cropland can yield an annual harvest of six tons of potatoes. Because they grew so well in Ireland, they became a staple crop. They were easy to grow even in difficult soils. They were impervious to invading armies who tended to burn down wheat and oat fields, and did not require a trip to a mill for processing but could be taken directly from the ground to the cookpot. Potatoes kept well all winter long, and were nutritious.

• By the late 1700s, a typical Irish family of six consumed about 250 pounds of potatoes every year. It was the mainstay of their diet.

• The Irish were so dependent upon the potato for sustenance that when the potato blight first hit in 1845, killing one-third of the crop, they were left vulnerable. When the blight spread over the course of the next two winters, leaving potatoes blackened and mushy, the populace began to

• It was years before researchers understood that a fungus was responsible for the potato blight. When potato farmers piled old potato vegetation at the edges of their fields, they were unknowingly stockpiling the source of the infection by providing an ever-accumulating source of spores. When the weather warmed in the spring and fresh new potatoes were planted, the spores blew in the wind. If they landed on potato foliage while the leaves were wet, they infected the new sprouts.

• Once the fungus landed on a potato leaf, it bored into the plant, releasing enzymes that digested the plant to provide nourishment for the fungus, which also killed the potato plant.

• The potato tubers were safe as long as they remained underground, but would turn to mush as soon as they were dug up and exposed to the fungus spores floating in the air.

PROOF

• Because the fungus needed to land on wet leaves to survive, the blight was particularly bad during the extra rainy season in 1846, tapering off somewhat during dryer years. Blights recurred in 1872 and 1879, but by then Irish farmers had grown less dependent on potatoes and had other crops growing.

• By 1890 it was discovered that the blight was killed off if a field was dusted with copper sulfate. The discovery ended the dreaded blight for good.

• Today, about 20% of the U.S. population claims at least partial Irish lineage due to the blight.

• In 1914, German authorities ordered that all surplus foodstocks were to be stored in the cities. Thousands of pounds of potatoes were subsequently stored in damp, warm, humid basements. A few of the spuds carried spores of the blight with them, where they found conditions perfect for replicating. The entire supply turned into a black mushy, fungal mess.

• A year later, as Germans struggled to feed the

by Dana Jackson

Q: What has Chris Rock been doing since he was attacked by Will Smith at the Oscars? Does he talk about it publicly at all? -- E.M.

A: Actor/comedian Chris Rock has remained relatively quiet since Oscar-winning actor Will Smith smacked him in anger at the Oscars last year. Rock has reportedly turned down offers to host the upcoming ceremony in 2023, choosing instead to focus on his roots: standup comedy. He was already set to tour when the incident happened -- and ticket sales soared -- but he told his audience in Boston last March, “I’m still processing what happened.”

On March 4 at 10 p.m. ET, subscribers can watch a new Chris Rock comedy special in Netflix’s first ever live-streamed event. I’m willing to bet he comments, or even jokes, about the slap, because he’s already referenced it in past performances in other cities. For example, in Phoenix this past August, he told his audience that not only did he turn down a chance to host the Oscars again, but that he also rejected an offer to appear in a Super Bowl commercial. He also admitted that the slap hurt, obviously, referencing how Smith once played Muhammad Ali in a movie. ***

Q: I really enjoy the Korean legal drama on Netflix about a lawyer named Woo. Is the lead actress autistic in real life, like her character? -- L.D.

A: “Extraordinary Attorney Woo” stars Park Eun-bin as a young attorney named Woo Young-woo who is on the autism spectrum. She “boasts a high IQ, an impressive memory and a wonderfully creative thought process, but she struggles with everyday interactions.” It’s not just a legal drama; it’s also very endearing and whimsical, making it more of a dramedy.

Park is not autistic in real life and initially felt conflicted about taking the role. She told ENA (the distributor of the series in Korea) that she “met with a professor to ask for advice ... and learned some general characteristics of people with autism.” Her talent is widely respected in her home country, having received Gallup Korea’s Actor of the Year award in 2022.

Viewers have been bingeing all 16 episodes of “Attorney Woo” and are asking for more. According to DigitalSpy.com, it’s the eighth most watched non-English series of all time on Netflix, and it’s expected to be renewed for a second season.

Q: Is it true that the actor who plays Rip on “Yellowstone” is a redhead in real life? Does he dye his hair for the part, or does he wear a wig? -- L.E.

