Vol. 19: #21 • Pool • (5-21-2023) Tidbits of Coachella Valley

TIDBITS RACKS UP THE FACTS ON

by Kathy Wolfe

It’s a game that requires mental acquity, keen focus and patience, and it’s a fun and challenging game to play whether you're a beginner or a practiced player. Some 36 million folks of all ages and abilities enjoy playing pool in the USA alone, in private homes and public parlors nationwide. This week, Tidbits invites you to follow along as we learn more about this challenging table sport!

• The game of pool evolved from an early European lawn game, similar to croquet. The earliest documented billiard table was made in 1470. When King Louis XI of France died in 1483, an inventory of his property contained “a bed of stone, a cloth covering, and a hole in the middle of the playing field, into which balls could be driven.” The green cloth was chosen to match the color of the lawn.

• The word “cue” translates from the French word “queue,” meaning “tail.” Centuries ago, a curved wooden head attached to a narrow, tapered handle, a smooth shaft known as a mace, was used to tap the ball forward. The bulky head made it difficult

(Answers on page 16)

PEOPLE WORTH REMEMBERING

Popsicles, but snow cones as well.

• After a run of great success at Neptune Beach, at age 30, Frank filed for a patent for his invention, describing it on the application as a “frozen confection of attractive appearance, which can be conveniently consumed without contamination by contact with the hand and without the need for a plate, spoon, fork, or other implement.”

1. ANATOMY: What is a common name for lateral epicondylitis?

2. GEOGRAPHY: What was the country of Portugal known as in Roman times?

3. MOVIES: What are the final words spoken in the movie “The Shawshank Redemption”?

4. LITERATURE: Which novel series includes a fictional place called Godric’s Hollow, England?

5. SCIENCE: What is cytology?

6. TELEVISION: What is the name of the ranch in the 1960s western show “Bonanza”?

7. U.S. STATES: Which state has the longest cave system?

8. FOOD & DRINK: In which country were bagels invented?

9. HISTORY: What kind of beetle was revered by the ancient Egyptians?

10. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is the largest lizard on Earth?

Answers

1. Tennis elbow.

2. Lusitania.

You’ve never heard of Frank Epperson? Maybe not, but it's a pretty safe bet you’ve not only heard of his famous invention, but have bought a few yourself. Follow along and see.

• In 1905, Frank Epperson old. On an ordinary afternoon, he was mixing sugary powdered soda pop and water in a glass with a small wooden stir stick on the porch of his home in the San Francisco often happens with young boys, he became distracted, wandered off and forgot outside on the porch railing. It was a cold night in the Bay Area and the Frank discovered his drink had frozen with the stir stick standing straight up.

• Frank pulled on the stick, and out of the glass came a frozen version of his sweet treat -- with a handle on it. Excited about his discovery, the boy's entrepreneurial spirit told him he was on to something. He dubbed the creation the “Eppsicle,” a shortened version of “Epperson icicle.” Once summer began peddling his serendipitous invention at his school and around the neighborhood for a nickel each.

• It wasn’t until 1922 realtor in his twenties, was ready to expand his horizons and introduced his fireman’s ball, where it was hailed as a “sensation.” The following year, he broadened selling his frozen treats to the public at Alameda, California’s amusement Beach.

• The Park had been “Coney Island of the West,” and featured roller coasters, a hand-carved carousel, a Ferris Wheel, steeplechase and horse races, vacation cottage rentals, and a picnic area with barbecue pits. A bathing pavilion Olympicsized swimming pool with dressing rooms that accommodated 8,000 people. Neptune Beach was the site of the debut of not only Frank’s

• He renamed it the Popsicle, supposedly at the urging of his children, who called it “Pop’s ‘sicle.” Frank settled on inexpensive birch or poplar wood for the stick, and made them flat for easy holding. To keep them a uniform size, Frank used large test tubes for the production of his frozen treats. Their polished interiors also made for easy removal.

• Popsicles were marketed as “a refreshing frozen drink on a stick.” They were originally offered in cherry, root beer, lemon, banana, orange, grape, and watermelon.

• But sadly, because of several bad investments and poor business decisions, Frank Epperson soon found himself broke He was forced to sell the rights to his Popsicles to the Joe Lowe Company of New York City. Epperson later spoke of his deep regret in selling: “I was flat [broke] and had to liquidate all my assets. I haven’t been the same since.”

• The Lowe Company launched the product nationwide, including Coney Island. During the Great Depression, Lowe introduced the two-stick Popsicle for 5 cents, a cheap treat for folks during a difficult era.

• Popsicles gained international versions, but because it was a registered brand name, other countries named them differently. In Great Britain, customers ask for “ice lollies,” while those in Australia and New Zealand enjoy “icy poles.” There are upwards of 25 variations of Popsicles today.

• Talk about brain freeze! A 2017 contest in New Jersey awarded a prize to Kevin Strahle for the most Popsicles eaten in one minute, six of the icy pops in 60 seconds. □

3. “I hope.”

Week of May 21, 2023

Pool: (from page one)

to make shots close to the rail, so players turned the handle around and started using the smaller tail end, which evolved into the cue stick.

• Early billiard games had flat vertical walls for bumper rails, which functioned to keep balls from rolling off the table. Likely because they resembled river banks, players began referring to the walls as banks, and honed the skill of bouncing balls off the walls, which naturally came to be called “bank shots.”

• The cloth on the table hasn’t changed in centuries. In the 1500s, builders started using wool, and it’s still what’s used today for the most part. Some manufacturers use a wool/ nylon blend. In any case, green has remained as the most preferred color.

• Tables were installed in parlors where bets, or “pools,” on racehorses were made. The idea was to give the gamblers something to do between races. Gradually the betting parlors took on the name of ‘Pool Rooms,’ which was a rather unsavory designation in those times. The terms ‘pool’ and ‘billiards’ were often used interchangeably.

• The early billiard balls were made of ivory. In 1863, Michael Phelan established a contest with a $10,000 prize for the best substitute for ivory billiard balls. Phelan was not only a manufacturer of billiard supplies and an owner of numerous billiard parlors, he was the first billiards star in the U.S.

• Along with the concern for a shortage of ivory, Phelan sought to reduce the cost of the expensive ivory balls. In 1850, Phelan published the first book in the U.S. outlining the science, etiquette, and rules of billiards, which he titled, “Billiards Without A Master.”

THE EVOLUTION OF POOL

• Inventor John Wesley Hyatt had more than 235

patents to his credit, but the most well-known of his ideas was that of a celluloid composite billiard ball. Along with this, Hyatt used his celluloid compound to produce false teeth and piano keys. Thirty years after his success in billiards, Hyatt founded a roller bearing company, serving General Motors and the Ford Motor Company.

