Vol. 20: #13 • Air Conditioning • (3-24-2024) Tidbits of Coachella Valley

by Janet Spencer

With the relentless heat of summer just around the corner, we will again take for granted that our cool relief will be as close as the

switch on our thermostat. How could we ever survive the heat without the cool comfort it provides to our homes, stores and workplaces? Read on and you'll see that it certainly hasn't always been this way, and how we owe a heap of gratitude to a man named Carrier, who made it possible! IN

THE BEGINNING

• Willis Carrier was an engineer who worked for a publishing firm in New York City in 1902. Problems always arose during the summer months because the porous paper stock would absorb the humidity in the air, causing wrinkles and paper jams, and the ink also took a longer time to dry. Printing color images required an extra run through the press, once for each primary color - red, yellow and blue, but the registration was usually off due to the paper always stretching. Carrier was tasked with fixing this frustrating problem

TRIVIA NEWSFRONT

According to Merriam Webster, the word is spelled blond when referring to a man or boy, and blonde when referring to a girl or woman. We'll go with the female version here, just to keep it consistent.

• Blonde hair is relatively rare globally, while being extremely common in certain areas. It’s estimated that about 84 percent of the world’s population has black or dark brown hair. Brunettes come in second with 11 percent. Only about three percent of the population is blonde, and an additional two percent are redheads.

• The percentage varies regionally. Black is the most common throughout Africa and Asia. But in the U.S., only 7.5% of the population has black hair. Scotland has the highest percentage of redheads, with 13%. Red hair with blue eyes is the rarest combination of hair and eye color. Blonde and blue-eyed is the second least common. Dark brown hair with brown eyes is the most common.

• Some theorize that blonde hair appeared about 11,000 years ago, at the end of the last Ice Age, due to a mutation in the genetic code. Of the 13 billion “letters” in human DNA, a single letter switched. That allowed the variations of hair color we see today. Blondes likely stood out in the crowd to such an extent that they attracted mates with great regularity, spreading the gene.

1. THEATER: Which musical featured a song with the lyrics, “I feel pretty, oh so pretty”?

2. MEDICAL: In human beings, what causes a goiter?

3. GEOGRAPHY: In what city would you find the Brandenburg Gate?

4. MUSIC: Which Southern rock band had a hit single with “Imaginary Lover”?

5. MOVIES: In which movie did longtime game host Bob Barker make his debut?

6. SCIENCE: What does an ornithologist study?

7. COMPUTERS: What kind of computer file carries the extension “.wav”?

8. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is the adjective used to describe horses?

9. LANGUAGE: What is a pangram?

10. FAMOUS QUOTATIONS: Who once said, “Outside of a dog, a book is man’s best friend. Inside of a dog, it’s too dark to read”? Answers

1. “West Side Story”

2. Usually a lack of iodine

3. Berlin

90% of Aboriginal children are born blonde. People in the Solomon Islands have some of the darkest skin outside of Africa, yet between 5% and 10% have naturally blonde hair. About 10% of the Melanesians of New Guinea are blonde. Researchers found that in these cases, the flipped genetic “switch” was entirely different from the one in Northern Europe, suggesting that the blonde hair switch was flipped not once, but twice.

• Melanin is the pigment that determines hair color, eye color, skin color, and how easily the skin tans. The name comes from the Greek meaning “black” or “dark”. In hair, there are two types of melanin. The balance of these two pigments determines hair color.

• Blonde hair tends to be thinner than other colors. As a result, more hair can fit on the scalp. A natural blonde might have 150,000 individual hairs, while brunettes have 100,000 and redheads only 90,000. The density and the darkness of hair protects the head and scalp from the sun’s damaging rays. Because blondes have the least melanin not only in their hair but also in their skin, they are more susceptible to sunburn and skin cancer.

• The factors that govern hair color do not stay constant throughout one’s life. It’s common for blonde-headed children to become brunettes when puberty sets in, as the melanin in the scalp increases. Many new mothers who were blonde before pregnancy find themselves brunette after giving birth.

• Only one out of every 20 white American females is a natural blonde. When it comes to hair dye, however, one-third of women who dye their hair choose to be a blonde. 

• Around the same time, eye color also diversified, although a different gene controls it. The genetics of blonde hair affect only the hair color, not the eye or skin color. Still, however, the more melanin in the eye’s iris, the darker the color.