A: Cole Hauser has been around in Hollywood for decades, and those familiar with his work probably find him unrecognizable as Rip Wheeler on “Yellowstone.” The actor told Jenny McCarthy on her radio show that the decision to dye his hair and beard black was mainly because Beth (Kelly Reilly), his love interest on the show, “is a ginger, and I’m ginger as well.” * * *

Send me your questions at NewCelebrityExtra@gmail.com, or write me at KFWS, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803.

(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

King Features News Syndicate

Good Recipes from

Soy-Honey Pork with Sweet Potatoes

Honey-soy glaze unites sweet potatoes and pork tenderloin for a very tasty meal. Let the hot oven do the work for you and enjoy your hassle-free dinner in only 40 minutes.

1/4 cup lower-sodium soy sauce

2 tablespoons hoisin sauce

2 tablespoons honey

1 tablespoon rice vinegar

1 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger

2 cloves garlic, crushed with press

1 whole (1 1/4-pound) pork tenderloin

1 1/2 pounds sweet potatoes

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

Salt Pepper

2 green onions

1. Heat oven to 475 F. In small bowl, whisk soy sauce, hoisin, honey, vinegar, ginger and half of garlic until well-blended. Pour into gallon-size resealable plastic bag. Add pork; seal bag and turn until pork is well-coated. Set aside.

2. While pork marinates, peel sweet potatoes. Cut each into 1/2-inch-thick rounds. In large bowl, combine oil and remaining garlic. Add sweet potatoes, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. Toss until well-coated.

3. Transfer pork from marinade to center of 18-by-12-inch jelly-roll pan, shaking any excess marinade off into bag. Tuck tapered ends under pork to ensure even cooking. Arrange sweet potato rounds in single layer on pan around pork. Roast 10 minutes.

4. Meanwhile, transfer marinade to 2-quart saucepan. Heat to boiling on mediumhigh. Boil 3 minutes or until thickened and syrupy. Transfer half of marinade to small serving bowl; set aside.

5. Turn sweet potatoes and pork over. Brush remaining marinade on pork. Roast 10 to 15 minutes longer or until temperature on meat thermometer, inserted into thickest part of pork, registers 155 F and sweet potatoes are browned. Cover pork loosely with foil and let stand 5 minutes.

6. Cut green onions crosswise into 3-inch-long pieces. Then, cut each piece lengthwise into very thin slices. Cut pork into 1/2-inchthick slices.

6. Transfer pork and sweet potatoes to large platter. Garnish with green onions and serve with reserved marinade. Serves 4.

 Each serving: About 430 calories, 9g total fat (2g saturated), 44g protein, 45g carbohydrate, 103mg cholesterol, 875mg sodium, 4g dietary fiber.

Hot Dark Chocolate

Not one but three deep-chocolate versions of your favorite wintertime sip. You can easily double or triple this recipe to serve a crowd.

1 quart milk

1/4 cup unsweetened cocoa 1/4 cup sugar

2 ounces semisweet chocolate, finely chopped

2 teaspoons vanilla extract

1. In 2-quart saucepan, heat milk to simmering over medium heat.

2. With wire whisk, stir in cocoa, sugar, chocolate and vanilla. Heat mixture 3 minutes or until chocolate melts, stirring occasionally. Pour into warm mugs to serve. Makes 4 cups.

Mexican Hot Chocolate: Prepare Hot Dark Chocolate as above, but add 1 cinnamon stick (3 inches long) to milk in step 1.

Coffee-Spiked Hot Chocolate: Prepare Hot Dark Chocolate as above, but stir 1/4 cup coffee-flavored liqueur into chocolate mixture just before serving.

PonderBits

Why do I have to press one for English when I'm just going to transferred to someone I can't understand anyway?

I changed my car horn to gunshot sounds. People get out of the way much faster now.

You do not need a parachute to skydive. You only need a parachute to skydive twice.

 Each serving: About 290 calories, 10g protein, 34g carbohydrates, 13g total fat (8g saturated), 2g fiber, 33mg cholesterol, 120mg sodium.

* * *

For thousands of triple-tested recipes, visit our website at www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/.

NEST HEADS

By John Allen

DIAMOND LIL by Brett Koth

1/8

1/11

Dog Talk with Uncle Matty

By Matthew Margolis Creators News Service

Wrangling Kiwi

We adopted Kiwi, so we don’t know her history, but she’s definitely a Labrador and about 1 year old, give or take. She was a stray picked up wandering the streets. She is very sweet and loving -- but totally untrained. Despite her age, she is still a puppy in a dog’s body!