• Another inventor, John Thurston, revolutionized billiards with the invention of slate beds and rubber cushions for billiard tables. In 1799, he established a billiard tables and cabinet making company, and was the first to mass-produce billiard tables.

• In 1826, Thurston was dissatisfied with the tendency of wood to warp, and learning that slate was cheap, easily available, with a much smoother playing surface than wood, he developed a slate table. Following Charles Goodyear’s invention of vulcanized rubber in 1844, Thurston patented rubber cushions for his pool tables. Thurston’s company, which supplied the table that Napoleon used during his exile on St. Helena, is still in business today.

While most who play pool are simply called "pool players" or "billiard players," a really experienced, practiced and proficient player is often referred to as a "pool shark."

• The first big name in the American billiards business was John M. Brunswick, who emigrated to the U.S. from Switzerland in 1834. After serving an apprenticeship with a Philadelphia carriage-maker, he began working for a German woodworker. In 1845, Brunswick opened his own carriage company in Cincinnati, expanding into fashioning chairs, tables, and cabinets.

• When an acquaintance showed him an expensive, heavy and beautifully-carved English billiards table, Brunswick saw the potential of crafting American-made tables of the same or even superior quality. With the popularity of billiards increasing, Brunswick was soon one of the top three companies in the market. He merged with his competitors, and by the 1880s they were the largest billiards manufacturer in the world. At the same time, the company branched out in bowling, producing sturdy wooden lanes, bowling balls, and pins.

POOL BY THE NUMBERS

• Pool’s six-pocket tables range in size from 3.5

x 7 feet to 4.5 x 9 feet. A “regulation” pool table is simply a playing surface with a length twice as long as its width. The most common for home use measures 4 x 8 ft. with a playing surface of 44” x 88”. A tournament table is larger, measuring 4.5 x 9 feet, with a 50” x 100” playing surface.

• Official pool balls weigh from 5.5 to 6 oz. and have a diameter of 2.25 inches.

Pool: Turn to page 15

QUIZ BITS

1. In the game of pool, what term applies to pocketing the cue ball?

2. What is the first shot at the beginning of a pool game called?

(Answers page 16)

by

1.What’s

NUGGETS OF KNOWLEDGE

How about these "firsts"? The word "pool" was first used to describe billiards in 1797 in a Virginia newspaper. In 1873, billiards became the first sport to have a world championship. Coinoperated pool tables were first patented in 1903. The cost on these pay-for-play tables was one penny.

2.What

1.VERNALEQUINOX

2.CROCUS

by Mary Hunt

By Lucie Winborne

* According to Cunningham’s Law, the best way to get the right answer on the internet is not to ask a question, but to pose the wrong answer.

* Jazz trumpeter Louis Armstrong once asked President Richard Nixon to carry his bags through customs for him because Armstrong was “an old man.” We feel pretty sure Nixon wasn’t aware the bags contained marijuana.

* In 2015, the 1,000-year-old corpse of a Buddhist monk was discovered inside an ancient statue of Buddha.

* Never mind Freddy Krueger’s mutilated face and clawed glove -- Wes Craven designed his red-and-green-striped sweater after he read in Scientific American that the human eye has difficulty recognizing those particular shades. Therefore, just looking at his pullover is subliminally unsettling!

* The first item sold on eBay, for $14.83, was a broken laser pointer, to someone who kept a collection of broken laser pointers.

* Dockers recently increased the size of their coin pockets to accommodate the growing size of smartphones.

* In 1999, 15-year-old Jonathan Lebed was making up to $74,000 a day in the stock market by using internet message boards to manipulate prices. The government eventually caught up with him, but he was still able to keep half a million dollars of his gains.

* Vending machines kill more people per year than sharks. ***

Thought for the Day: “Love doesn’t make the world go round. Love is what makes the ride worthwhile.” -- Franklin P. Jones

This Simple, 5-Minute iPhone Self-Checkup Just Saved Me a Lot of Money

Everyday CHEAPSKATE®

HOW TO CANCEL A SUBSCRIPTION ON YOUR IPHONE

Step 1. Open Settings

Step 2. Tap on Apple ID at the Top Step 3. Tap Subscriptions

Step 4. Tap one of the Subscriptions to open another screen

Step 5. Tap Cancel Subscription

by Mary Hunt

Calling all iPhone users. After so many upgrades over years of using an iPhone, I thought I knew it all. Only recently, I discovered a feature that’s been there all along but I’d never noticed, much less thought about. It took about five minutes for me to change that and -- ta-da! -- save a lot of money. I bet we can put some moolah back into your pocket, too.

SUBSCRIPTIONS

These days, nearly everything out there that’s any good requires some kind of subscription, from television to newspapers, music to games and on it goes. Can you account for the subscriptions you’re paying for and use regularly? See what I mean? It’s easy to lose track. Huh? What?!

I’m going to wager that you, like me, are paying for subscriptions you’ve totally forgotten but are auto-renewing every month or annually. In fact, you may not have even realized you agreed to that auto-renew.

Sure, it shows up on your bank or credit card statement. But staying on top of them means you must routinely go through every item every accounting period to verify what it is and why you’re still paying for it.

SO EASY A 5-YEAR-OLD ...

Sure, a simple 99-cent charge doesn’t seem like much, so why bother digging through files you can’t find to try to figure out a mystery you can’t solve?

It could be (and I only know this from experience) that your young grandson somehow, even though he can’t tie his shoes, knows how to use an iPhone and where to find a fun game to play while sitting quietly in his car seat. He clicks on an “in-app purchase” and then magically reads “Subscribe,” “Upload” and “Play” because he also knows how to access Grandma’s Apple ID. Yep.

ZAP UNWANTED SUBSCRIPTIONS

But let’s not go blaming others for every infraction. You may have legitimately signed up for iTunes, Apple Music or any number of paid subscriptions that you don’t recall and wouldn’t know where to find if you could.

It may have been the seven-day trial offer that got you because you totally forgot to cancel 24 hours before the end of the trial period.

In these days of top-notch streaming services and endless in-app purchases, don’t feel like the Lone Ranger when you end up with a bunch of mysterious monthly or annual billing charges. Keeping track of all of them can be overwhelming.

Well, hang onto your data plan because that’s exactly what we’re about the figure out. It’s time to zap unwanted subscriptions.