• The people of Finland have one of the highest concentrations of blonde hair. Nearly 80% of their population is blonde, and 89% of the population has blue eyes. Sweden, Norway, Iceland, Latvia, Lithuania, Estonia, and Denmark also have high percentages of blueeyed blondes, ranging between 50 and 79% of the population.

• There are several places in the world where dark-skinned people with blonde hair are found. In some regions of Australia, up to

Week of March 24, 2024

Air Conditioning (from page one)

• Carrier was fascinated by the way a thin, foggy coating condensed on cool window panes, and the way water would frost up and trickle down the outside of a glass full of a cold drink.

• After pondering these things and doing some experiments, he got the idea to run cold water through pipes, causing frost to appear on the outside surfaces. He then had an electric fan blow over them, resulting in a stream of cooled air. The humidity in the air condensed and dripped down off the pipes, making the air cooler and dryer. It worked! This simple method became the basic, foundational concept from which all air conditioning systems began, and is still used today.

GROWTH OF AN INDUSTRY

• Willis Carrier patented his idea in 1915 and established his own company. Today, the Carrier Air Conditioner Company is based in Florida, and employs around 53,000 people

• In 1906, North Carolina textile manufacturer Stuart Cramer modified Carrier’s design to add water vapor to the air instead of removing it. Cool, and slightlyhumid air made the yarn easier for his workers to handle, made it less likely to break, and improved the quality of his fabrics. Cramer was the first person to coin the term “air conditioning,” a far less clumsy moniker than Carrier’s name of “Apparatus for Treating the Air.”

• When air conditioning first began to gain a foothold in public places, movie theaters were among the first to exploit it. Citizens sweltering in urban heat waves escaped for a cool afternoon inside their local air-conditioned theater to watch a summer blockbuster with a cool drink and a bag of hot popcorn. Hollywood catered to the fad, releasing their biggest flicks to coincide with the arrival of the first summer heat waves.

• The tradition of letting school out for summer vacation arose out of necessity for two primary reasons: First, children from rural schools were often needed to help on the family farm during growing season, and second, urban children from city schools found it almost impossible to concentrate on schoolwork while sweltering in un-cooled, hot and stuffy classrooms.

• Ahead of the rest of the population, president Herbert Hoover was the first U.S. president to enjoy the luxury of an air-conditioned White House. He ordered the first AC system installed in the West Wing in 1929, shortly after the stock market collapsed.

• By 1932, the first window units were on the market, designed to sit right on top of the windowsill. Sales were slow because the country was in the middle of the Depression and the units were expensive. The average wage then was $0.64 per hour ($15/hour today), and an air conditioner cost $416 ($9,820 today) requiring 650 work hours to buy it. Today, at a wage of $15/ hour and a low-end model costing around $150, a worker only needs about ten hours to afford one.

3

hot southern states such as Florida, Nevada, Arizona, and Texas. Between 1950 and 2000, the population of these areas jumped between 28% and 40%. Most of the nation’s industries were headquartered in the Northeast until it became possible to cool southern factories.

Air Conditioning: Turn to page 15

1. Which has a

2. What country produces

• After World War II ended, air conditioning had become a status symbol. By 1947, as units became even more compact, quieter and less expensive to own, it drew more interest. In that year, 43,000 systems were in use across the U.S. In 1953, a record one million were sold. By the late 1960s, most new homes included the option of adding central air.

• AC units first measured their output in “Ice Power” referring to how many blocks of ice it would take to produce the same cooling. It’s now measured in BTUs (British Thermal Units), a formula calculating how much heat can be removed in one hour.

• The first automobile company to offer cars with built-in “weather conditioners” was Packard, in 1939. Several issues made it problematic. First, it was expensive, and the evaporator and blower took up most of the space in the trunk. Dashboard controls hadn’t been invented yet, so to turn the AC on, the driver had to stop, pop the lid, and disconnect the compressor belt. Second, The market timing was wrong. As the Depression had just ended and World War II had just begun, most people could not afford it. The expensive option was considered a total flop.

A/C INFLUENCE ON DEMOGRAPHICS

• The rising popularity of air conditioning resulted in a population explosion in notoriously

The advent of air conditioning has changed the way we live, work and play. It has made it possible to live in the most inhospitable regions of the planet. It has given rise to modern medicine and greatly extended the life of perishable foods. It's also changed how architecture is designed and built, how we do business, and even spend our free time!