We have only had her for two weeks, and I don’t see signs that she was abused, but I think she was neglected. Who would own a dog without teaching her anything? I trained our last dog, and I have tried to work with Kiwi, but she is going to take a lot of work, and I just don’t have the time. She pulls and tugs on the leash, and for a small Lab, she is pretty strong. She does not come when called, and she ran into the street in front of a car last week. Inside the car, she is wild -- an absolute danger. The only way to transport her is in a crate in the back of the truck, but she barks nonstop. I used to think it was because she wanted out of the crate, but now I think she is barking at other cars on the road.

I am not sure I have the time and patience to train this dog, and that is why I am looking for some help.

Bravo to you for adopting this stray in need of a good home! And kudos for reaching out for help early on.

Being so young and of a naturally sweet temperament, Kiwi is likely to respond well to professional training. Her past will always be a mystery, but whatever it entailed, it is just that: the past. Due diligence on your part, coupled with patience and professional assistance, will soon relegate her wild and unruly days to the past, as well.

First, to answer your question: Some people, no matter how well-intentioned, never get around to truly teaching their dog much of anything. There are thousands of totally untrained dogs in this country. Of course, my definition of a trained dog means the dog responds to a command every time, without fail. There are probably millions of dogs who are trained to the tune of “he’ll do it most of the time.”

Since you have time constraints and limited patience for the type of behaviors Kiwi is demon-

SENIOR NEWS LINE

by Matilda Charles © King Features Synd., Inc.

A Heads Up at the Grocery Store

The time has come to study the labels of foods you buy, even if you’ve used those same products for a long time. Not only are manufacturers decreasing the size of the containers, they’re changing the ingredients. At this point we need to take a very close look at what we’re actually consuming at the dinner table.

Changes to the ingredients in products we’ve always trusted might well be blamed on supply chain problems. If a manufacturer can’t easily get one ingredient, they might substitute something else. But it means that what you assumed you were getting might no longer be true.

If, for example, you have to keep an eye on your sodium levels, you might discover that the amount of salt in a particular food has increased. You might have to adjust how much you eat or look for a different product.

We can no longer grab a dozen eggs and

The Art of DESIGN

by Joseph Publillones

Table Toppers

Setting a table should be a fun endeavor for the host, and it should reveal a zest for entertaining. Dinner parties -- no matter if it’s an intimate dinner for two or an annual family gathering -- they are special occasions.

As a matter of fact, every day is a special day, so make sure each one is enjoyed to the fullest. Gathering around a table, albeit an everyday occurrence, is the time of day to put troubles and problems aside and relish in life’s bounty. So, why not make it beautiful, too?

Etiquette rules dictate some of what can go on a table and why. This can include the height of floral arrangements, placement of napkins, positions for resting silverware, number of salt and pepper cellars per guests, and all the other minutiae that go along with setting a beautiful table.

Of course, there have been other elements on the dining table, too, such as the onceacceptable spittoon and ashtrays. Those have given way to cellphones and digital tablets. I’d love to hear where the correct place is for a cellphone from my etiquette-maven mother, may she rest in peace. Surely, she would have said, “Off the table, in your handbag or in a bowl near the entry hall of a home.” At restaurants and even in private homes today, this is a bit of an awkward thing.

Getting back to the theme of the column:

assume all will be well. If you’re baking, eggs that are too small won’t work in your baked goods recipes. You need to first open the carton and look at them before you buy. If you’re watching your cholesterol, you need to squint and read the fine print on the nutrition panel.

However, a warning: At the beginning of the pandemic, the Food and Drug Administration issued a temporary respite to food manufacturers. To help them keep producing food, the FDA stated that manufacturers didn’t have to put certain new information on labels when “minor formulation changes” were made to food. The policy, started in January 2020, was intended to remain in effect only for the duration of the Covid pandemic

That policy has since been renewed every 90 days, and is now set to expire January 2023. Since they are required to give 60 days notice to end the designation, it’s not likely that it will end until April, if that.

You would do well to take time to carefully read the ingredient labels to make sure you are actually getting the food products you may think you are.

Matilda Charles regrets that she cannot personally answer reader questions, but will incorporate them into her column whenever possible. Send email to columnreply2@ gmail.com.

(c) KingFeaturesSyndicate

table toppers. Nothing says more about a special occasion than a finely pressed tablecloth. Tablecloths are the foundation on which to set a beautiful table. Usually the most formal of tablecloths are white cotton or fine linen, but for every day, there is a myriad of patterns and colors that one can use to liven up a table. You really can have a lot of fun mixing and combining the patterns and colors of your tablecloths and napkins.

Centerpieces are the focal point of the table. As the name states, it marks the center of the table. The first word of caution is to keep scale in mind. While you want the centerpiece to grab the attention of diners, you certainly don’t want to overpower the table with something too large that starts crowding the table, nor too high that guests cannot see each other’s eyes during conversation. Be especially careful about the height if your centerpiece has flowers: It’s easy to get carried away.

