Vol. 18: #37 • Four Letter Words • (9-11-2022) Tidbits of Coachella Valley

words of the locker-room variety that get bleepedout on TV, but how about some unusual four-letter words we've probably never heard of? This week Tidbits opens the dictionary to find some curious and unfamiliar ones to add to your lexicon of knowledge.

• The Latin word “surdus” meaning “unheard, noiseless, or silent,” gives us the word “surd,” which is defined as an unsounded consonant. This would include the “k” in “knife” and “knot,” the “s” in “debris,” and the “t” in “whistle.”

• Israel’s King Jehu ruled in the ninth century B.C., and was noted for driving chariots fast and furiously. In the 1600s, the word “jehu” came to mean a fast or reckless coachman. Today, we use the term to denote reckless drivers, especially cabbies.

• The word “naïf” has a similar meaning as “naïve.” A naif lacks worldly experience, is unsophisticated and inexperienced, and might be described as a

TRIVIA

1. GEOGRAPHY: What is the only country in the world without an offi cial capital city?

2. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: Which Chinese zodiac animal is cele brated in the year 2022?

3. BUSINESS: When did the auction site eBay launch?

4. HISTORY: How many years has Queen Elizabeth been on the throne?

5. MOVIES: Who played Wolverine in the X-Men movie series?

6. U.S. STATES: Which state’s mot to is “Mountaineers are always free”?

7. ASTRONOMY: What is the only planet in our solar system that isn’t named after a Greek-Roman deity?

8. MYTHOLOGY: Which Egyptian god has the head of a jackal?

9. TELEVISION: How many times has the hospital’s name changed in the drama “Grey’s Anatomy”?

10. RELIGION: Where was the founder of Buddhism born? Answers

1. Nauru, an island nation in the Pacific Ocean.

2. The Year of the Tiger.

If you’re not familiar with the accomplishments of aviator Chuck Yeager, you’re about to learn a few things as Tidbits passes along some facts about this remarkable man.

• While Chuck Yeager’s most famous feat is that of piloting the first manned airplane to exceed the speed of sound, he was already a hero before that day in 1947. Although he had no aviation experience, he enlisted in the Army Air Corps directly out of high school in 1941, becoming an aircraft mechanic at a California Air Force base. When the United States entered World War II in December of that year, Yeager immediately enrolled in fighter pilot training.

• Yeager proved to be an outstanding pilot during training and was assigned to combat operations. He was shipped overseas in November 1943.

During his eighth mission in March 1944, at age 21, he was shot down in his P-51 Mustang over German-occupied France. Members of

the French Resistance managed to rescue the wounded Yeager and smuggle him into Spain.

• After a request to return to combat was granted, he returned to action that August. Just two months later, he became an “Ace in a day” when he downed five German planes in a single mission.

• When Yeager entered World War II, he was a private, but amazingly, by the end of the war, he ranked as a captain. After the war, he remained in the U.S. Army Air Forces as a test pilot.

• On October 14, 1947, the 24-year-old climbed into the cockpit of the rocket engine-powered Bell X-1 aircraft he had named “Glamorous Glennis” in honor of his wife. Just two nights earlier, Yeager had fallen from a horse and had broken two ribs. Worrying that it would disqualify him from his upcoming mission, he quietly had a civilian doctor tape his ribs and said nothing about it to his superiors.

• On flight day, Yeager was in such pain, he couldn’t shut the X-1’s hatch, and was forced to confess his injury to the flight engineer. The engineer rigged up a device by sawing a broom handle that allowed Yeager enough leverage to slam the hatch closed.

• During the flight, Yeager reached a top speed of 700 mph at an altitude of 45,000 feet over the Mojave Desert, the first pilot to break the sound barrier. Due to the classified nature of the mission, the information was not released to the public for eight months.

• In 1953, Yeager was once again a record breaker flying the Bell X-1A. This time, he reached a speed of 1,618 mph at 74,700 feet, breaking all speed records. It was nearly a tragedy as the craft spiraled out of control, plunging nearly 50,000 feet in 70 seconds. Miraculously, Yeager was able to recover from the drop, landing safely at Edwards Air Force Base.

• After years as a test pilot, Chuck Yeager went to Vietnam as a Fighter Wing commander, where he flew 127 combat missions, rising to the rank of Brigadier General. At age 52, he retired from the Air Force. On October 14, 1997, at age 74, Yeager celebrated the 50th anniversary of breaking the sound barrier by repeating the feat, flying a McDonnell Douglas Eagle. On the 65th anniversary in 2012, at age 89, Yeager rode in an F-15 over the Mojave, re-creating the historic flight, as Air Force Captain David Vincent piloted.

TUES., SEPT. 6

• His remarkable aviation career was among those featured in the 1983 film “The Right Stuff,” a portrayal of test pilots’ lives during the early stages of the space program.

• Chuck Yeager died December 7, 2020 at age 97. Fans of aviation can view his original X-1 aircraft at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. □

greenhorn. The word “waif” has its origins in the Old French word “guaif,” meaning “stray beast,” and refers to a person who has been taken out their original surroundings, perhaps by hardship. A homeless or orphaned child is often described as a waif, as are street urchins or runaways.

• Farmers might attempt to fertilize their fields by allowing the excrement of cattle and sheep to remain on the field. That dung is known as “tath.”

• How about “pith”? This word has several meanings, including the soft, spongy tissue in the stems of plants, or in the shaft of a feather or hair. It also refers to the stringy white stuff found between the skin of an orange and its fruit.

• Pith is also the essential or central part of something, such as the pith of someone’s life or work, the quintessence, core, or significance. The word can also stand for a person’s strength, vitality, grit, and vigor.

• In the Old English language, another fourletter word, “thew,” was paired with pith. Thew referred to muscle or sinew, and when speaking of men of great strength, the phrase “These were men of pith and thew” was common. As a verb, to pith an animal is to kill it by piercing or severing its spinal cord

• Anil is a much easier way of saying “indigofera suffruiticosa,” a flowering shrub found in tropical areas that is the source of deep-blue indigo dye. It’s a member of the pea family.

• Pelf refers to wealth or riches that have been dishonestly acquired. Some call this shameful gain filthy lucre. The word has its origins in the Old French word “pelfre,” which translates “stolen goods.” We also get our word “pilfer,” to steal, from the same root.

• The word phut has a number of meanings. If you “go phut,” you feel useless, like a nothing. The word also indicates a light thud, a dull sound, like a tennis ball against the racket, or the sound made by the impact of a bullet. In the Bible, Phut is the name of a group of people who lived between Egypt and Canaan, described as mercenaries in the armies of Egypt and Tyre.