Tidbits of Coachella Valley

By Lucie Winborne

* Using high-pressure, high-temperature techniques that mimic Earth’s diamond-forming conditions, scientists can transform the carbon in peanut butter into sparkling gemstones. Chew on that!

* And speaking of chewing, snails have thousands of tiny teeth on their radula, the tongue-like organ they use for grinding up food, making them one of the earth’s toothiest creatures.

* Mary, Queen of Scots, was history’s youngest monarch, ascending to the throne at a mere six days old. Coming in at second place was Emperor Shang of China’s Han Dynasty, who in 105 A.D. assumed his royal position at 100 days old.

* If stored correctly and not contaminated, honey can last for thousands of years without spoiling.

* A piano’s frame is made of iron.

* Though T-shirts have existed since the late 1800s, the plain white version gained popularity as a wear-alone garment thanks to Marlon Brando’s portrayal of Stanley Kowalski in the movie “A Streetcar Named Desire.”

* One out of every seven American jobs is related to transportation.

* Some architectural structures, known as whispering galleries, have unique acoustics allowing a whisper at one end of the gallery to be heard clearly at the other end, due to sound waves following the curved surfaces.

* The “United States Postal Service Anthem,” a unique song composed by (appropriately) Jack Stamp, is an official musical salute to the USPS, its employees, and its role in American life.

*

some WWII POW camps, the Nazis

Allied soldiers to play board games like Monopoly, even providing the games. The British exploited this opportunity by using compasses, banknotes, and realworld maps in place of standard boards and pieces, as a means of helping prisoners to escape.

Everyday CHEAPSKATE®

by Mary Hunt

A Pizza Challenge

Some consider pizza the perfect food. It has complex carbohydrates, vegetables, dairy and protein. OK, maybe “perfect” is stretching it a bit, but I remember when pizza was something you shouldn’t eat too much of because it might spoil your dinner. Now it is dinner.

before the doorbell rang. It’s difficult to give an unbiased opinion on the homemade versus the commercial product because, well ... I am anything but impartial.

Just let me say that there’s nothing like the taste of fresh tomatoes, fresh basil and freshly grated Parmesan cheese on this freshly baked homemade dough. Note: You could use a bottled sauce, your favorite toppings and mozzarella cheese to customize to your taste and available ingredients.

Everyday CHEAPSKATE®

by Mary Hunt

Millions of families rely on pizza because it is quick, cheap and convenient. But is it? To find out, I conducted a somewhat less-than-scientific test.

I ordered a large 14-inch thin-crust tomato and cheese pizza from Domino’s for delivery. As soon as I closed the app, I went to work on my homemade pizza with a no-rise crust:

NO-RISE PIZZA

4 teaspoons olive oil

2 teaspoons cornmeal

1 package dry yeast

1 teaspoons sugar

1/2 cup plus 2 tablespoons warm water 2 1/2 cups unbleached all-purpose flour salt

1 clove garlic, finely minced

3/4 pound Roma tomatoes, sliced thinly

2 ounces grated Parmesan cheese

2 tablespoons chopped fresh basil

Preheat oven to 425 F. In the meantime, rub 1 teaspoon olive oil over a 14-inch pizza pan and sprinkle with cornmeal. Stir yeast and sugar into warm water and let stand until foamy (2-3 minutes).

Combine flour, salt and 1 teaspoon olive oil in food processor bowl fitted with metal blade*. Turn on machine. Pour yeast mixture through feed tube. Process until dough cleans inside of work bowl. If dough sticks, add more flour, a tablespoon at a time. If dough is crumbly, add water a teaspoon at a time. When you reach desired consistency, process dough until uniformly supple and elastic, about 40 seconds.

Roll dough immediately on heavily floured board to a 14-inch circle. If dough resists, let rest 5 minutes to relax gluten, then try again.

Transfer dough to pizza pan. Work the edge to form rim. Brush with remaining oil. Sprinkle on minced garlic and cover with an even layer of tomato slices. Sprinkle with Parmesan cheese. Bake for 15-18 minutes until crust is crisp and golden brown. Sprinkle with basil. Serve!