Almost anything can function as a table topper or centerpiece. Choosing a theme for your table can be as easy as picking a floral arrangement or can be dictated by the occasion of the dinner or holiday, even. There really aren’t any rules around the theme if it’s pleasant.

Remember, the main point is to entertain and amuse your guests. It’s a great idea, if your space allows, to decorate your table with collections of small figurines or any other decorative items. Be sure your table comes out on top!

Joseph Pubillones is the owner of Joseph Pubillones Interiors, an award-winning interior design firm based in Palm Beach, Florida. His website is www. josephpubillones.com. To find out more about Joseph Pubillones and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

Cody’s Corner (from page 9)

strating, I’ll skip over the DIY training options of books and DVDs and offer the following options for professional training:

--Since none of the behaviors you mention are “in the home” problems (e.g., housebreaking, chewing on furniture, greeting visitors), “board and train” might be a great option. In short, you take your dog to a boarding facility run by or in tandem with a professional trainer, and over the course of two to four weeks, your dog learns basic to advanced obedience commands and is taught good behavior. At pick-up time, the owner typically works with dog and trainer to learn the commands and continue the dog’s education at home.

--Hiring a professional trainer to come to your home on a weekly basis is also an option. This is a more hands-on experience for those willing to devote time between sessions to working with the dog on that week’s commands and exercises. It’s also a great bonding experience for you and your dog.

--You could also attend training classes. These offer the benefit of added socialization and the challenge of learning to respond to you despite the distractions of other dogs and people.

Each option has its merits, and the good news is that Kiwi is young and sweet and, due to the good sense of her new owner, poised for success! Kiwi is one lucky dog. With a little training, you’ll soon feel lucky, too!

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.

YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY

by Tom Margenau

Social Security Update for 2023

It has been my custom for most of the past 25 years to write a year-end column that summarizes the Social Security changes and updates scheduled to take place the following year. I already discussed some of these changes in a column back in October when the updates were first announced. But it doesn’t hurt to repeat them here.

Almost all Social Security beneficiaries are familiar with the most popular and publicized upcoming change: the increase in monthly benefit checks for 2023 due to the automated cost-of-living adjustment, or COLA. In fact, my wife and I just received our letters from the Social Security Administration telling us about the 8.7% increase, and I’m sure you got yours, too.

Even though this is the biggest increase in many decades, I always dread mentioning COLAs in this column because every single time I do, I am flooded with emails from readers complaining that the increase is not enough.

Yet here’s the rub: many economists and social planners believe Social Security COLAs are too generous! (I’ve explained why in past columns, but don’t have the space to get into that argument today.) That’s why most discussions of long-range reform for Social Security include proposals to reduce cost-of-living increases.

OK, back to the 2023 Social Security COLA. Due to these increases, the average monthly retirement check will be $1,827 in 2023, a $146 increase from the 2022 level. The maximum Social Security check for a worker turning full retirement age in 2023 will be $3,627, compared to $3,345 in 2022. And please note that $3,627 is the maximum for someone turning full retirement age in 2023. That does not mean it is the maximum Social Security payment anyone can receive. There are millions of Social Security beneficiaries who get much more than that, primarily because they worked well past their FRA and/or delayed starting their benefits until age 70.

Here’s another important point about the COLA. Many readers have been asking me if they should have filed for Social Security benefits in 2022 in order to get the COLA that’s paid in January 2023. The answer is no. The COLA will be built into the benefit computation formula. So even if you don’t file for Social Security until next year, or some subsequent year, you’ll still get the 8.7% increase.

Although this is a Social Security column, I must mention the upcoming decrease in the Medicare Part B premium, which is deducted from Social Security checks for most people. In 2023, the basic Part B premium will be $164.90. That’s $5.20 less than the 2021 rate. And as has been the case for 20 years now, wealthy people will pay more than the basic premium.

I don’t want to get into this complicated issue of Medicare premiums other than to make this quick point. Even though they are linked in the minds of most senior citizens, Social Security and Medicare are entirely separate programs, administered by entirely separate federal agencies, and they have entirely separate rules and regulations regarding their benefit and payment struc-

tures. For example, I already explained how Social Security COLAs are figured. The Part B Medicare premium has nothing to do with the CPI. Instead, by law, it must be set at a level that covers 25% of the cost of running the program. Taxpayers pick up the remaining 75%. (And again, wealthy people pay more than the 25% share.)