• Metals and minerals that have been heated leave behind a crumbly, ashy substance. It’s an oxide known as calx.

• If you’re experiencing chills, sweating, shivering, shaking, pains in the bones or joints, or a violent fever, you might be suffering from the ague. The term is frequently associated with malaria.

• Coir is the fiber found in the husk of a coconut, between the hard outer coat and the internal shell. This strong cellulose fiber is used in the cre-

Four-letter words: Turn to page 15

QUIZ BITS

1. What part of the day does "eoan" refer to?

2. A point on the grinding surface of a tooth is known as the

From the third to the 13th centuries, the Germanic languages used several alphabets before adopting the Latin alphabet. Each of the letters in the alphabets was known as a rune. Each rune was a pictographic symbol of a cosmological power.

• Crazy, frenzied, batty, bonkers, wacky, and crackers can all refer to someone who is called “loco.” But in the world of music, “loco” has nothing to do with someone who is mentally irregular. It means to play “as written” after having played a section an octave higher or lower. In other words, “return to the proper pitch.”

• Graduation attire includes a gown and a cap, also known as a mortarboard. Typically, the cap features a tassel of various colors. However, in the case of English university graduates who are noblemen or titled, the tassel is gold and it’s known as a tuft.

• The card game of faro involves players placing bets against the dealer on the order that certain cards will come up when taken one at a time from the top of the deck. With origins in late 17th century France, it spread to North America in the 19th century, and was the most popular gambling game, played in every Old West gambling hall from 1825 to 1915. The game of poker overtook faro in popularity by most gamblers.

• Emporium, bazaar, farmers’ market, flea market -- these are all synonyms for the unusual word “souq,” which is a street market where people buy and sell goods.

By Lucie Winborne

* Shout out to “The Wizard of Oz”: Dominic Wilcox designed “No Place Like Home” shoes containing a small GPS unit that can be programmed with a home address. How is it activated? By clicking your heels together three times, of course! A series of LED lights on top of the left shoe will then point you in the direction of home.

* In 1775, a 78-year-old Massachu setts farmer named Samuel Whittemore fired at British soldiers and killed three. Out of ammo, he drew his sword to con tinue fighting and was shot in the face, bayoneted multiple times, and left for dead. But those pesky Brits had noth ing on Whittemore: He was found, was patched up, and lived another 18 years.

* More than 40 buildings in New York City, including the General Motors and Empire State buildings, have their own zip code.

* Swimmers sweat underwater.

* In 2013, a petition requesting that the U.S. government build a Death Star reached 25,000 signatures, the amount required for an official response. That hopeful effort proved to be in vain, how ever, when the government replied that “the Administration does not support blowing up planets.”

* Research found that some neighbor hoods containing more dogs had lower levels of crime, likely because of their residents’ need to walk or at least let out their canines at all hours.

***

Thought for the Day: “Winning doesn’t always mean being first. Winning means you’re doing better than you’ve done be fore.” -- Speed skater Bonnie Blair

The Basics of Home Canning and How to Get Started -- Quick and Easy!

So, you planted a garden, lucked out when your property included fruit trees, stumbled upon a produce sale you just couldn’t pass up, or joined a Community Supported Agriculture group. Good for you! Now what? What will you do with all that bounty?

Your choices are: 1) quickly consume your harvest before it spoils 2) give it away or 3) preserve it to enjoy in the future. One of the best ways to preserve -- the method of food preserva tion that is making a big comeback -- is known as “home canning.” Canning is not tricky, but it is a procedure that should be followed precisely.

HOME CANNING OVERVIEW

Generally, the process begins by steril izing canning jars in boiling water. Then, once you’ve filled them with hot jam or another pre pared recipe, and applied lids, you boil them again. Proper canning or “heat processing” hermetically seals the jar, meaning no air or tiny organisms can get in. It also kills any undesir ables that may be present, like bacteria, yeast or mold. In addition, it destroys naturally occurring enzymes that cause food to spoil.

For this process known as home canning, you need a few pieces of equipment, a little time, and beautifully ripe produce. Your investment will pay off in spades come winter when you can enjoy summer all over again.

Beginners should start with fruit, jams, pickles and tomatoes because these items are highly acidic and do not require a pressure can ner -- a process used for low-acid vegetables like green beans, using high pressure and high heat.

HOW TO CAN

Step 1: Sterilize the jars, lids and rings

In a big cooking pot filled with water, place jars and lids in the water and bring to a boil over high heat. Allow to boil for 10 minutes. Keep jars hot by turning heat down to simmer until ready to fill.

Step 2: Make the recipe

Use one of the recipes below or another recipe of your choice that has been created specifically for canning. Again, if you are a begin ning canner, start with a nice jam recipe or fruit in syrup.

Step 3: Carefully remove jars from the pot

Empty the hot water from each jar back into the pot so you won’t have to heat new water later.

Step 4: Place jars on a wooden cutting board or towel

Placing jars on a cold countertop could cause thermal shock, which could crack the jars. Place the funnel in the mouth of the jar. Carefully ladle in the food item you have just prepared.

Step 5: Fill jars, allowing for headspace The empty space between the food’s

top and the jar’s top is called headspace. The amount of space depends on what you’re can ning. Your recipe should indicate the amount of headspace required by that particular item.

Step 6: Release air bubbles

Air bubbles can prevent jars from sealing and may affect the color of canned goods. Get rid of bubbles by sliding a nonmetal spatula or something like a plastic chopstick between the food and the inside of the jar. Make sure the item you use has been sterilized. You don’t want to introduce bacteria once you’ve been so careful to sterilize everything.

Step 7: Clean up jars

Wipe jar rim and threads (the grooves the lid screws onto) with a clean, damp cloth. Food left on the jar rim or threads might prevent the jar from sealing once the lid and ring have been applied.

Step 8: Apply lids and rings

With tongs, transfer one jar lid from the hot water to the top of each jar, ensuring it is centered perfectly on top of the jar. Apply a screw ring to each jar and twist until it is just fin ger tight. Do not overtighten. The ring is to hold the lid in the correct position so that the seal can take place as the contents of the jar cool.

Step 9: Process

Now, you are ready to process the jars. Place them back into the large pot of hot water. Once all the jars that will fit are in the pot, add enough water to cover the jars by at least 1 inch. Cover the pot and bring the water to a rapid boil over high heat. Boil jars for the required “pro cessing time” indicated in your recipe of choice. For proper canning, water must boil rapidly dur ing the entire processing time.