My homemade gourmet-style pizza was out of the oven, sliced and partially consumed

As for the time factor, I beat Domino’s by a full 20 minutes. And the cost? Mine: less than $3. Domino’s: $28.92 including tip.

Here’s a tip for you: To make your own pizza stone, pick up one or two large unglazed terra cotta tiles at the home improvement store (around $2 each). Move the oven rack to the lower position and place the tile(s) on the rack before preheating. Once hot, scoot the pizza dough from the greased/cornmealed pan right onto the hot pizza stone for baking.

*This dough can be made with an electric mixer or in a bread machine, although a food processor is ideal.

* * *

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

COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS.COM

• Charles Gilbert Gates had two main claims to fame. First, he was the son of oil tycoon and shipping magnate John Warne Gates; second, he built the world’s first residence that boasted central air conditioning. He died before he ever got to flip the A/C switch “ON.”

• To tell the story of Charles Gates and his air conditioned mansion, we'll start with the source of his money: his father, John Gates.

• John Gates began his rise to riches in 1871 as a salesman for a company that sold newlyinvented barbed wire. He thought the cattle ranches of Texas would offer prime sales, but he just couldn’t convince ranchers to invest in this new-fangled fencing technology.

• Then he got the idea to make a huge spectacle out of inviting everyone to witness the effectiveness of the barbed wire first-hand. With a large crowd of ranchers and townfolk assembled, he instigated a thundering cattle stampede and narrowed them down to a deadend -- a barbed wire fence. The stampede was abruptly stopped short by the sharp, pointy wire and wanted to go no further. Folks were amazed, sales immediately skyrocketed, and John Gates became the company’s Number One salesman.

• Gates then started his own rival barbed wire firm, The American Steel and Wire Company,

and was promptly sued for patent infringement by his former employer. To skirt the lawsuit, he tweaked the manufacturing design and produced a new type of barbed wire with a new patent. He sold it by the ton and subsequently bought out his former employer entirely. He then got into the burgeoning steel industry.

• At that point, tycoon J.P. Morgan bought out John Gates entirely. Gates used the money to invest in the fledgling oil industry in Texas, founding the company that became Texaco. With big oil money rolling in, he dabbled in railroads, power companies, the stock market, horse racing, high stakes gambling, and shipping. His money financed much of the construction of the shipping hub of Port Arthur, Texas.

• Along the way, John Gates married and had one son, Charles, born in 1876. When John died of throat cancer in 1911, he left his $38 million ($1.3 billion today) fortune to his wife and son. His widow died shortly afterwards, and Charles became instantly wealthy. The first thing Charles did was to divorce his wife and quickly marry another woman.

• Charles then set out to build the largest, grandest, most expensive mansion that Minneapolis had ever seen. He commissioned the construction of a 38,000 sq. ft. home, taking up three large city lots on scenic Lake of the Isles Blvd. He wanted this mansion to be fully air conditioned, an unheard of amenity in the day. The enormous AC unit stood seven feet high, six feet wide, and 20 feet long. Other luxuries included a grand ballroom, marble floors, and gold-plated plumbing.

• The house was still under construction in 1913 when Charles Gates went to Wyoming for a hunting trip. He suffered a stroke-like seizure and died in his private rail car in the town of Cody. He was 37 years old, and had outlived his father by only two years.

• His new wife and her three children from a former marriage oversaw the completion of the mansion, and lived there for three years. When the estate was settled, the bulk of the Gates family fortune went to distant relatives.

• At that point, the second wife moved out, and the mansion was purchased by a doctor. When the doctor died in 1929, the mansion went on the market.

• The stock market crashed, the Depression set in, and nobody could afford to purchase this behemoth of a home, much less pay for the maintenance. Itʼs estimated that it would cost upwards of $10,000 per month to cool such an enormous dwelling today, even with modern

equipment

• As a

“white elephant” that no one could afford, the house was ultimately stripped of all its fine wood craftsmanship, its elaborate and expensive fittings, and demolished in 1933.

by Dana Jackson

Q: When does Lisa Vanderpump’s new show premiere? Will any of the cast of “Vanderpump Rules” be in it? -- K.J.

A: ”Vanderpump Villa” will debut on Hulu beginning April 1. It features an all-new cast selected to work at an exclusive French estate by “The Real Housewives of Beverly Hills” alum (and restaurateur) Lisa Vanderpump.