You might need to scroll down to find the Cancel Subscription button. If there is no Cancel button or you see an expiration message in red text, the subscription is already canceled. In the case of a subscription you have already paid for, canceling the subscription will actually cancel the automatic renewal. In my case, I had intentionally paid for a one-year subscription for Musescore, a sheet music app. I was not aware I had also agreed to auto-renew at the end of the subscription period!

I immediately canceled that subscription’s auto-renew. My (non-refundable) initial one-year subscription is still in effect, and trust me, I use it endlessly!

I was able to cancel several more subscriptions that were auto-renewing every month! Yes, I felt sheepish and ashamed to have let this happen -- but the exhilaration of learning how to stay on top of this well offset any regret.

Need a bit more help? I have outlined these basic steps including photos at EverydayCheapskate.com/iphonesubs, to show you exactly what you are looking for on your iPhone in order to manage your subscriptions.

If by following the steps above you are still having difficulty canceling a subscription, don’t throw in the towel. Instead, contact Apple support.

* * *

Mary invites you to visit her at EverydayCheapskate.com, where this column is archived complete with links and resources for all recommended products and services. Mary invites questions and comments at https:// www.everydaycheapskate.com/contact/, “Ask Mary.” This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of EverydayCheapskate.com, a frugal living blog, and the author of the book “Debt-Proof Living.”

COPYRIGHT

This week, Tidbits invites you to visit America’s most prestigious cultural center.

• The idea of a center for the performing arts was conceived by the Scottish-American industrialist Andrew Carnegie and Leopold Damrosch, the conductor of the Oratorio Society of New York, an organization that performed choral music, a group in which Carnegie’s wife, Louise, performed.

• Carnegie agreed to put up $2 million to fund the project, and obtained land on the corner of Manhattan’s 57th Street and Seventh Avenue, two blocks south of Central Park. Construction began in 1890.

• The venue opened in May 1891, known simply as “Music Hall.” (It wasn’t renamed Carnegie Hall until 1893 when the board members of the Hall’s governing body convinced Carnegie to allow his name to be used.)

• The Hall’s grand opening was a five-day festival, with a ticket price of $1 to $2. Composer Peter Tchaikovsky was brought from Russia to conduct a concert of his works with the New York Symphony Orchestra. Over the course of the five days, Tchaikovsky earned $5,000 (about $167,000 in today’s dollars), about a full year’s salary for a conductor at the time.

• In 1892, the Hall became the permanent home to the New York Philharmonic. Noted conductor Leonard Bernstein made his debut there in 1943, and appeared more than 400 times there over the course of his career.

• Jazz came to Carnegie Hall in 1912, opening to the door to the future likes of Benny Goodman,

Louis Armstrong, Count Basie, Duke Ellington, Billie Holliday, Dizzy Gillespie, Ella Fitzgerald, and Miles Davis.

• Following Andrew Carnegie’s death in 1919, his widow held on to the Hall for six years, selling to a developer, who in turn, held on to the building until 1955.

• In 1960, plans were announced for the construction of Lincoln Center. The New York Philharmonic, which had performed at Carnegie Hall since 1892, declared its intention to move to the new venue. Without a reliable source of income for the Hall, plans were put into place to demolish the treasured site. A real estate developer had plans to build a 44-storytall skyscraper.

• Immediately, a group of musicians and cultural figures, led by noted violinist Isaac Stern, rose up and campaigned to save the building. Fortunately, the developer was unable to raise the $22 million necessary for the construction, and was forced to withdraw. In the end, the city of New York purchased the Hall for $5 million.

• Carnegie Hall has 3,671 seats, separated into three different auditoriums. Stern Auditorium is the largest with 2,804 seats, followed by the 599-seat Zankel Hall, and Weill Recital Hall at 268. Zankel was originally called Recital Hall and was the first auditorium to open to the public in April 1891.

• The Hall’s first rock and roll concert was performed in 1955 by Bill Haley & His Comets.

The Beatles gave two 34-minute performances in February 1964, followed quickly by The Rolling Stones. Led Zeppelin appeared for two concerts in 1969, and the Doors in 1971.

• The Hall isn’t just about music. It has hosted several memorable speakers including Winston Churchill (1901), Teddy Roosevelt (1912), South Pole explorer Roald Amundsen (1913), Helen Keller (1915), President Woodrow Wilson (1919), author Ernest Hemingway (1937), and Dr. Martin Luther King, Jr. (1968).

• In 1986, the Hall closed its doors for seven months to undergo a $50 million restoration and renovation.

• Although Carnegie Hall hasn’t had a permanent resident since the orchestra departed in 1962, it hosts about 250 performances every year. □

Chapel Christian School features one of the valley’s most challenging educational systems, offering Accelerated Reader, ACSI math, art, and music programs at the Elementary level.

“Academic Champions”

by Dana Jackson

Q: Is it true that Christina Applegate has quit acting due to her health? Does she have any upcoming shows she’s already filmed, or was “Dead to Me” her last? -- A.I.

A: Christina Applegate was diagnosed with multiple sclerosis, an autoimmune neuromuscular disorder, while co-starring in the Netflix series “Dead to Me.” It was an enormous physical challenge for her to film the final season. She credited the kind cast, crew and bosses on the set for helping her get through her scenes, allowing her to take naps when needed.

In November of last year, she was honored with a star on the Hollywood Walk of Fame and hinted that she might quit acting. Recently, this month, she made it official, saying that she wouldn’t do anymore on-camera acting. Fortunately, she plans to support herself doing voice work, including reprising her role as Kelly Bundy in an upcoming animated series version of “Married with Children.” ***

Q: Is Arnold Schwarzenegger’s new show the first time he’s acted in anything since he was the governor of California? Also, did he and Maria ever divorce? -- Q.S.

A: World-famous bodybuilder-turned-movie-star-turned-political-figure ended his two terms as California’s governor in 2011. That same year, his wife, Maria Shriver, filed for divorce after it was made public that Schwarzenegger fathered a child with the family’s longtime housekeeper. Their di-

vorce was finalized in 2021. After Schwarzenegger exited the governor’s post, he quietly returned to show business in the action film “The Expendables” and its sequel opposite Sylvester Stallone. In 2015, he starred in “Terminator Genisys,” and in 2019, he starred in “Terminator: Dark Fate,” which also featured Linda Hamilton’s return as Sarah Connor. In the past two years, he’s exclusively done voice work for animated shows and video games, but this May marked his return to comedy.

In the new Netflix series “FUBAR,” he plays a newly returned CIA agent whose lured in for one last job, when he learns someone close to him is also a secret agent. There’s plenty of action, but it’s also a great vehicle to showcase Schwarzenegger’s wit, which was a big hit in movies like “Twins” and “Kindergarten Cop” in the late ‘80s and early ‘90s. ***

Q: Why did CBS cancel “S.W.A.T.?” I thought it was one of those foolproof hit shows that would be around for a long time. -- B.M.