Step 10: Turn off the heat

Remove lid from the large pot. Let jars cool in the water for five minutes. Remove jars from the pot, being careful not to tilt the jars. Place them on a towel. Allow to sit undisturbed for 24 hours.

Step 11: Test for proper seal

To test each jar to make sure it is prop erly sealed, look at the lid from the side. It should be concave, slightly curved like the inside of a bowl. Next, press on the lid with your finger. If the lid springs back, the jar is not sealed. Im mediately reprocess that jar or refrigerate it to be consumed within the next few days. The con tents are perfectly edible and delicious but, since it did not seal properly, you would not want to put it on the shelf to be eaten six months from now.

Step 12: Label and store

Make and apply labels for your jars that indicate the name of the contents and the date canned. Store in a cool, dark, nonhumid place for up to one year.

EQUIPMENT AND RESOURCES

I have prepared an article with the spe cific tools you will need as resources to find them and lots more at EverydayCheapskate.com/can ning. See you there!

* * *

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 author of the book “Debt-Proof Living.”

Missouri, and Texas.

• Did you know that there are more than 40,000 varieties of rice? Just one single seed can produce up to 3,000 grains of rice. The crop requires a lot of water to grow – it takes about 1,320 gallons (5,000 liters) of water to produce just 2.2 pounds of rice. A typical plant can reach up to 5.9 feet in height, with long slender leaves 20 to 39 inches in length.

September is National Rice Month, and Tidbits gives you the opportunity to learn more about this universal food staple. Read on and learn.

• Although the U.S. produces 20 billion pounds of rice annually, America has the lowest consumption of rice in the world. The average American might consume ten cups of rice a year, compared to the average Asian who may eat upwards of five cups a day! People in Burma, in southeast Asia, consume about 500 pounds per person annually, while in the U.S., that figure is 25 pounds. China and India are the world’s largest producers. Asia consumes upwards of 90% of the world’s rice.

• What’s the difference between brown rice and white rice? It all comes down to refinement. White rice started out as brown rice. It’s just that the hull, bran layer, and cereal germ has been removed, and the grain polished. Brown rice is whole grain, with just the inedible outer hull removed.

• Brown rice is much healthier because of its whole grain properties and greater amount of fiber, vitamins, and antioxidants. Brown rice has 40% more protein and twice as much fiber as white rice. White rice has been stripped of nutrients, and doesn’t have a lot of nutritional benefit.

• There are more than 5,500 rice farmers in the U.S., mostly in the top-producing states of Arkansas, California, Louisiana, Mississippi, so

• Rice is classified as long-, medium-, and shortgrained. Long-grained remains intact after cooking, while medium-grained becomes more sticky, making it a good choice for sushi. Shortgrain rice is a good choice for rice pudding.

• Did you know that wild rice isn't actually rice at all? While it bears a strong resemblance to rice, it's really a grass harvested from any of four different species of marsh grasses grown in North America and China. It’s sometimes referred to as water oats.

• Rice has a place in folklore and spirituality. Young Chinese girls are advised to eat every last grain on their plates; otherwise, every grain will translate to a scar, pimple, or blemish on the face of their future husband. In India, rice is associated with the god Lakshmi, the god of prosperity and wealth, while in Japan, it’s the sun god Amatereshu-Omi-Kami.

• Men are forbidden to enter the rice paddies in Thailand, where Mae Posop is considered the “mother of rice” god. And why has rice traditionally been thrown at the bride and groom at a wedding? It’s because rice is a symbol of life and fertility.

• Rice is for more than eating! In the 15th and 16th centuries, during the construction of the Great Wall of China, workers used a mixture of rice and calcium carbonate as mortar to hold the stones together for its 13,000-mile length.

by Dana Jackson

Q: Is the TV series “Big Sky” coming back this fall, or next year? I can’t keep track of all my favorite shows, since they don’t all start during the fall TV season. -- L.Y.

A: Yes, “Big Sky” will return to ABC on Wednesday, Sept. 21 at 10 p.m. ET. With each sea son having a separate storyline, there will also be an expanded title this season -- “Big Sky: Dead ly Trails.” Constance Zimmer is expected, but not confirmed, to be re turning, since last sea son’s story left viewers hanging. According to PrecinctTV.com, Zim mer isn’t a series regular and is quite busy, so “this could lead to her not be ing available to film ‘Big Sky’ season three.”

However, I can confirm several big stars who are joining the show this season on a contract basis. Jensen Ackles (“Supernatural”) debuted as Beau Arlen at the end of season two, but will be back, along with Jamie-Lynn Sigler (“The Sopra nos”).

Singer/actress Reba McEntire will play Sunny Bricker, the owner of a “glamping” business whose customers disappear. Her real-life beau, Rex Linn (“Better Call Saul”), will play opposite her as Sunny’s husband, Buck. Rosanna Arquette (“Pulp Fiction”) has also signed on to play a con-artist mom.

Despite the show’s main plot changing each season, the two main characters, Jenny Hoyt (Kath eryn Winnick) and Cassie Dewell (Kylie Bunbury), will continue as the prime investigators.

Q: I saw a preview for a new movie starring Jon Hamm, with the name “Fletch” in it. Is it a remake of the Chevy Chase film of the same name from years ago? -- J.G.

A: “Confess, Fletch,” the upcoming movie directed by Greg Mottola, is not a remake of 1985’s “Fletch” or its sequel, “Fletch Lives,” but it is the same character originally portrayed by Chase. In the 2022 version, Fletch, as played by Jon Hamm, is a semi-retired investigative journalist who finds himself accused of a string of murders. Hamm’s “Mad Men” co-star, John Slattery, also stars in the movie as Fletch’s newspaper editor. According to Mottola, the two characters have a love-hate rela tionship.

Even before Chase stepped into Fletch’s shoes decades ago, the character was originally conceived by author Gregory Mcdonald in a series of books. His novel “Confess, Fletch” was actually published in 1976. The new film is based closer to the character from the books, rather than Chase’s portrayal, as Hamm didn’t want to just mimic the legendary comedic actor’s mannerisms.

Look for “Confess, Fletch” in theaters and

on-demand beginning Sept. 16.

***

Q: Where has Joe Pesci been? I haven’t seen him since “Goodfellas” and “Casino.” -- H.V.