According to Hulu, each episode follows her elite staff working and living together 24/7 while they try to provide a curated experience for their guests. Meanwhile, Vanderpump is also deciding whether she wants to make this French pop-up experience -- and its staff -- a full-time business for her growing empire. ***

Q: What happened to the show “Elsbeth”? They aired one episode, and now it’s gone. Has it been canceled already? -- C.I.

A: You’re not the only one to ask. The new detective show -- and spin-off of “The Good Wife” and “The Good Fight” -- generated fantastic ratings when it premiered in late February, attracting 4.5 million viewers to CBS. The show stars Carrie Preston as a quirky but whip-smart, “Columbo”type lawyer from Chicago who ends up in the Big Apple. Don’t worry, though; it’s coming back.

The show begins by revealing who the murderer is each week to the audience, similar to another hit show, Peacock’s “Poker Face.” But don’t let this deter you! The fun is watching Elsbeth out-

wit the NYPD and trick the suspect into confessing. Her purpose is to observe the police force for any corruption, but she somehow always ends up solving their cases.

In addition to Preston, “Elsbeth” has a solid cast that includes Wendell Pierce, Carra Patterson and Gloria Reuben. Guest stars include a who’s who from past hit sitcoms, including Jesse Tyler Ferguson (“Modern Family”), Jane Krakowski (“30 Rock”), Retta (“Parks and Recreation”) and Linda Lavin (“Alice”).

Unfortunately, “Elsbeth” had to go on a four-week hiatus because of President Biden’s State of the Union Address and the NCAA March Madness tournament. CBS plans to re-air the pilot before “Elsbeth” returns with its second episode on April 4. ***

Q: Is it true that Eddie Van Halen’s son played guitar on the “Barbie” soundtrack? I thought I saw the name “Van Halen” in the credits. -- N.N.

A: Yes, Wolfgang Van Halen, son of the late “Van Halen” guitarist Eddie Van Halen, ended up on the “Barbie” soundtrack by chance, but also be-

Peyton Manning 3/24/76

Elton John 3/25/47

Keira Knightly 3/26/85

Mariah Carey 3/27/69

Lady Gaga 3/28/86

Elle Macpherson 3/29/64

Celine Dion 3/30/68

cause of his talent. He met the movie’s music producer Mark Ronson while performing at the Taylor Hawkins’ tribute concert in 2022. The two became friends, and Ronson asked him if he’d collaborate on the fabulous composition titled “I’m Just Ken.” He even performed the song on stage alongside Ryan Gosling’s Ken at the Academy Awards this month, along with another great electric guitarist -- Slash from Guns N’ Roses.

“I’m Just Ken” was not only nominated for an Oscar, but made it into the Top 5 of Billboard’s Hot Rock & Alternative Songs chart.

* * *

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

(c) 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

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

1. Split (PG-13)

James McAvoy, Anya Taylor-Joy

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

Matilda Anna Ingrid Lutz, Alex Roe

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

3. A Dog’s Purpose ..................(PG)

Josh Gad, Dennis Quaid

3. Imaginary (PG-13) DeWanda Wise, Taegen Burns

4. Hidden Figures (PG)

Taraji P. Henson, Octavia Spencer

5. La La Land (PG-13)

4. Cabrini (PG-13) Cristiana Dell’Anna, John Lithgow

Ryan Gosling, Emma Stone

5. Bob Marley: One Love (PG-13) Kingsley Ben-Adir, Lashana Lynch

6. Resident Evil: The Final Chapter (R)

Milla Jovovich, Iain Glen

6. Ordinary Angels (PG) Alan Ritchson, Hilary Swank

7. Madame Web (PG-13) Dakota Johnson, Sydney Sweeney

7. Sing .......................................(PG) animated

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

8. Migration (PG) Kumail Nanjiani, Elizabeth Banks

9. The Space Between Us (PG-13)

PonderBits

9. Yolo (PG-13) Ling Jia, Jiayin Lei

Gary Oldman, Asa Butterfield

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

Vin Diesel, Donnie Yen

10. The Chosen: S4.E7 (NR) Austin Reed Alleman, Victoria Blade

© 2017 King Features Synd., Inc.