A: ”S.W.A.T.” actually lasted six seasons on CBS, so it was definitely a bonafide hit, but never reached high numbers like “NCIS,” “Law & Order” and other network dramas that have spawned spin-off after spin-off.

Star Shemar Moore was outraged by the cancellation of his show, stating in a video he posted on social media that they’ve been “killing it” in its 8 p.m. Friday night slot for the past two years. He also expressed his disappointment, as they were led to believe there would be “some semblance of a season seven to at least say goodbye, if not continue,” but instead, it was announced that this season would be its last.

Moore remains hopeful that the network will have a change of heart, so if you’re a fan, keep your fingers crossed.

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.

1. Split ................................ (PG-13) James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy

1. Guardians of the Galaxy Volume 3 (PG-13) Chris Pratt, Chukwudi Iwuji

2. Rings ............................... (PG-13) Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz, Alex Roe

2. The Super Mario Bros. Movie (PG) Chris Pratt, Anya Taylor-Joy

3. A Dog’s Purpose (PG) Josh Gad, Dennis Quaid

3. Evil Dead Rise (R) Mirabai Pease, Richard Crouchley

4. Are You There God? It’s Me, Margaret. (PG-13) Abby Ryder Fortson, Rachel McAdams

4. Hidden Figures (PG) Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer

5. La La Land (PG-13) Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone

5. Love Again (PG-13) Priyanka Chopra Jonas, Sam Heughan

6. Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (R) Milla Jovovich, Iain Glen

6. John Wick: Chapter 4 (R)

7. Sing (PG) animated

7.

8. Lion (PG-13) Dev Patel, Nicole Kidman

9. The Space Between Us (PG-13)

8.

Gary Oldman, Asa Butterfield

9.

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

10.

Vin Diesel, Donnie Yen

© 2017 King Features Synd., Inc.

Keanu Reeves, Laurence Fishburne

Dungeons & Dragons: Honor Among Thieves (PG-13) Chris Pine, Michelle Rodriguez

Air (R) Matt Damon, Jason Bateman

The Covenant (R) Jake Gyllenhaal, Dar Salim

Sisu (R) Jorma Tommila, Aksel Hennie

Inc.

Good Recipes from Buffalo-Style Chicken Wings

Here’s a broiled version of one of America’s favorite appetizers. Serve these with plenty of napkins!

4 ounces blue cheese, crumbled (1 cup)

1/2 cup sour cream

1/4 cup mayonnaise

1/4 cup milk

1/4 cup chopped fresh parsley

1 tablespoon fresh lemon juice

1/2 teaspoon salt

3 pounds chicken wings (18 wings), tips discarded, if preferred

3 tablespoons butter or margarine

1/4 cup hot pepper sauce

1 medium bunch celery, cut into sticks

1. Heat broiler. In medium bowl, combine blue cheese, sour cream, mayonnaise, milk, parsley, lemon juice and 1/4 teaspoon salt. Cover and refrigerate.

2. Arrange chicken wings on rack in broil ing pan; sprinkle with remaining 1/4 teaspoon salt. Broil 5 inches from heat source 10 minutes. Turn wings and broil until golden, 10 to 15 min utes longer.

3. Meanwhile, in small saucepan, melt butter with hot pepper sauce over low heat, stir ring occasionally; keep hot.

4. In large bowl, toss wings with seasoned butter to coat all sides. Arrange chicken wings and celery on platter along with blue-cheese sauce and serve. Makes 18 appetizers.

* Each appetizer (without wingtip): About 169 calories, 13g total fat (5g saturated), 10g protein, 3g carbohydrate, 39mg cholesterol, 349mg sodium.

Eggs Benedict

Hollandaise sauce:

3 large egg yolks

1/4 cup water

2 tablespoons fresh lemon juice

1/2 cup cold butter, cut into 16 pieces

1/4 teaspoon salt

8 large eggs

4 English muffins, split

8 slices Canadian bacon

1. Prepare Hollandaise sauce: In heavy 1-quart saucepan, whisk yolks, water and lemon juice. Cook over medium-low heat 5 to 6 minutes or until mixture starts to thicken, stirring constantly.

2. Reduce heat to low. Whisk in butter, 1 piece at a time, until sauce has thickened. Remove from heat; stir in salt. Keep warm.

3. Heat broiler, with rack about 4 inches

from source of heat.

4. Prepare poached eggs: In 12-inch skillet, heat 1-inch water to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low. Break 1 egg into cup. Holding cup close to surface of water, slip egg into simmering water; repeat with remaining eggs.

5. Cover skillet and cook eggs 4 to 5 minutes or until whites are set and yolks begin to thicken. With slotted spoon, transfer eggs, 1 at a time, to paper towels to drain.

6. Meanwhile, arrange muffins, split sides down, on cookie sheets; broil until roasted. Turn muffins over; place bacon on same sheet. Broil 2 minutes or until muffins are toasted and bacon is hot.

7. Place 2 muffin halves on each of 4 plates; top each with 1 slice bacon and 1 egg. Top with sauce. Makes 4 main-dish servings

* * *

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

(c) 2019 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved

NEXT WEEK in TIDBITS DIGS UP THE FACTS ON CARROTS

Cody’s Corner

Dog Talk with Uncle Matty

By Matthew Margolis Creators News Service

Babies and Dogs: Unedited

In comic strips, country songs and old Disney films, dogs and babies go together like peaches and cream. In real time, where potential danger and acts of instinct and nature can’t be edited out, dogs and babies require constant supervision and should never be left alone in a room together.

In Jacksonville, N.C., a 12-week-old pit bull chewed the toes off the left foot of a 4-month-old infant as the child’s mother slept in the same room. Robie Lynn Jenkins had taken medication that induced a sleep deep enough to drown out her infant’s cries through the night. Jenkins’ boyfriend, Tremayne Spillman, was also asleep in the room. The couple claims they were watching the puppy as a favor to a friend who is in jail on gun charges. They now face charges of their own: felony child abuse.

Before everyone screams “pit bull,” a reminder:

Only a month earlier, in Lexington, Ky., the owners of a Native American Indian Dog spotted the family pup trotting toward the woods behind their back yard with their newborn infant in his jaws. Four-day-old Alexander James Smith suffered two collapsed lungs, a skull fracture and numerous cuts and bruises.

A year before that, in Tulsa, Okla., a 6-weekold black Labrador fatally mauled two-month-old Zane Alen Earles as he sat unattended in an infant swing in the family’s living room. Several relatives were home at the time.