Final Changes DUE:

1. The Invitation (PG-13)

Nathalie Emmanuel, Thomas Doherty

2. Bullet Train (R)

Brad Pitt, Joey King

3. Beast (R)

Idris Elba, Liyabuya Gongo

4. Top Gun: Maverick........ (PG-13)

Tom Cruise, Jennifer Connelly

5. Dragon Ball Super: Super Hero (PG-13)

Masako Nozawa, Toshio Furukawa

6. DC League of Super-Pets (PG)

Dwayne Johnson, Kevin Hart

7. Three Thousand Years of Longing (R)

Tilda Swinton, Idris Elba

8. Minions: The Rise of Gru ...(PG)

Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman

Steve Carell, Pierre Coffin

A: The 79-year-old actor has taken a hiatus from acting every now and again in recent years, but his career is on the upswing once more. He even teamed up with director Martin Scorsese in the 2019 Oscar-nominated film “The Irishman.”

Please review carefully. Double check:

Contact your Tidbits representativeChanges DUE:

Please review carefully. Double check:

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

Next, Pesci will play Pete Davidson’s (“Sat urday Night Live”) grandfather in the new series “Bupkis” on Peacock. It’s loosely based on David son’s life, and will also star Edie Falco (“Nurse Jackie”) as Davidson’s mom.

Contact your Tidbits representative

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

*

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

(c) 2022 King Features Synd., Inc. (PG-13)

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

Gary Oldman, Asa Butterfield

9. Thor: Love and Thunder (PG-13)

Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman

10. xXx: Return of Xander Cage (PG-13)

10. Where the Crawdads Sing (PG-13)

Vin Diesel, Donnie Yen

Daisy Edgar-Jones, Taylor John Smith

© 2017 King Features Synd., Inc.

King Features News Syndicate

Good Recipes from

sodium, 35g total carbs, 3g dietary fiber, 3g pro tein.

Chicken Burgers

1 pound ground chicken breasts

Gourmet Grilled Angel Food Cake

Store-bought angel food cake goes gour met when it’s grilled and topped with sweetened balsamic-soaked strawberries.

1 1/2 pounds strawberries, hulled and halved or quartered

2 tablespoons balsamic vinegar

1 tablespoon sugar

1 (9-ounce) store-bought angel food cake

Whipped cream (optional)

1. In medium bowl, toss strawberries with balsamic vinegar and sugar. Let stand at room temperature until sugar dissolves, at least 30 minutes, stirring occasionally.

2. Meanwhile, prepare outdoor grill for di rect grilling on medium. Cut angel food cake into 6 wedges.

3. Place cake on hot grill rack and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until lightly toasted on both sides, turning over once. Spoon strawberries with their juice onto 6 dessert plates. Place grilled cake on plates with strawberries; serve with whipped cream if you like. Serves 6.

1 medium carrot, grated (1/2 cup)

2 green onions, minced

1 clove garlic, crushed with garlic press

4 hamburger buns, warmed

Sliced cucumber, lettuce leaves and green onion (optional)

1. In medium bowl, with hand, mix ground chicken, carrot, green onions and garlic until evenly combined.

2. On waxed paper, shape chicken mix ture into four 3 1/2-inch round patties (mixture will be very soft and moist).

3. Place patties on grill over medium heat and cook about 12 minutes or until juices run clear when center of burger is pierced with tip of knife, turning over once. (If you have a grill with widely spaced grates, you may want to place burgers on a perforated grill topper to keep them intact).

4. Place burgers on warmed buns. Serve with cucumber slices, lettuce leaves and green onions if you like. Serves 4.

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

(c) 2022 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved

Each serving: About 155 calories, 1g total fat (0g saturated), 0mg cholesterol, 320mg serving: About 275 calories, 30g protein, 24g carbohydrate, 5g total fat (1g satu rated), 2g fiber, 72mg cholesterol, 310mg sodium.

By John Allen

NEXT WEEK in THE MIGHTY HAS THE FACTS ABOUT SPIDER WEB

Dog Talk with Uncle Matty

By Matthew Margolis

Assuring a Place in the 95 Percent

9/11 Appreciate Your Freedom Day

9/12 National Police Woman's Day

9/13 Uncle Sam Day

9/14 Live Creative Day

9/15 National Tradesman

9/16 Eat an Apple

9/17 Constitution

The right professional dog training can solve 95 percent of dog problems -- the majority of which might better be described as people prob lems. But there are some problems training can’t touch, and often that’s because people ignored the warning signs and put off getting help. Keep read ing:

Last week, Seven, our 10-year-old German Shepherd, bit my two-year-old daughter causing her to get stitches in her face. The incident was caused by a granola bar being left on the couch. Seven snatched the bar when I stepped out of the room for a minute. Our daughter either wanted to get it back or wanted to see what Seven had, and Seven attacked her. She required four stitches in her face and sustained a few other minor bites. Seven didn’t bite and thrash. Rather, he growled and nipped multiple times.

The positive about Seven: He is a very lov ing dog. He loves to play fetch and wrestle and to just cuddle up with you. He listens well and is trained to sit, stay and come. He is a great dog for car rides, and he sits still for baths, teeth brush ing and coat brushing. He loves to run! He and my daughter get along all right. They don’t play a whole lot together, but Seven would come up to the couch where my daughter would be sitting and wait for a pet or a scratch.

The negative about Seven: He is overpro tective and displays signs of food-aggression. He also has a barking issue that bark collars haven’t been able to solve. He doesn’t like small dogs or neighborhood cats.

These folks have a problem -- and so does Seven. The wife wants to get rid of the dog; the hus band wants to keep him. She has called local shel ters, hoping to find someone who will take Seven and find him a new home. So far, no luck. The un fortunate reality is that Seven is old, he’s big, he’s untrained, and he now has a history of biting. The wife is losing hope and considering euthanasia; her

"You are the same today that you are going to be five years from now -except for two things: the people with whom you associate and the books you read."

-- Charles Jones

SENIOR NEWS LINE

by Matilda Charles

Multiple Drug Prescriptions

While using a different pharmacy to get a much lower drug cost has one definite benefit, there is also a potential problem: A new pharmacist won’t know you or anything about your medical his tory. If you only take one drug prescription to that new pharmacy, they won’t know what other drugs you also happen to be taking. And therein can lie a serious outcome.

There is a name for this situation called polypharmacy, which simply means that we’re taking multiple prescription drugs. Technically, the definition means we’re taking at least five differ ent medications, but it doesn’t take five before it potentially creates a serious health risk to the in nocent user. Even taking four drugs comes with an increased risk of falls, for example.

There are several ways this situation can occur. We might be seeing more than one doc

The Art of DESIGN

by Joseph Publillones

A Shady Subject

Windows are considered to be the eyes of a home. Through them, we can see a framed view of the outside world, and when we are out side looking in, they offer us a glimpse of the daily goings-on of life.