Another measuring stick called the “national wage index” is used to set increases to other provisions of the law that affect Social Security beneficiaries and taxpayers. Specifically, this includes increases in the amount of wages or selfemployment income subject to Social Security tax; the amount of income needed to earn a “quarter of coverage;” and the Social Security earnings penalty limits.

The Social Security taxable earnings base will go up from $147,000 in 2022 to $160,200 in 2023. In other words, people who earn more than $160,200 in 2023 will no longer have Social Security payroll taxes deducted from their paychecks once they hit that threshold. This has always been a very controversial provision of the law. (Bill Gates pays the same amount of Social Security tax as his plumber!) I think it’s a pretty good bet that any eventual Social Security reform package will include an increase in that wage base.

Most people need 40 Social Security work credits (sometimes called “quarters of coverage”) to be eligible for monthly benefit checks from the system. In 2022, people who were working earned one credit for each $1,510 in Social Security taxable income. But no one earns more than four credits per year. In other words, once you’ve made $6,040, your Social Security record has been credited with the maximum four credits or quarters of coverage. In 2023, the one-credit limit goes up to $1,640, meaning you will have to earn $6,560 this coming year before you get the maximum four credits assigned to your Social Security account.

People under their full retirement age who get Social Security retirement or survivor’s benefits but who are still working are subject to limits in the amount of money they can earn and still receive all their Social Security checks. That limit was $19,560 in 2022 and will be $21,240 in 2023. For every two dollars a person earns over those limits, one dollar is withheld from his or her monthly benefits.

There is a higher earnings threshold in the year a person turns full retirement age that applies from the beginning of the year until the month the person reaches FRA. (The income penalty goes away once a person reaches that magic age.) That threshold goes up from $51,960 in 2022 to $56,520 in 2023.

A couple other Social Security provisions are also impacted by inflationary increases. For example, people getting disability benefits who try to work can generally continue getting those benefits as long as they are not working at a “substantial” level. In 2022, the law defined substantial work as any job paying $1,350 or more per month. In 2023, that substantial earnings level increases to $1,470 monthly.

Finally, the Supplemental Security Income basic federal payment level for one person goes up from $841 in 2022 to $914 in 2023. SSI is a federal welfare program administered by the SSA, but it is not a Social Security benefit. It is paid for out of general revenues, not Social Security taxes.

* * *

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 Easyto-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. 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 2023 CREATORS.COM

1. The book of 3 Corinthians is in the a) Old testament b) New testament c) Neither 2. Who received the command from God, "Take off your sandals"? a) Abraham b) Joshua c) Aaron d) Moses

5. Who is the only Egyptian queen mentioned in the Bible? a) Sarai b) Esther c) Tahpenes d) Jezebel

6. What city did David establish as the capital of his kingdom? a) Jerusalem b) Bethlehem c) Antioc d) Bible not specific

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 © 2019 King Features Synd., Inc. © 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

Supplements Taken at Lower Doses Won’t Adversely Affect Health

amino acid supplement tablets. Leucine in the dose you are taking should have no adverse effects.

VETERANS POST  

by Freddie Groves

ADVERTISING PROOF

The standard guideline recommends that individuals consume 150 g of protein-rich foods daily, for a 2,000 calorie diet. You may be burning more than 2,000 calories with exercise, but you are certainly getting all the protein you need. Excess animal protein may worsen kidney function, but plant protein does not seem to cause that issue.

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DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a healthy 46-year-old woman who exercises daily for health, strength, and stress relief. I also want to stay relatively lean. In order to maintain muscle mass and control fat, I’ve been advised consistently (by a Ph.D. nutritionist and a couple of “nutrition coach” trainers) to take 1 g of protein per pound of body weight daily. They also have advised leucine and L-carnitine supplements. I usually have 1 scoop of whey protein (about 25 g) and 1/2 to 1 scoop of plant protein daily. I take about 1 g of leucine per day. My L-carnitine supplement is 500 mg.

My question is, are any, or all, of these supplements safe for long-term use and are there any concerns or possible side effects I should be concerned about? I have read plenty that recommend them, but the goals for taking them are usually short-term.

Other than having extra protein, my diet is slanted away from sugar and toward whole foods and lots of vegetables. I work out seven days a week, including four to five “hard” days of cardio and weightlifting and two to three “light” days of easy cardio. I also stretch and get at least seven hours of sleep daily.

I want to have health, mobility and strength as long as possible and want to make sure I’m not inadvertently hurting the long goal by using supplements now. -- M.

ANSWER: Understanding advice on nutrition and supplements for exercise is difficult because the evidence is often poor-quality and conflicting, probably due to the fact that what is effective for one person may be ineffective for another.