Eight-month-old Andrew Stein was inexplicably and fatally mauled by a 7-year-old chocolate Doberman pinscher, the Stein family pet from puppyhood, with zero history of aggression.

A four-pound Pomeranian killed a six-weekold baby girl in Los Angeles as she lay in her crib.

Afterward, LA Sheriff’s Deputy Cruz Solis commented, “Obviously it doesn’t take much to kill a six-week-old baby, but it’s not something that happens with that breed.”

Obviously, it is.

The point is, no dog, no matter how small,

Cody's Corner: Turn to Page 10

3. The Weekly “Brain Breaker”

SENIOR NEWS LINE

by Matilda Charles

Recent Food Safety Recalls

The website for the Food Safety and Inspection Service (FSIS) arm of the U.S. Department of Agriculture is a good place to watch for recalls and alerts. Right now they have notices about potato soup, clam chowder, frozen turkey sausage patties and beef strips. All are for a variety of reasons such as undeclared allergens, temperature mismanagement, packaging in unsanitary conditions, and others.

But the concerns aren’t just with food we select at the store; sometimes it’s food that’s delivered to us. New on the FSIS recall page is an alert for ready-to-cook meatloaf because it has an undeclared allergen in it, specifically milk.

The fine print says they didn’t ask for a recall because the products aren’t available for purchase. Hmmm ... what about people who might have those items in their freezer? This particular meatloaf was sent to groups that deliver at-home meals to seniors and the food therefore does not have an ingredient label on it.

For more information on these recalls or to sign up for email notices, go to www.fsis.usda. gov/recalls. And if you ever have questions about food safety, you can call the USDA Meat and Poultry Hotline at 888-MPHotline (888-674-6854).

Food Manufacturing is another good site to watch for up-to-the-minute recall and alert information (www.foodmanufacturing.com/recallsalerts). While they’re not part of the government, they do cover all types of food information. Scroll to the bottom to sign up for email alerts from them.

The Food and Drug Administration (fda. gov) is another site worth checking into once in a while. Scroll down their page for recalls and alerts on a variety of items, such as food, medical devices, vaccines, drugs and cosmetics. Today their list includes alerts about the presence of salmonella in certain flour brands now on grocery shelves, problems with sesame in premade sandwiches, contaminants discovered in eggs used in yogurt, and listeria found in salad kits.

Cody’s Corner (from page 9) no matter how gentle, no matter how stable his temperament, no matter his perceived love of children, his intelligence, his experience, his playfulness or his affection for you, should ever be left alone in a room with a small child -- for even a second.

It’s not about the breed of dog. It’s about the fragility of an infant. Babies are vulnerable. They lack the strength and coordination to defend themselves. And neither baby nor dog possesses the ability to communicate with the other. A little ambiguous roughhousing is all it takes for a small child to be seriously wounded -- even by a small dog.

by Joseph Publillones

Moving Again?

I can’t believe I’m moving again. It’s been five years in my current condo, but an empty nest is not for me. So I’m downsizing to open the doors for more travel and new opportunities.

Most people hate the thought of moving; items accumulated over years make moving seem like an impossible and treacherous task. On the positive side, it’s a time to take control and take stock of what you have and what you need.

When moving, the old adage “out with the old, and in with the new” is appropriate, as everyone is looking for a fresh and clean start. Your surroundings, believe it or not, can have a profound impact on your outlook and performance. Much like a spring cleaning or a fall dusting, organizing your surroundings can aid in giving your life a sense of calm and giving you perspective.

To start this healing process, all you need to do is choose one room. Do not attempt to organize the whole house at one time. Focusing your attention on one room or area at a time can make your goal seem attainable.

Hold off on hanging anything on your walls, and first select your new wall color. A new color is the best and easiest way to visually refresh and cleanse your environment. Select a color for your walls that is quite the opposite of what you currently have there, and make sure that it is a soothing shade that makes you feel relaxed.

When it is time to rehang your artwork, perhaps engage the help of a family member or friend that can act as a design partner, and dis-

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Makes you hesitant to eat anything we buy in a store, doesn’t it? Signing up for email alerts might be a very good idea.

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

cuss your plans about where you are going to hangs things with them. Their perspective, which will often be different than yours, can guide you in a new direction. This is almost a fail-proof way to achieve a new feel for your room.

Assess your current furniture layout, and rearrange your furniture.

Seek out what is essential about your room, and ask yourself the following question: If I lost that piece of furniture, would the room function? Would the room be less comfortable? Being sincere with yourself and your needs is critical in producing a successful simplified design. Throughout this process, keep reminding yourself, almost mantra-style, that the goal is to simplify and organize for a more streamlined future.

Bins and boxes are invaluable for storage and organization. Invest in a goof-proof labeling system. Keeping things organized and labeled will help you sort through all your possessions and help in determining which are keepers.

Honestly, do you need to keep the entire collection of teen magazines or the stuffed animal your first sweetheart gave you? Probably not, and this is a perfect opportunity to toss it out, put it up for sale through an online portal or, better yet, give it to a charity.

Planning ahead to make room for future projects or items that need storage is extremely rewarding and helps clear the mind.

Finally, make it beautiful. Your surroundings most definitely affect your state of mind. If you want to make a change for a simpler start in your new home, make sure to adhere to a plan. Move on to a better you.

Joseph

* * *

Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

What do these incidents have in common? A parent or close relative was in the home but not in the room during every one of these encounters. And most of these tragedies involved family pets that had no history of aggression.

When it comes to babies and dogs, it’s important to know that there are no predictors to what might happen. The only way to ensure the safety of your child is to keep baby and dog securely separated in the absence of close parental supervision. It’s best for the baby. And it’s best for the dog.

* * *

Dog trainer Matthew “Uncle Matty” Margolis is the co-author of 18 books about dogs, a behaviorist, a popular radio and television guest, and the host of the PBS series “WOOF! It’s a Dog’s Life!” Read all of Uncle Matty’s columns at www.creators.com, and visit him at www.unclematty.com.

COPYRIGHT 2012 CREATORS.COM

The Art of DESIGN

Pubillones is the owner of Joseph Pubillones Interiors, an award-winning interior design firm based in Palm Beach, Florida. To find out more about Joseph Pubillones, or to read features by other Creators

SOCIAL SECURITY

by Tom Margenau

Your Social Security Payments Outside the US

As I write this, my wife and I are about to leave on a one-month trip to England. This has been one of our “bucket list” plans for a long time now. We’ve been back and forth to Europe about a half dozen-times over the years. But most of those trips were of the “if it’s Tuesday, it must be Belgium and if it’s Wednesday, it must be Paris” variety. This time, we just wanted to go to one country and relax for a month, and we picked England because we are Anglophiles from way back.