Some windows require no treatment due to a spectacular view, and yet other windows re quire some sort of adornment, either for privacy reasons or to protect the interiors from the intense rays of the sun. There are many types of window treat ments for addressing issues of privacy, sun protection and aes thetics, too.

We are all fa miliar with curtains and drapes. People often use the terms invariably, however, there is a difference. Curtains are generally made with lighter fabrics and are not intended to protect against sunlight. They are mainly for privacy and aesthetics. Drapes, on the other hand, are usually lined and meant to block out light. As for aesthet ics, depending on where you live and the type of decor you have, drapes can be made of velvet, silk, cotton, linen and even synthetic fabrics. Cur tains and drapes can be simple and demure or as fancy as a ballgown. (Remember in “Gone with the Wind,” when Scarlett O’Hara has her dress made from fancy drapes?).

Shutters are another viable option for win dow treatments. This treatment gives an architec tural flair to any room, as it reinforces the openings and becomes part of the millwork. Although gen erally painted white, wood shutters can be stained to match the millwork and, in certain instances, painted to contrast in color. Sometimes shutters can be divided in two, with closed panels on the

tor for a condition and be given a prescription by one doctor and another by a different doctor with instruction to keep taking it until the next visit. We might be on a pharmacy auto-refill program that sends us drugs, which we dutifully take. We might see a doctor with a sub-par medical assistant who blithely renews all our prescriptions without con sulting anyone. The software at the pharmacy’s computer might not be updated or might not even be new enough to flag possible patient reaction when mixing conflicting drugs.

We need to take charge!

When you go for a doctor visit, take all your drugs with you in a bag, including any vitamins and over-the-counter drugs you picked up along the way. Line them up on the desk and ask the doctor (not a nurse) to verify whether it's okay to be taking all of them.

Remember that when a health care pro vider treats you, it’s part of their job. At the end of the day, they go to their own life at home. And at the end of the day, you live with the results of what they either did or didn't do.

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Cody’s Corner (from page 9) husband refuses.

In my opinion, they are both wrong. Seven cannot live in a home with a small child -- espe cially a child who is allowed to crawl and jump on the family dog, as this child is. It’s dangerous, and the mother is right to be afraid for her daughter’s safety.

But they do have a duty to Seven to find an appropriate home where he can live out the rest of his life comfortably. I advised contacting last-resort sanctuaries and German Shepherd rescues, as well as stepping up their search for a new home without children.

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Stories like this are exceptionally hard for me to hear because I know things didn’t have to get to this point. If I had received a call about their dog eight years ago, when his barking was a fresh nuisance and the food-aggression first surfaced, or even four or five years ago, when the baby was still an idea, you wouldn’t be reading this story today. Seven would have been among the 95 percent.

Contact your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or

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

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.

My hope is that, in reading this story, any one who sees themselves heading down this path will find help now -- when the issues are relatively small and solvable and the much larger problems that lie ahead are entirely avoidable.

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bottom for privacy but open ones on top to allow light to come in to brighten your space. Plantation shutters with their extra-wide horizontal slats add unique character to windows when viewed from both inside and outside the home. Plantation shut ters are especially popular in Mediterranean style homes.

Contact your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or corrections.

Blinds are quite common and useful. They can provide privacy and also mitigate the sunlight due to their adjustable blades. These come in a variety of materials, from wood to vinyl to alumi num, and a variety of sizes, from 2 inches to a “mini blind,” which has 3/4-inch blades. Similar to shutters, blinds are often associated with tra ditional architecture. Vertical blinds came about during the 1970s in response to the many sliding glass doors of mod ern architecture. Then there are those who prefer shades. Shades of fer a more contem porary style to any interior because when they are rolled up, they are out of sight. There are shades made of vi nyl which are meant to block out or filter light and even some that are considered blackout, which block all light (great for sleeping in on a sun ny morning). Light-filtering shades can be made of woven vinyl fabric or a light sheer fabric.

Yet another variation of shades is translu cent shades. Made from opaque paper or nylon, these shades stack like horizontal blinds yet allow in a copious amount of light.

Surely, there are many more styles of win dow treatments. There is no wrong type of treat ments, as long as they ultimately do their job in concealing your home and controlling the light.

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Joseph Pubillones is the owner of Joseph Pu billones 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 Syndi cate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndi cate website at www.creators.com.

My Uncle’s Shutter Factory c/o LDR Construction 1/16 pg. 4C 26x Disc. March 27 Vol. 18 - No. 13

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.

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

YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY

by Tom Margenau

The Social Security Earnings Penalty for Self-Employed People

“Well, Tom, you see, I’m a farmer. I got me about 100 acres of beans, and I really only work two months a year. I plant those beans in April and I harvest them in October. The rest of the time, I’m pretty much sitting on my butt. Oh, I mend a fence or two and work on my equipment. But that don’t take no 45 hours, so I want my Social Security check for the other 10 months of the year.”

What’s that all about? I’ll get back to the bean farmer in just a bit. But first, I’ve got to tell you all about the Social Security “retirement test,” and especially how it applies to self-employed peo ple.

I’ve written many times in this column about how I despise this part of Social Security law. It causes headaches for Social Security Administra tion employees, and heartaches and overpayments for Social Security recipients. It’s a terrible law, and ought to be eliminated. But it’s been a law for al most as long as Social Security has been around -meaning for about 80 years now. And it’s probably not going away anytime soon, so we’re stuck with it. And I’m stuck with having to explain it to you.

Once you reach your full retirement age, these antiquated rules go away. But if you are un der your full retirement age, and if you are still working, the retirement test law says this: “For every $2 you earn above a yearly limit (that is cur rently $19,560 per year), $1 must be withheld from any Social Security benefits you are due.” The law is called a retirement test because it’s intended to “test” whether you are retired and therefore whether you are eligible for retirement benefits.

Going back to the very beginnings of So cial Security, the law always said you had to be “re tired” to get “retirement” benefits. And those rules used to apply to everyone. But over the years, Con gress gradually lessened the effect of this onerous law. At first, they said the retirement test would not apply to people over age 72. Then they lowered that to 70. And then they eventually lowered that to full retirement age. So, in other words, if you have reached your full retirement age, you could make a million dollars a year and you could still get your Social Security checks.

But Congress never changed the law for people under full retirement age, so they’re stuck with the “retirement test,” which I more appropri ately called the “earnings penalty” because if you are under your full retirement age and on Social Security, you are penalized if you start making more than $19,560 per year.