© 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

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

"Do Not Touch" must be one of the scariest things to read in Braille. Some days you're the windshield; other days you're the bug.

Lisa Vanderpump (“Vanderpump Villa”)

Disney/Picture Group

Good Recipes from Grilled Pork Chops With Mango Sauce

A smoky, but still sweet, mango sauce adds brilliant, sunny color and a kick of flavor to these simply grilled pork chops.

1 tablespoon vegetable oil

1 small (4- to 6-ounce) onion, finely chopped 1 chipotle chile in adobo, seeded, finely chopped

1/4 teaspoon dried oregano

2 large ripe mangoes, peeled and chopped

2 tablespoons water

1 tablespoon packed brown sugar

4 (6 ounces each) bone-in pork loin or rib chops, 3/4-inch thick

Salt

Pepper

1 green onion, thinly sliced, for garnish

1/4 cup fresh cilantro leaves, for garnish

1. Prepare outdoor grill for covered direct grilling on medium.

2. Prepare mango sauce: In 12-inch skillet, heat oil on medium-high. Add onion and cook 2 to 3 minutes or until browned, stirring occasionally. Add chipotle and oregano; cook 1 minute, stirring. Add mangoes, water, and sugar; cook 10 minutes or until mangoes are soft, stirring occasionally.

3. Meanwhile, sprinkle pork with 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper to season both sides. Grill, covered, 8 to 9 minutes or until browned outside and still slightly pink inside, turning over once.

4. Transfer pork chops to cutting board; let rest 5 minutes.

5. Spoon mango sauce over pork. Garnish with green onion and cilantro. Serves 4.

* Each serving: About 385 calories , 15g total fat (4g saturated), 80mg cholesterol, 4g dietary fiber, 27g protein.

Secret-Recipe BBQ Sauce

Brush this over anything -- from hamburgers to chicken. The recipe makes almost 5 cups, so you’ll have enough for several dishes.

1 tablespoon olive oil

1 jumbo onion (12 ounces), chopped

2 tablespoons chopped, peeled fresh ginger

3 tablespoons chili powder

3 garlic cloves, crushed with garlic press

1 can (8 ounces) crushed pineapple in juice

1 can (28 ounces) crushed tomatoes in puree

1/3 cup ketchup

1/4 cup cider vinegar

3 tablespoons dark brown sugar

3 tablespoons mild molasses

2 teaspoons dry mustard

1 teaspoon salt

1. In 5- to 6-quart saucepot, heat olive oil over medium heat until hot. (Do not use a smaller pan; sauce bubbles up and splatters during cook ing -- the deeper the pan, the better.) Add onion and ginger and cook 10 minutes or until onion is tender and golden. Add chili powder and cook 1

minute, stirring. Add garlic and crushed pineapple with its juice, and cook 1 minute longer.

2. Remove saucepot from heat. Stir in tomatoes with their puree and remaining ingredients.

3. Spoon one-fourth of sauce into blender. At low speed, blend sauce until smooth. Pour sauce into bowl; repeat with remaining sauce. Return sauce to saucepot; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, partially covered, 25 minutes or until reduced to about 4 3/4 cups, stirring occasionally.

4. Cover and refrigerate sauce if not using right away. Sauce will keep up to 1 week in refrigerator or up to 2 months in freezer. Makes about 4 3/4 cups.

 Each 1/4 cup serving: About 60 calories, 1g total fat (0g saturated), 1g protein, 12g carbohydrate, 0mg cholesterol, 310mg sodium.

Tidbits

3/24 Palm Sunday

3/25 National Medal of Honor Day

3/26 Live Long and Prosper Day

3/27 Pay Someone a Compliment Day

3/28 Barnum and Bailey Day

3/29 Good Friday

3/30 Virtual Vacation Day

Cody’s Corner

Dog Talk with Uncle Matty

By Matthew Margolis Creators News Service

Fits and Phobias

I spend a lot of time writing about dog aggression -- partly because it’s a big problem that keeps getting bigger, and partly because there is such an air of confusion to it. At times, aggression seems to suddenly appear out of the blue. Take the following letter from a reader:

“I recently moved from Arkansas to Washington State with my two-year-old puggle, Tankeray. I have had him since he was 4 weeks old. He has never shown any signs of aggression toward little children before, but since moving up here with him, he has tried to attack my one-year-old niece numerous times. He has not been around a lot of children or other animals and has been going into hunching fits when confronted with them. I don’t want to get rid of him, as I have had him since he was a baby and he is my buddy. He has spent his entire life with only me and my boyfriend. I need help to figure out what could be going on with him before he actually bites someone.”