But if my emails are any indication, some of you want to go a big step further: You actually plan to move to another country. Many of you are just going back to your ancestral homeland, while maybe others see some of the same websites I do that entice you with headlines similar to this one I recently read: “Live like royalty on your Social Security check in Costa Rica!”

Anyone planning to do that needs to read a booklet that the Social Security Administration produces called “Social Security -- Your payments while you are outside the United States.” You can find it online at SSA’s website, www.ssa.gov. Just click the “Publications” link near the bottom of the homepage. Once there, pull down the “Topics” menu and you’ll find the booklet under the “General Information” section.

By reading that publication, you will learn that if you are a U.S. citizen, the rules are pretty simple. You can get your Social Security benefits almost anywhere in the world. The Treasury Department doesn’t allow any federal government checks to be sent to North Korea or Cuba, and there are Social Security restrictions that prevent benefits from being sent to Vietnam and most of the republics that formerly made up the Soviet Union (places like Belarus, Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan, etc.). There are some exceptions to those Social Security restrictions, if any of those remote places are beckoning you in retirement.

If you are not a U.S. citizen, but you have lived in this country legally and worked and earned Social Security benefits, then the rules get a little more complicated. I will briefly explain some of them.

If you are a citizen of one of the 25 countries that have Social Security treaty agreements with the U.S. (they are listed in the aforementioned booklet), then you also can get your benefits anywhere in the world -- with the same restrictions that apply to U.S. citizens outlined above. You’ll find the list of countries on page five of the booklet. The list includes most European countries as well as places like Israel, Australia, Japan and South Korea. Page six of the booklet has another list of countries. If you are a citizen of one of those countries, you can get your Social Security benefits while living outside the U.S., but only if you are receiving Social Security retirement or disability benefits. If you get Social Security dependent or survivors benefits, then the rules really get messy -- way too complicated to explain in the short space of this column. Please refer to the booklet for more information.

If you are not a citizen of one of the coun-

tries listed on pages five and six of the booklet but you are receiving U.S. Social Security benefits, then as a general rule those benefits will stop once you have been outside the country for more than six months.

If you are getting Social Security benefits while living overseas, you are generally subject to the same rules and regulations that apply to Social Security beneficiaries in the United States. Some of the rules are even more restrictive. For example, there is an earnings penalty that applies to any Social Security beneficiary in this country who is under full retirement age and making more than about $21,000 per year. But if you are under FRA and living overseas, you won’t get your Social Security check for any month you work over 45 hours, no matter how much money you make. There are exceptions to this rule. The most common is this: If you work for a U.S. corporation overseas, then you are subject to the more lenient earnings penalty rules that apply to U.S. residents.

If you are getting Social Security disability benefits while living overseas, the same rules apply to you as apply to people living in this country. That means, for example, that your claim will be periodically reviewed to make sure you are still disabled.

If you are a U.S. citizen living overseas, the benefits you receive are subject to the same income tax payments that apply to U.S. residents. If you are not a U.S. citizen, then the SSA will automatically withhold a portion of your benefits to cover possible tax obligations -- although there are some exceptions to that rule.

Most people living overseas have their benefits sent by direct deposit to a bank in the country where they are living. On page 27 of the booklet mentioned earlier in this column, there is a long list of countries that have an international direct deposit treaty agreement with the United States. Assuming you have moved to one of those countries, you will have no problem getting your benefits electronically.

local Social Security office. But every U.S. embassy and consulate has a person on staff who is trained to handle Social Security business. So, they are a good source of information and help. Or, assuming you have internet access, you can use the SSA’s website, www.ssa.gov

One final point. Your Medicare coverage only works while you are living in the United States. So, if you move to a foreign country and think you will be there for good, you might as well cancel the parts of Medicare for which you pay a monthly premium. These are usually Part B (medical insurance) and Part D (drug insurance).

Other than that: bon voyage! And send me a postcard from one of those pretty beaches in Costa Rica.

* * *

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.

1. The book of 3 Timothy is in the a) Old Testament b) New Testament c) Neither

2. From Genesis 22:2, who did God command to sacrifice his only son? a) Abraham b) Jacob c) Moses d) Issac

3. To whom did Jesus say he/she must be born again in order to enter the Kingdom of God? a) Nicodemus b) Timothy

c) Rahab d) Woman at the well

4. Where did God give Moses the Ten Commandments? a) Mount Carmel b) Mount Sinai c) Mount Moriah d) Bible not specific

5. What is the middle book of the Old Testament? a) Ecclesiastes b) Isaiah c) Proverbs d) Psalms

6. Where is the New Testament "Hall of Faith" found? a) Matthew b) Luke 2 c) John 3 d) Hebrews 11

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

If you need to conduct some kind of Social Security business once you are living overseas, you obviously can’t just drive across town and visit your (Answers on page 16)

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

Prescription Costs $500 for a Month’s Supply

DEAR DR. ROACH: What can you tell me about a prescription of 145 mcg of Linzess, and why a doctor would prescribe a pill costing over $500? What are the advantages to taking this? Surely, there must be something less expensive that will provide the same results. -- J.P.

ANSWER: Linaclotide (Linzess or Constella) is a medicine used for constipation, either in people with irritable bowel syndrome or in people with constipation for no particular reason. It works by activating a protein to allow chloride and bicarbonate (along with fluid) into the intestine.

Since it is not absorbed into the body, it has few side effects. The major side effect is that it can work too well and cause diarrhea. This is enough of a concern that the medicine is not used in children under the age of 2. There are three different strengths: 72, 145 and 290 mcg.

If you are asking me to defend pharmaceutical pricing, I can’t do that. I very seldom use this medicine because there are so many other options for constipation -- starting with a different diet without using any medicine at all. But in people with occasional constipation despite having a good diet, I usually start with fiber supplements.

If those don’t work, I recommend a surfactant such as docusate (Colace), which allows more water to enter the stool. Yet another option would be nonabsorbable substances like polyethylene glycol (MiraLAX and others), lactulose, sorbitol and magnesium. All of these are much less expensive.

However, there are still people who don’t do well with any of these less-expensive (and also tried-and-true) alternatives. Linzess has made a real difference in the lives of several of my patients. It is usually prescribed by an expert (a gastroenterologist), at least in the case of my patients.

Finally, Linzess is roughly $20 a pill or about $500 for a month’s supply in the U.S. without insurance. Some people only need it occasionally and are very willing to pay, even if insurance doesn’t cover it.