Now, on the surface the law seems pretty cut and dried. So, you may be wondering, “What’s the big deal? Why is this law such a problem?”

As with so many things, the devil is in the details. For example, let’s say you are 63 years old and getting Social Security, and you take a parttime job that’s going to pay you $25,000 per year. So, you report that to the Social Security Adminis tration, and they withhold $2,720 from your next couple Social Security checks. (That’s one-half of what you plan to make over $19,560.) But then you get laid off after making only $20,000, so now the

SSA owes you some money back. But then a couple months later, you find another job and now the SSA must start withholding some of your benefits again. And then later in the year, you get a big bonus and the SSA has to withhold even more. But then the following year, you quit that job and now the SSA owes you money. It just becomes a vicious cycle of overpayments and underpayments. As I said, it’s an administrative nightmare for the SSA and a big hassle for the Social Security beneficiary.

And I haven’t even gotten into the special rules that apply in the first year you start getting benefits and in the year you reach your full retire ment age. And for the purposes of this column, I’ll only explain the former. In the first year you start drawing Social Security checks, a special monthly earnings test can apply. That test says that even if your yearly earnings exceed the annual earnings limit, you are due a Social Security check for any month you earn less than a monthly limit -- which is always one-twelfth of the yearly amount.

A quick example will explain this. Let’s say Bob is turning 63 in September 2022, and that’s when he wants his benefits to start. But he is working through the end of August and will make $80,000 from January through August. That is well above the annual earnings threshold of $19,560, so you might think Bob can’t get any benefits for 2022. But because it’s his first year getting benefits, a spe cial monthly rule kicks in. And that rule says that even though Bob is making way more than $19,560 in 2022, he can get a Social Security check for any month he is making less than $1,630 (or one-twelfth of $19,560). Because he won’t be working from Sep tember through December (in other words, he’ll be making less than $1,630 in those months), he is due a Social Security check for September through De cember.

What a mess. And this mess gets com pounded even more if you are self-employed. An extra stipulation is added for these folks. It says

that in addition to keeping your income under the yearly or monthly limit, you also must not be per forming substantial services in the business. And the rules say if you are working 45 hours or more in a month, then you are performing substantial ser vices in the business.

As an example, let’s go back to Bob again who wants his Social Security to start in September 2022 when he will be 63 years old. But instead of working for wages, let’s say Bob owns a little momand-pop motel. And he says when he turns 63, he is going to turn the business over to mom (his wife). But then he says that starting in September, he’s going to keep working “a couple hours a day just to help my wife out.” Well, that comes out to 60 hours per month -- and that’s more than the 45-hour limit, which means Bob will technically still be perform ing substantial services in his business. And ac cording to this dumb earnings penalty law, it means Bob won’t be due any Social Security benefits.

And that gets me back to the farmer I men tioned at the beginning of this column. When I first started working for the SSA in 1973 in a small farm ing community in central Illinois, these guys fig ured out how to circumvent this dumb law (which had slightly different rules back then). They told me they only worked over 45 hours per month on the farm in April (when they planted crops) and October (when they harvested crops), meaning they supposedly were not performing substantial services on their farm the other 10 months of the year. And that meant they could get Social Security checks for those months each year.

I knew they were lying. They knew they were lying. But because we obviously didn’t have the staff to spend time investigating all the farm ers in the two counties we serviced, there was re ally nothing I could do about it. I can’t repeat often enough: It’s a dumb law and a mess to administer!

1. The book of Titus is in the a) Old Tes tament b) New Testament c) Neither

2. From Ecclesiastes 4, how many are better than one, because they have a good reward for their labor? a) Two b) Three c) Five d) Not specified

3. In 1 Kings 5, how many thousand men comprised the labor force that King Solo mon raised? a) 5 b) 15 c) 25 d) 30

4. What does Jesus say in John 3:3 one must do to enter the Kingdom of Heaven? a) Believe in God b) Do good works c) Love thy neighbor d) Be born again

5. Paul states in 2 Corinthians 5:17, "If any man be in Christ he is a _______"? a) Disciple b) True follower c) New creation d) Joy to the Lord

6. Proverbs 14:23 states, "In all labor there is ___? a) Strife b) Reward c) Hope d) Profit

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.© 2022 King Features Synd., Inc.

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If you have a Social Security question, Tom Mar genau has a book with all the answers. It’s called “Social Security: Simple and Smart.” You can find the book at www.creators.com/books, or look for it on Amazon or other book outlets. To find out more about Tom Mar genau 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 2022 CREATORS.COM

Size of Aneurysm Determines Whether Surgery Is Necessary

DEAR DR. ROACH: My husband will be 83 in September and was recently diagnosed with an ascending thoracic aortic an eurysm measuring 4.8 cm. Five centimeters is when the doctors decide to do something.

After hearing about the survival rate based on your recent column, along with your comment that “most people do not sur vive a rupture of the aorta,” I’m scared. Why do they wait until 5.0 or rupture? His doctor says to test again in six months and to just keep his blood pressure down. Shouldn’t he be careful about strenuous activities until repair?

We can only wait at this point, it seems. -- C.G.

ter], we observed osteonecrosis of the jaw in about 10% of treated patients. We quickly realized we could reduce the risk by using them less frequently and by having our patients see dentists to ensure hygiene before we start.

With these considerations, the in cidence of osteonecrosis of the jaw with bisphosphonates (or denosumab) has dropped to less than 1%.

These medicines are very important for patients with cancers that have spread to bone, and we don’t want people afraid of these very effective agents that are safe when used correctly. -- D.H.

Ad Proof: John Cuddihy - Flags “A” Flying Biz Card, BW, 26x rate Corrections due by: 5 pm, Mon., 6/19/17ADVERTISING PROOF

ANSWER: I appreciate the information from Dr. Daniel F. Hayes and am happy to share with my readers.

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VETERANS POST 

by Freddie Groves

Finding Employment in the Civilian World

If you’re a veteran or are just about to leave the service, one thing that might be on your mind is future employment in the civilian world. What are you going to do for work? How do you fill out an application when you don’t know the civilian title equivalent for the jobs you seek or the skills you have? Do you wonder if your skills even have ap plication outside the military world?

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ANSWER: The aorta, the largest blood vessel in the body, comes directly off the heart, ascends to form an arch, and then descends through the chest into the abdomen. The aorta is then con sidered in three divisions: the ascending thoracic aorta; the descending thoracic aorta; and the abdominal aorta. Aneurysms can occur in each of these areas, and each has slightly different criteria for when to intervene.