Reading between the lines, it sounds like Tankeray was never properly socialized. He spent two blissful years with his owner and her boyfriend, each day reinforcing that small unit and Tankeray’s comfort zone within it. New adults might not be so scary, as they at least appear in a familiar form. Little children are another story.

This is why full and proper socialization is so important. This is the process of introducing your dog, in a safe and friendly way, to all kinds of external stimuli -- big dogs, small dogs, big people, small people, bicycles, vacuum cleaners, cars, the noises of traffic, the noises of your home, the noises of life. By making these introductions and positively reinforcing to him that he is safe in the midst of all kinds of chaos, you are eliminating the kind of fear that, over time, breeds aggression.

In fact, fear is usually the culprit. Some fears can be mitigated; many are irrational. Not all fear becomes aggression toward people or other animals; sometimes the dog turns his fear on himself.

Like people, dogs suffer from phobias -- fear

Cody's Corner: Turn to Page 10

SENIOR NEWS LINE

by Matilda Charles

Making Big Decisions

Sometimes we need to make tough decisions. We don’t want to. We want to wake up and find the problem is resolved. But we can’t do that, and we know it.

Sometimes we’re faced with a serious lifechanging situation such as acknowledging that we need to move a spouse or parent to a care facility because we just can’t manage anymore. Or perhaps one of our children needs our longterm help. The question becomes: Do we sell our current home? Do we rent it out in the hope we’ll eventually move back?

Other times the situation isn’t quite as grim but still requires a serious decision: We clearly need a new vehicle. But prices are now very high, and where will the money come from?

While my current situation isn’t earthshaking (except maybe to me), it does require a very serious decision that must be made. It's this: Will I once again register to vote this year? While it might appear to be a no-brainer to many, it really isn’t. During the last presidential election cycle, my name, age, political preferences, and my contact information somehow got thrown up to the wind and spread around the country for anyone and everyone to grab as valuable information.

I don't quite know how or who captured this information (and likely sold to eager buyers), but my life was consumed with harassing phone calls and people at my door all day, every day, day and night. This went on for a year.

The only peace (and uninterrupted sleep) I got was by unplugging the phone. Often when I answered the door, I was faced with pushy people insisting I make cash donations to their party and fill out requests for absentee ballots that they would (supposedly) deliver to the polls on voting day. If my vote didn't agree with theirs, I'd bet it got trashed.

Worst, I think, were the get-out-the-vote workers who tried to insist on coming into my house to discuss the issues.

I hung in there until Election Day, stood in line to vote and then went directly to the town office and had them delete me from the voter rolls. I remain, for the first time in my adult life, not registered to vote. What is this crazy world coming to?

* * *

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

Cody’s Corner (from page 9)

of thunder and lightning, fear of air compressors in the garage, fear of water, fear of shiny surfaces, fear of being alone, fear of women in hats, fear of men with beards. I could go on.

If you have a dog who suffers from a phobia, beware that he may hurt himself. A dog with a fear of thunder left alone in an empty house might panic and hurl himself through a glass window or attempt to chew his way through a door or wall. Either way, he will seriously injure himself in the process.

As the owner of a dog with a phobia, you have options. You could research the phobia and attempt to gradually desensitize the dog to that particular frightening stimulation. You could contact an animal behavior specialist for advice and assistance. At the very least, you could make sure he is safe and contained when you know he will be confronted with a situation he finds scary. This is why crate training is so effective. Your dog has a safe, comfy place that he loves and that is all his, and you can secure him inside when a storm’s brewing, so to speak. Itʼs his safety zone.

When a dog turns his fear toward other people or animals, your best bet is to bring in a pro. Contact a professional dog trainer to work with you to better socialize your dog and determine whether he is trustworthy around strangers. If not, you’ll need to work out ways to keep him away from his triggers. This will keep you, your dog and everyone else safe.