***

DEAR DR. ROACH: The other day, when we were changing our bedsheets, my husband asked me if I knew why the sheets and pillowcases on his side of the bed were stained yellow and the ones on my side weren’t. My only thought was that he has a very strong body odor. My high school biology classes came back to me, and I remembered that our sense of smell is a lock-andkey mechanism, where odor comes from a tiny particle that locks into the sensors within our olfactory system. So, I thought that the particles might be staining the bedding.

Could this be so? -- J.M.

ANSWER: Chromhidrosis is the name for colored sweat, and it isn’t uncommon. Both men and women can have chromhidrosis.

There are several possible causes. One is that the sweat glands themselves can excrete a colored substance, such as lipofuscin, which often causes a yellow discoloration.

I admire your using high school biology, but I don’t think you are right in this case. The odor in sweat comes from bacteria that lives in and around the sweat glands. The bacteria themselves rarely cause discoloration, but yellow isn’t typical for bacteria.

Occasionally, medicines can cause sweat to turn a different color. The laxative bisacodyl (Dulcolax and others) can cause people to have yellow sweat, and some antiperspirants will cause sweat to have a yellow color.

Since it’s both the sheets and pillowcases, I suspect that it’s the lipofuscin in this case. Treatment may not be necessary, but capsaicin cream (0.025%) has proven effective, although the mechanism behind how it works is unknown.

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

VETERANS POST  

by Freddie Groves

PACT Act Benefits

A half-million claims have been filed under the PACT Act for exposure to toxins. So far, over $1 billion has been paid in benefits. And that’s just since last August, when the act was signed. Three million veterans have had their new screenings since then, and nearly half of them had exposures. Since last August, 215,000 veterans have signed up for Department of Veterans Affairs health care, a big increase over the previous year. And this fiscal year alone (starting last October), the VA has paid out over $65 billion on compensation benefits.

With the PACT Act, any subsequent illnesses are presumptive, meaning that it’s assumed that your health condition is caused by exposure to toxins if you were in certain locations at certain times. The act adds over 20 new presumptives to the list. The list of illnesses from exposure to toxins are serious: cancers of the brain, head, kidney, neck, pancreas and many more. Less serious are allergic rhinitis, bronchial asthma, chronic bronchitis and others. Of the five conditions most frequently claimed via the PACT Act, hypertensive vascular disease tops the list, with 80% of claims granted. To read more about the PACT Act, go to the dashboard at www.accesstocare.va.gov/ healthcare/pactact. Info is updated there every other Friday. A recent issue of the dashboard says that wrapping up PACT claims is taking an average of 156 days. At that time, 45.6% of claims were at over 125 days of being completed, and the approval rate was 80%. Be sure to scroll down the page, as there is a lot of info.

Additionally, you can check va.gov/pact or call them at 800-MYVA411.

Note: The VA wants us to sign up for PACT benefits. If we do this before Aug. 10, 2023, the benefits will likely be backdated a year, to Aug. 10, 2022. Mark that date ahead on your calendar and don’t let it slip by if you intend to file for PACT benefits.

In fact, why don’t you get started now?

* * * 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.

Toenail Trimming Services

-- by Jim Miller

Toenail Trimming Tips for Seniors

DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: Can you recommend some good toenail clipping solutions for seniors like myself, who have trouble bending and stretching? My toenails have gotten increasingly thick since I’ve gotten older and it's now become a difficult challenge for me to reach down and and take care of this pesky chore. -- Almost 80

Dear Almost: Trimming your toenails is a task that most people don’t think much about, but as we get older it can indeed become quite challenging. For many older adults, like yourself, toenails can become thicker and harder to cut, and reduced flexibility can make it more difficult to even get into the right position to cut them. Fortunately, there are solutions available that can make this job a little easier.

One of the simplest tricks for cutting thick toenails is to simply take a bath or shower, or soak your feet in warm water for at least 10 minutes, prior to cutting them. The warm water helps soften them for easier cutting.

There are also toenail softening creams you can buy, like “Miracle of Aloe Toenail Soft” and “Barielle Toenail Softening Cream,” that temporarily softens thick, hard nails. Just rub it into your toenails at bedtime and in the morning, they’ll be easier to cut

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Most people’s toenails grow about 1/16 inch per month, so it’s appropriate to cut them every six to eight weeks.

When cutting your nails, take care not to cut too far down. Overaggressive trimming and cutting the toenails too short can lead to painful ingrown toenails. Podiatrists typically recommend leaving a very small bit (about 1/32 inch) of nail past the nail bed when trimming.

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If you get to the point that you cannot, or would rather not cut your own toenails, a podiatrist can provide both foot and toenail care. But be aware that routine foot care is not covered by Medicare unless you have an underlying condition or injury that requires a professional to tend to your feet. If this is the case you should first consult with your doctor to see if you might qualify for this type of coverage.

You may also want to avoid a rounded cut. It’s best to cut the nails fairly straight across, ensuring that the corners of the nail do not cut into the skin folds of the toe. And use an emery board to smooth the jagged edges and corners that can snag and potentially tear the nail as it grows.

Top Toenail Clippers

There are a number of medical-grade or specialty toenail clippers recommended by professionals for older adults.

For thick nails the “New Huing Podiatrist Toenail Clippers” is a top option. This clipper has a sharp, curved blade that easily cuts through any toenail, no matter how hard or thick it has gotten, and a nonslip, cushion grip that allows for comfortable clipping.

For those with limited mobility, check out the “Clipperpro Omega Select Toenail Clipper,” which has a long plastic grip that’s much larger than that of a standard set of nail clippers. It provides greater leverage and a blade head that swivels 180 degrees. Both of those features make this clipper much easier to use for anyone with arthritis or mobility issues, since they have more control and an added range they can reach.

And for people who have a hard time bending over, there are long handled toenail clippers like the “DriFeez Long Handle Toenail Clippers” which come in four sizes – 20, 24, 28 and 32 inches long. It also has a heavy-duty clipper with a 1/8-inch-wide jaw opening designed to cut thick toenails.

All of these clippers are available online at sites like Amazon.com or Walmart.com at prices ranging between $10 and $40.

If you are generally in good health, regular pedicures at a nail salon is good option for getting your toenails cut, and is much cheaper than visiting a podiatrist if you are paying out of pocket.

by Anne McCollam

Smiley Is a Premium Pig

Q: This is a photo of a cookie jar that was given away with a purchase of coffee in the early 1950s. I don’t remember the coffee company, but they came door-to-door selling coffee and other kitchen staples. Marked on the bottom are the words “Patent Smiley 60 -- Shawnee USA.” He stands about 11 inches tall, is wearing light tan pants, a green scarf and is in perfect condition.