In my most recent column, that was an abdominal aortic aneurysm. Most adults with an ascending TAA are recommended for surgi cal repair at a diameter of 5.5 cm. However, if the aneurysm is rapidly expanding, surgery may be considered earlier. If a person has a medical illness, making surgery very risky, surgeons may wait until the size exceeds 6 cm.

The decision on when to operate requires judgement from an experienced surgeon and cardiologist. This is a major surgery with poten tial for harm, including death, and it’s not to be undertaken unless the benefits clearly outweigh the risks. Rupture is unlikely at less than 6 cm. Keeping the blood pressure down (below 120 systolic) is a good idea. Beta blockers are most commonly used for that, based on studies in people with genetic risk for TAA, such as Marfan syndrome. Statin drugs are often used, as there is evidence to suggest that they slow down ex pansion of the aneurysm.

***

DEAR DR. ROACH: You recently wrote on the concerns of bisphosphonate drugs like alendronate (Fosamax) in people with osteoporosis. These drugs, especially intravenous zoledronic acid, have been gamechangers in patients with breast and other cancers that spread to bone. They have dra matically reduced the incidence of danger ously high calcium in people with cancer and have substantially reduced bone fractures due to cancer. There is a considerable body of literature supporting their use as therapy to reduce recurrence, and even mortality, in selected patients with early stages of breast cancer.

Contact your Tidbits

Oplign, owned and operated by veterans who’ve been there, might have the answers you need. Oplign has a high-powered search engine computer that translates and matches the civilian job with the military veteran. Whether you’re a vet eran seeking a job or a civilian employer with posi tions to offer, Oplign can help. For the veterans in formation, see vetlign.com, or check out the video at vimeo.com/522935777

RecruitMilitary( RecruitMilitary.com ) does things in a different way with an MOS, NEC or AFSC translator. Enter your classification or just your Zip code and see what jobs are available near you. A fast look at jobs in my area showed a wide range of opportunities, from pharmacist to aviation mechanic to paint store supervisor and more. One other helpful section is the list of veteran-centric job fairs, including those that are also for military spouses.

When we first started using them [at the University of Michigan Rogel Cancer Cen

American Veterans Post 66 c/o Tom Hernandez 760-324-5670 pg. BW (PSA) HOLD for available run dates

Free Transportation for Veterans to the Loma Linda VA Hospital

American Veterans (AMVETS) Post 66 provides free transportation by van Monday thru Friday to the VA Hospital in Loma Linda for Coachella Valley veterans. Pick up locations are in Palm Springs and Cathedral City. Medical appointments must be scheduled for mornings only as the return trip leaves Loma Linda at noon. Transportation reservations must be made in advance. Call for more information.

Volunteer drivers needed. Call Tom Hernandez: 760-324-5670

AMVETS POST 66 Palm Springs, California tomswannhernandez@earthlink.net (909) 735-5065 reservations

Check the Veteran Jobs board at military. com, also with a classification translator, job list ings and a place to upload your resume.

Consider looking for a position with your state government. Chances are that if you are searching for a position that requires licensing or certification, your state will have opportunities that can ease the process of getting those based on your military service and experience.

Check your state’s Department of Labor as well; they frequently have “hire a vet” goals to meet and will go out of their way to help you.

If you have a medical/health care military background, it might take no more than a single phone call to your local hospital to find employ ment.

Freddy Groves regrets that he cannot

And remember: If you aim for a govern ment job, you might have Veteran’s Preference Points. Those are valuable. Changes Property of AdVenture Media, Inc. 760.320.1630 valleybits@msn.com

M.D.

How the Inflation Reduction Act Will Lower Your Drug Costs

2023: Starting this January, all vac cines covered under Medicare Part D, in cluding the shingles vaccine, will be free to beneficiaries. And the skyrocketing cost of insulin will be capped at $35 per month. This will be a significant saving for the more than three million Medicare enrollees who cur rently use insulin to control their diabetes.

erage will no longer be responsible for any out-of-pocket drug costs once they enter catastrophic coverage. This is significant for seniors who use expensive medications for conditions like cancer or multiple sclerosis.

Also starting in 2024 through 2029, Part D premiums will not be allowed to grow faster than 6 percent per year.

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DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: What kind of changes can Medicare beneficiaries expect to see in the Inflation Reduction Act that was recently signed into law? I’m enrolled in original Medicare and have a Part D prescription drug plan but spent more than $6,000 out-of-pocket last year on medications alone. -- Overpaying Paul

Also starting next year, drug makers will be penalized in the form of “rebates” that they would be forced to pay to the govern ment if they impose price increases that exceed general inflation.

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2024: Cost sharing for catastrophic coverage in Part D will be eliminated. Under the current Part D benefit, once your out-ofpocket costs reach $7,050 in 2022, you enter “catastrophic” coverage but are still responsi ble for five percent of your prescription drug costs, with no limit.

Dear Paul: The climate, tax and health care bill known as the Inflation Re duction Act that was passed by Congress and signed into law by President Biden last month includes significant improvements to the Medicare program that will kick-in over the next few years.

These changes will lower prescription drug prices for millions of seniors by allow ing the government to negotiate drug prices for the first time and capping seniors’ out-ofpocket drug costs at $2,000 annually. Some other popular changes will include free vac cinations, lower insulin costs and expanded subsidies for lower income seniors.

Here is a breakdown of the changes to expect in Medicare and when they will roll out:

But in 2024, people with Part D cov

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And for lower income Medicare bene ficiaries, eligibility for the Part D Low Income Subsidy (also known as Extra Help) will be expanded to 150 percent of the federal pov erty level, from today’s limit of 135 percent. This change will mean about 500,000 more seniors will qualify for financial assistance to help pay some or all of their prescription drug premiums and deductibles.

2025: One of the biggest cost reduc tion measures for Medicare beneficiaries will begin in 2025 when out-of-pocket spending on Part D prescription drugs will be capped at $2,000 per year. This will be a major sav ings for the more than 1.5 million beneficia ries who currently spend more than $2,000 out-of-pocket each year.

And, in addition to all the Medicare improvements, the Inflation Reduction Act also extends the Affordable Care Act (Obam acare) premium subsidies for three years that have helped millions of Americans gain coverage before they’re eligible for Medi care. PROOF

2026: When Medicare’s Part D pro gram was enacted in 2003, negotiating lower drug prices was forbidden. But because of the Inflation Reduction Act, starting in 2026 Medicare will be empowered to begin ne gotiating prices with drug companies for ten of the most expensive drugs covered under Part D. In 2027 and 2028, 15 drugs would be eligible for negotiations and in 2029 and sub sequent years, 20 drugs would be chosen.