Carnitine is found naturally in muscle and is important in moving fat into the mitochondria, where it can be used as energy. Carnitine supplementation has been shown to improve exercise tolerance and increase use of body fat stores for energy. It can also improve blood and oxygen flow to the muscle if taken with large amounts of carbohydrates (the study authors used 4 ounces of simple sugar in water -- more than it sounds like you take in, and perhaps more than optimal for good health). Carnitine is safe at the dose you are taking: At doses six times that high, it may cause nausea, vomiting and diarrhea.

Leucine, like valine and isoleucine, is a branched-chain amino acid. They are “essential,” meaning they cannot be synthesized in the body. They are found in red meat and dairy products. They are also found in legumes, nuts, grains and seeds, but a person on a strict vegan diet needs to be careful to mix these appropriately, to get all the essential amino acids they need.

Some claim that branched-chain amino acids reduce fatigue, improve endurance, provide fuel for working muscle and reduce muscle protein breakdown and soreness from exercise, but there is no high-quality evidence that they are effective. A chicken breast contains the equivalent of seven average branched-chain

In my opinion, your diet and exercise, which are remarkable, are much more likely to achieve your goals than your supplements, but I do not think the supplements are harming you.

If you’ve ever had anything stolen out of your mailbox, or if a check has just failed to show up, you know the angst, trouble and problems that follow because of that missing money.

The Department of Veterans Affairs has a way to safeguard the benefit money that comes to you. The Veterans Benefits Banking Program, for veterans and beneficiaries, will do a direct deposit into your account.

According to the VA, if receiving a paper check, you’re 16 times more likely to have it lost or stolen. You’re 22 times more likely to have it go missing altogether and need to file a claim for it, which of course takes considerable time. They say that since many veterans are using direct deposit, fraud has gone down by 93%. A huge improvement.

And with direct deposit, you’ll get your money faster. It suddenly just appears in your account, on time, every time, not making its way through the postal system.

Through the banking program, there are 43 banking institutions that have signed up to provide low or no-cost checking and savings accounts. You can find those banks here: veteransbenefitsbanking.org/financial-institutions. (Don’t miss the FAQ. A lot of questions are answered.)

Scroll down to the list of banks. (I’m a fan of USAA.) If you already have a bank account (or credit union) and you like them, you can set up a direct deposit right into your account. Call the VA at 800-827-1000 and find more information at www. va.gov/change-direct-deposit.

It can take a little while to think about this kind of change if you’ve never had direct deposit. But it can be rather disconcerting to have a neighbor from a block away show up at your door with a check that was mistakenly delivered to them. You can eliminate a big source of worry and potential problems if you consider signing up for direct deposit for your benefit payment. Once you've completely elimated a week or longer in getting your check deposited into your account, you'll wonder why you haven't done this sooner.

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.

A Checklist of What to Do When a Loved One Dies

DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: What steps need to be taken after a loved one dies? My 76-year-old uncle, who is divorced with no children, has terminal cancer. He’s asked me to take care of his affairs, so I need to find out what I must do after he passes away.

-- Unsure Nephew

Dear Unsure: I’m very sorry to hear about your uncle. The death of a loved of can bring about a host of different tasks and responsibilities. Here’s a list of some things you can do now, and after his death, that can help keep a sad event from becoming even more difficult.

Before Death Occurs

There are several tasks you can do now while your uncle is still living that will make things easier for you after he is gone.

For starters, find out where he keeps all his important papers like his trust and/or will (also make sure it’s updated), his doctor's phone number, his birth certificate, Social Security information, life-insurance policies, military discharge papers, financial documents, key or combination to a safe deposit box or a home safe. Also make a list of his digital assets (including usernames and passwords) like his email account, online banking accounts, social media accounts, etc. You will need these.

If your uncle doesn’t have an advanced directive, help him make one (see CaringInfo. org for free state-specific forms and instructions). An advanced directive includes a living will that specifies his end-of-life medical treatments and appoints a health-care proxy to make medical decisions if he becomes incapacitated. In addition, you should also make a do-not-resuscitate (DNR) order. Your uncle’s doctor can help you with this.

You should also pre-arrange his funeral, memorial service, and burial or cremation.

Immediately After Death

Once your uncle passes, you will need to get a legal pronouncement of death. If no doctor is present, you’ll need to contact someone authorized to do this.

If he dies at home under hospice care, call the hospice nurse, who can declare his death and help facilitate the transport of the body.