Can you tell me anything about my cookie jar and what it is worth?

A: Shawnee Pottery made your cookie jar. They were located in Zanesville, Ohio, from 1937 to 1961. Smiley was the creation of designer, Rudy Ganz, around 1942. There were a variety of matching pieces that included banks, saltand-pepper shakers, pitchers and his female companion, “Winnie.” They were decorated with several different outfits and designs. According to Shawnee Pottery, your Smiley is wearing butterscotch brown pants.

Shawnee Pottery was sold by Sears, Woolworth, Kresge and used by several companies as premiums.

Your circa 1950 Smiley would probably be worth $350 to $450.

Q: I have an original 1929 edition of the book, “Bambi.” It has a green hard cover with an image of Bambi in gold. It was written

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It appears as though this staged satire has already commenced. I guess I'm late for the paradoy.

SOLUTION GO FIGURE

by Felix Salten, illustrated by Kurt Wiese with a foreword by John Galworthy. The publisher was Grosset and Dunlop and copyright by Simon and Schuster. It is in very good condition.

Can you tell me how much it is worth?

A: Your 1929 copy of Bambi can be seen selling on the Internet from $50 to $200.

Q: I have a set of porcelain dinnerware that is around 70 years old. Enclosed is the mark that is seen on each piece. The set is a service for twelve and decorated with gold scrolled bands of multicolored flowers.

What can you tell me about my set of dinnerware?

Meito made dinnerware that was distributed by Celebrate.

A: Your dinnerware was made sometime between 1945 and 1952 during the Allied occupation of Japan after World War II. The Japanese firm, Meito, made your dinnerware and it was distributed by the Celebrate Company. “Marseilles” is the name of the pattern. Meito produced china for several companies that were sold in the United States. Insurance value for your service for twelve would probably be $900 to $1500.

* * *

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 May 22, 1906, Wilbur and Orville Wright were granted a patent for their “flying machine.” Their first application was rejected, and the overall process took three years, after which they sold the patent to the newly formed Wright Company for a sweet $100,000, 40% of the company’s stock, and a royalty of 10% on all aircraft sold.

* On May 23, 1962, 12 doctors at Massachusetts General Hospital in Boston performed the first successful reattachment of a human limb -- the severed arm of 12-yearold Everett “Red” Knowles. After four years of recovery, he had regained complete mobility and use of it.

* On May 24, 1887, President Chester A. Arthur and New York Gov. Grover Cleveland opened the Brooklyn Bridge. At the time, it was considered engineering’s greatest achievement, with a span of 1,600 feet, which made it the longest suspension bridge in the world.

* On May 25, 2011, “The Oprah Winfrey Show” came to an emotional end after 25 years and 4,561 episodes, with its longtime host telling her audience, “You and this show have been the greatest love of my life.” It remains one of the highest-rated daytime TV talk shows in American entertainment history.

* On May 26, 1993, Major League Baseball’s Jose Canseco and the Texas Rangers were playing against the Cleveland Indians when the latter team’s infielder, Carlos Martinez, famously hit a fly ball that bounced off Canseco’s head. All ended well, however, in a home run and no injuries, as well as some astonished laughs.

* On May 27, 1679, the Habeas Corpus Act passed, strengthening an individual’s right to contest unlawful arrest and imprisonment. The act is considered one of the most important rulings in English constitutional history.

* On May 28, 2016, a gorilla named Harambe was relaxing inside the Gorilla World habitat at the Cincinnati Zoo when a 3-year-old boy climbed into the enclosure and fell into the moat. While it seemed that Harambe was protecting the boy from drowning, zoo officials decided to shoot the animal as they feared he might accidentally kill the child.

(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

Smiley cookie jars were made by Shawnee Pottery.

VARIETIES OF GAMES

• There are several different types of games of pool, including eight-ball, blackball, nine-ball, straight pool, one-pocket, and bank pool. The game of one-pocket has its origins in the 1700s. Each player is assigned one of the corner pockets on the table, which is the only pocket in which the player can sink the ball. Whoever pockets the majority of eight balls into their designated pocket is the winner.

• The most common pool game, eight-ball, was introduced around 1900. In the game of eightball, there are 15 colored balls – 7 solid, 7 striped, plus the black 8-ball. When racking the balls for a game, the 8-ball should always be located at the center of the rack, two rows from the top and two rows from the bottom of the triangular rack. A player forfeits the game if his or her cue ball accidentally sinks the 8-ball first. After the player has pocketed all of the correctly colored balls, the player must call which pocket the 8-ball is to go into. If the 8-ball falls into any pocket other than the called one, the opposing player wins. In addition, even if the 8-ball does go into the called pocket, if the cue ball is also pocketed, the player forfeits the game.

• Have you noticed pool players chalking the tip of their pool cue? Pros do it before every shot. This creates a friction surface on the tip, essential for making solid contact with the ball so that the cue doesn't deflect off of it. Proper chalking involves lightly and evenly brushing the cube across the cue’s tip, everywhere the cue might contact the ball. Grinding it around on the tip leaves it heavy in some areas and light in others. And, e ven though it’s called “chalk,” most products are made of fine abrasives without a single speck of actual chalk.

• During the 1930s, Detroit was home to the world’s largest billiard hall, built during the sport’s Golden Age era. The enormous sevenstory Recreation Health Spa featured 20 barber chairs, 14 cigar stands, seven lunch counters, three manicurists, a 300-seat restaurant, and 250 person capacity theater, along with 103 billiards tables and 88 bowling lanes. □

STAN SMITH’S TENNIS CLASS

Play Better Golf with JACK NICKLAUS

by Jason Jenkins

Swing Symmetry

Few places in the golf swing have a similar look to another, except for two key areas in the backswing and downswing. When the club swings back to an “upside down” position on the backswing, then through to the same point in time with the club on the follow through, you should observe the following for yourself:

1. Shoulders are near a 90 degree turn. The upper body should be turned roughly 90 degrees or your best turn by each position. This is proof of allowing the lower body to freely rotate and shift weight during the swing. The shoulders turn on a “plane” which means that each respective shoulder is under the chin at these two places.

2. The wrists are free to hinge and re-hinge. The hands and wrists play a critical role to swinging the club with speed and repeatability. The left thumb is basically pointing up and slightly behind the player at each point.

3. At least one arm is extended for swing width. Simply stated, the left arm is long in the backswing, and the right arm is long in the follow through (vice versa for left handers). Width creates and sustains power.