* * *

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

Vintage Lady Lamp Lights up Collectors

Q: Enclosed is a photo of a tall electric lamp that I got from a dear friend of mine. She bought it years ago from either a tag or estate sale. The lamp is the shape of a woman and 29 inches tall. The only markings are on the base, behind the lady’s foot. Imprinted in the plaster base are the words “Continental Art Co.”

I tried to find out about the company but only learned it was an American company from the 1950s. I had it rewired and pur chased a new shade that was almost like the origi nal. The per son in the shop who rewired my lamp thought it was from Europe, but I’m not so sure now.

Any information you can find out about my lady lamp would be greatly appre ciated. Thank you for your time and efforts. She’s not bad for an old lady!

A: Your figural lady lamp was made in the United States. Continental Art Co. was located in Chicago, Ill. They made chalkware and plaster fig ural lamps in the 1940s and 1950s. Their vintage lamps are collectible and many are selling on the Internet.

Your circa 1950 lamp would probably be worth $175 to $225.

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Q: I bought a complete set of ster ling silver flatware in 1946. I have enclosed a drawing of the mark that is seen on each

piece. The set is service for 8 and includes extra serving pieces. When it was bought, I was told that it could be redeemed for cash but don’t remember what large bank it was.

I would like to know the value of it to day and any information you can provide on its history.

Westmoreland Sterling Co. was located in Wallingford, Conn.

A: Westmoreland Sterling was sold doorto-door in the 1940s. They were located in Walling ford, Conn., and made five patterns that included John and Priscilla, Lady Hilton, Milburn Rose, En chanting Orchid, and George and Martha.

The value all depends on what you are plan ning to do. Are you going to sell to an interested buyer or to a dealer? Are you planning to keep the set and have it insured? You might expect to receive about 25 to 50 percent when selling to an individual buyer. Dealers would probably offer you 10 to 35 percent of the total value.

If you plan to have the set insured, the val ue would be what it would cost you to replace it. Insure your set for approximately $4,500 to $5,500.

* * *

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

To find out more about Anne McCollam and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoon ists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.

* On Sept. 12, 1846, Elizabeth Barrett elopes with Robert Browning. Despite her fa ther’s dislike of Browning, calling him an un reliable fortune hunter, Elizabeth and Robert conducted a secret courtship. After a secret wedding at St. Marylebone Parish Church, the two moved to Italy, where Elizabeth’s former weak health improved dramatically.

* On Sept. 14, 1901, U.S. President William McKinley dies after being shot in Buffalo, New York. When McKinley was operated on, doc tors had failed to find the bullet, and gangrene soon spread throughout his body.

* On Sept. 15, 1935, German Jews are stripped of their citizenship, reducing them to “subjects” of the state. German Jews were ex cluded from high-profile vocations, from public office to journalism and teaching, even farm ing. Jews found it difficult even to buy food.

* On Sept. 16, 1940, the first peacetime draft in the history of the United States is imposed on men between the ages of 21 and 36. There were 20 million eligible young men; 50% were rejected the very first year for health reasons or illiteracy.

* On Sept. 13, 1963, Texas-born entrepre neur Mary Kay Ash launches a cosmetic com pany in Dallas. Mary Kay Inc. would become a cosmetic empire with revenue of more than $3.5 billion and salespeople in dozens of countries. Mary Kay became renowned for an award system designed for women, including mink coats, diamond rings and pink Cadillacs.

* On Sept. 17, 1976, NASA publicly unveils its first space shuttle, the Enterprise, during a ceremony in California. In 1977, the Enter prise became the first space shuttle to fly free ly when it was lifted to a height of 25,000 feet by a Boeing 747 airplane and then released, gliding back to Edwards Air Force Base on its own accord.

* On Sept. 18, 1981, the 20,000-car parking lot at Canada’s West Edmonton Mall makes the Guinness World Records as the largest parking lot in the world. However, Dubai was said at the time to be building a 40,000-space parking lot at their mall, but it only has 14,500 slots today.

(c) 2022 Hearst Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved

"You said the brochure boasted about short, easy-to-play holes, but this is absolutely ridiculous!!"

Figural lamps were made by the Continental Art Co. in Chicago.

ation of rope, fishing nets, floor mats, brushes, mattresses, and upholstery. The word comes from the Malayali, India language, translated from their word for “rope.”

• The iris genus of flowering plants contains nearly 300 species of these beautiful blossoms. The flower takes its name from the Greek goddess, Iris, who was the mythological goddess of the rainbow. Iris was also the messenger who served nectar to the gods and goddesses. In human anatomy, the iris is the pigmented part of the eye between the cornea and the lens. It’s responsible for regulating the amount of light entering the eye, and controls the size of the pupil.

• A person might doff his hat when he or she encounters a friend. It means to tip or remove it as a sign of greeting or acknowledgment.

• The ankh is an ancient Egyptian hieroglyphic symbol used in art and writing. It’s viewed as the “key of life,” in the shape of a cross except that the vertical upper bar is replaced by a teardropshaped loop. It’s been the Egyptian symbol of life since the 29th century BC.

• Gyve is an old-English term to denote a shackle or fetter, particularly around the leg.

• Kame is a topographical word, denoting a glacial landform. It’s formed by sand and gravel that accumulate in a depression on a retreating glacier, creating an oddly-shaped mound.

Game Changers

by Jason Jenkins

Final Changes DUE: 5:00 p.m..

One of the easiest places to develop aware ness of clubface control is in the takeaway. You may have seen dozens of players stopping their takeaway waist high, looking for some secretive orientation known only to the golfing gurus of the lands.

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.

Since most golfers are looking for an easy answer at this step or stage of the swing, let’s just say when the clubshaft is parallel to the ground in the takeaway the clubface is tilted in an angle similar to the spine. The leading edge should not be vertical nor horizontal at this point, but slightly down tilted like our posture’s angle.

When I work with a lot of beginning to in termediate 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.

Tuck

Game Changers

Jason Jenkins was a 16-year member of the Jim McLean Golf School teaching staff and was one of GOLF Magazine’s Top 100 Teacher Nominees 1999-2010. He was named one of the Golf Digest Top Teachers in California in 2011.

Contact your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or corrections.

The left wrist could flatten slightly from its ad dress position to achieve this orientation, or the arms can have minimal rotation in this phase as well. Either way, you can stop and check this position over and over again until it feels more 760-320-0997 Fax: 760-320-1630

Contact Jason at 760-485-2452 or devgolfinstr@gmail.com

by