If he dies at home without hospice care, call your uncle’s doctor. You’ll then need to call the funeral home, mortuary or crematorium to pick up the body. If your uncle is an organ or tissue donor, contact the funeral home or the county coroner immediately.

Within a Few Days

If funeral plans were not pre-arranged, you’ll need to make arrangements and prepare an obituary. If your uncle was in the military or belonged to a fraternal or religious group, you should contact those organizations too, because they may have burial benefits or conduct funeral services.

You will need to notify family members, close friends and his employer if he was still working, and make sure his home is secured.

Up to 10 Days After Death

To wind down your uncle’s financial affairs, you’ll need to get multiple copies of his death certificate, which are typically ordered by the funeral home.

If you’re the executor of your uncle’s es-

tate, take his will to the appropriate county or city office to have it accepted for probate. And open a bank account for your uncle’s estate to pay bills, including taxes, funeral costs, etc.

You also need to contact your uncle’s estate attorney if he has one; his tax preparer to see if estate or final income taxes should be filed; his financial advisor for information on financial holdings; his life insurance agent to get claim forms; his bank to locate and close accounts; and Social Security, the VA (if he’s a veteran) and other agencies that provided benefits in order to stop payments he receives.

You should also cancel his credit cards, delete or memorialize his social media accounts and, if relevant, stop household services like cleaning, mail, etc. His home and personal belongings will also need to be dealt with in the coming weeks.

* * *

Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior. org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

by Jim Miller

JUNQUE

by Anne McCollam Creators

Grandfather Clock Is Cause for Celebration

Q: Enclosed you will find a photo of our grandfather clock. It was made by the Howard Miller Clock Company, and we bought it new in November 2001. It was the previous year model and we paid $1,100 for it, rather than $2,200 for the current model.

The wood is walnut and stands 81 inches tall. It has Westminster chimes, three heavy weights and a huge pendulum. It has reeded columns, beveled glass and a swan neck pediment. We had it cleaned and oiled this past spring, and it keeps excellent time.

It is an 80th edition anniversary clock and is in excellent condition. Could you please tell how much it is worth in today’s market?

A: The Howard Miller Clock Company was founded in 1937 in Zeeland, Mich. It started out making wall clocks and mantel clocks, and, in 1960, the company introduced a line of grandfather clocks. Kieninger in the Black Forest, Germany, made the movement.

They celebrated 80 years of making clock movements in 2002, thus the 80th-anniversary edition.

Used grandfather clocks remain popular on the secondary market, selling today in the range of $1,200 to 2,500 and more, depending upon model and condition. New Howard Miller grandfather clocks are broadly ranged between $3,500 to as high as $35,000 for certain models. Replacement or insurance value for your clock would likely be in the range of $3,000 to $6,000.

Q: I inherited a porcelain vase with this mark on the bottom. The vase stands about 32 inches tall, and it is in mint condition. It is decorated with an image of a young woman in a full-length gown. To her right is a bird, and she is looking away from it. Above her head are applied leaves and grapes, and the base is decorated with cherubs.

I have no information on its history, and I hope you can tell me its age, who made it and what value it may have.

A: Dux Porcelain Manufactory made your vase. They were located in Dux, Bohemia, which is now Duchcov in the Czech Republic. This mark was used from 1900 to 1918. The firm was founded by E. Eichler in 1860, and it is still in operation. “Eichel” means acorn in German, which explains the use of an acorn in the mark.

Your circa 1900 vase would probably be worth

* On Jan. 9, 1859, Carrie Lane (later Catt) entered the world in Ripon, Wisconsin. A staunch women’s suffragist and peace advocate, she founded the League of Women Voters in 1920 and was highly instrumental in the passing of the Constitution’s 19th Amendment, which granted women the right to vote that same year.

* On Jan. 15, 1870, a Harper’s Weekly cartoon criticizing former Secretary of War Edwin Stanton with the caption, “A Live Jackass Kicking a Dead Lion” helped popularize the use of a donkey to symbolize America’s Democratic Party.

* * *

Antiques expert and columnist Anne McCollam has recently retired and no longer receives inquiries nor answers reader letters. Due to the popularity of her column, this publication will continue to reprint previous columns of interest to our readers.

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 Jan. 12, 1908, American inventor and electronics pioneer Lee de Forest, sometimes called the “Father of Radio,” transmitted a long-distance radio message from the top of the Eiffel Tower for the first time, heard by an audience of 50.

* On Jan. 10, 1942, Mickey Rooney married Ava Gardner. Since both were under contract to MGM, they had to get permission from its head, Louis B. Mayer. According to Gardner, the studio “owned both of us, and did not look kindly on any change in Andy Hardy’s status.” Though the marriage was short-lived, Rooney later called it “one of the most memorable moments of my life.”

* On Jan. 14, 1943, Franklin D. Roosevelt and Winston Churchill met at Casablanca in Morocco to begin work on World War II strategy. At its conclusion, they held a joint news conference at which Roosevelt announced that peace would come “by the total elimination of German and Japanese war power. That means the unconditional surrender of Germany, Italy and Japan.”

* On Jan. 11, 1964, U.S. Surgeon General Dr. Luther Terry issued the first governmental report stating that smoking could be injurious to one’s health. Its Saturday date was chosen to minimize the effect on the stock market and maximize coverage in the Sunday papers, and was, Terry said, “a lead story on every radio and television station in the United States and many abroad.”

(c) 2022 King Features Synd., Inc.

"This is a four-man scramble, but since you wound up with Clarence on your team l'm giving you an additional man."

Howard Miller Grandfather Clock is an anniversary edition.

Dux Porcelain Manufactory was founded in 1860.

mushrooms grow exceptionally well on horse manure.

• One species of fungus discovered amidst mining waste is one of the most radiationresistant organisms ever found. It’s even been found inside the now-abandoned reactor at Chernobyl.

• Some fungi capture and consume nematode worms in the soil. When plant matter becomes scarce, they release an attractant when nematodes are nearby. Some species deploy sticky nets or adhesive branches, while others produce nooses that inflate instantly when touched, ensnaring the victim.

• Oyster mushrooms commonly sold in supermarkets paralyze nematodes with a single toxic droplet on the tip of a root, giving the root enough time to digest the worm. Others release spores that “swim” through dirt, chemically drawn towards the scent of nematodes. They attach themselves to the body of the worm, and then sprout, sending fungus harpoons through the worm.

• One curious researcher put a rotten block of wood on a surface, allowing it to become infested with a rotten wood-loving fungus. The fungus put out root-like “feelers” called mycelium, which spread out in all directions like a fine white fuzzy circle. Then the researcher put another rotten block nearby. The moment the mycelium touched the new block, all of the mycelium on all other sides of the old block ceased their growth, while the growth quickly thickened where the mycelium touched the new block.

• The researcher then did a follow-up experiment: as soon as the mycelium touched the second block, she removed the first block and scraped all of the mycelium off of it. When she replaced it, now with only undeveloped spores attached to it, the spores sprouted into new mycelium which reached out in the original direction of the newly placed block. □

Game Changers

by Jason

Jenkins

Play Better Golf with JACK NICKLAUS

A good finish should have the left leg straight, the right thigh up close to the left leg, the right foot up on the toe, and the upper body arching back slightly. The trick is that the hips are now “tucked under” the upper body or the stomach is pushed forward. Many beginners, or players who don’t have good core strength, will finish with their hips pushed out behind their upper body. Learn to correct the finish by tucking the hips under or pushing your belt buckle forward in order to feel the correct position. Good leg work will assist in correct hip positioning as well.

Two to Ten Degrees

Golf has many zones of success where the club or body doesn’t have to be in exact positions in order to be successful. For example, the upper body is in an address orientation where the spine should be slightly tilted away from the target. Because the right hand is lower on the club than the left, the shoulders should naturally be tilted uphill. In order to compliment the shoulders, the entire upper body should be tilted somewhere between two and ten degrees away from the target.

When I work with a lot of beginning to intermediate players, the finish position requires extra attention. The body is contorting into an unusual position and needs to be balanced to be effective. Advanced players take the finish position for granted, especially when it comes to the small arch in the lower back.

Game Changers

The golf shirt’s placard can serve as a great “reference line” for the spine when you look downward at address. Due to the body tilt, the placard should align toward the left instep. If the line points right sided, or outside the left foot, the upper body has drifted outside its zone of two to ten degrees of tilt. Take note that the tilt may increase for the longer clubs, but it should still stay in that zone.

or devgolfinstr@gmail.com

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

teaching staff and was one of GOLF Magazine’s Top 100

1999-2010. He was named one of the Golf

Top Teachers

California in 2011.

by Jason Jenkins

Poor

Jason Jenkins was a 16-year member of the Jim McLean Golf School teaching staff. He was one of GOLF Magazine’s Top 100 Teacher Nominees 1999-2010 and has been named one of the Golf Digest Top Teachers in California. Jason teaches at GOLFTEC CENTER in Indio. Contact him at jjenkins@golftec.com

HISTORY: What is the name of the ancient trade route that connected the East and West?

LITERATURE: What was playwright Anton Chekhov’s other profession?