Do you

* * *

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

Ten Great Truths Spoken by Little Children

Ten Spoken by Little

1. No matter how hard you try, you can’t baptize cats.

2. When your Mom is mad at your Dad, don’t let her brush your hair.

3. If your sister hits you, don’t hit her back; they always catch the second person.

4. Never ask your 3-year old brother to hold a tomato.

5. You can’t trust dogs to watch your food.

6. Don’t sneeze when someone is cutting your hair.

7. Never hold a Dust-Buster and a cat at the same time.

8. You can’t hide a piece of broccoli in a glass of milk

9. Don’t wear polka-dot underwear under white shorts.

10. The best place to be when you’re sad is on Grandpa’s lap.

YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY

by Tom Margenau

Spousal and Survivors Benefits for Men

In the past 27 years, I bet I have written hundreds of columns explaining spousal and widows benefits that are available to women on a husband’s Social Security account. And usually if I have enough space, I try to squeeze in a line that says the same benefits are available to husbands and widowers, even though I know those benefits to men are rarely paid.

Why is that so? Because a woman’s Social Security benefit is almost always smaller than her husband’s benefit. And that happens for numerous reasons, but mostly because women tend to take time out of the paid labor force (and thus time away from paying Social Security taxes) to raise children. So a woman is much more likely to qualify for extra benefits off of a husband’s Social Security record.

And the obvious reason why women qualify for widows benefits more often than men get widowers benefits is because most wives outlive their husbands.

And the numbers back this up. There are almost two million women who get spousal benefits from a husband’s account. But there are only 140,000 men who get benefits as a dependent husband on their wife’s Social Security record. Similarly, there are about 3.6 million widows getting survivors benefits but only about 170,000 widowers getting them.

But maybe times are slowly changing. In more than a few married households today, the wife is making more money than the husband, meaning she could end up with higher Social Security benefits than her husband. And maybe men are starting to take better care of themselves physically and thus living as long as, if not longer, than their wives.

Why am I saying this? Because I’ve been getting more and more emails from men asking me about spousal and widowers benefits. Here are some examples.

Q: I am 62 years old. I’ve had jobs sporadically throughout my life. But most of the time, I stayed home to care for our children and later our grandkids. My 65-year-old wife is a doctor. She is about to retire her practice and she plans to file for Social Security soon afterward. I plan to file for mine at the same time. The work I’ve done over the years has earned me a very small Social Security benefit on my own. But I’m wondering if I will be due any spousal benefits on my wife’s record. If yes, can I file for my own benefits now -- and then when I reach full retirement age, switch to the higher spousal rate?

A: It sounds like you will be due spousal benefits on your wife’s record. But you must file for both your own retirement and spousal benefits at the same time. At 62, you will get about 75% of your full retirement benefit rate. And then that benefit will be supplemented up to around 30% of your wife’s full retirement age benefit. Or to put that another way, if 30% of your wife’s FRA benefit is higher than 75% of your own benefit, you’ll get the difference in a supplemental dependent husband’s benefit.

Q: My wife of 40 years sadly died last year at age 62. She was still working at the time of her death. I just turned 62 and am

thinking of retiring. I always made more money than my wife, so my Social Security benefit is going to be more than hers would have been. Would I possibly be due any benefits on my wife’s record?

A: Yes, you should be. You could employ what is normally referred to as the “widow’s option.” But of course, in your case, we’ll call it the “widower’s option.”

In the answer to the prior question, I told the husband who was due two benefits (his own and something off his wife’s record) that he could not file for one benefit and wait until a later date to file for the other one. That is because of Social Security’s “deemed filing” rule that essentially says when you file for one Social Security benefit, you are deemed to be filing for any and all other benefits you are due at the same time.

But that deemed filing rule goes out the window for widows and widowers. And so you have options. For example, you could file for widowers benefits now, and at your full retirement age, switch to 100% of your own benefit. Or you could wait until age 70 to make the switch and end up with about 130% of your retirement benefit.

And to help other widowers (and widows) with slightly different circumstances understand the rules, let me give some other examples of how this widow(er)s option might be used. Let’s say 62-year-old Jerry’s full retirement age Social Security benefit was $2,200 per month. And let’s say his wife, Carole’s, FRA benefit was $2,500 per month. And Carole died. Here are some options for Jerry to consider:

He could file for reduced widowers benefits now and get about 80% of her full retirement rate, or $2,000. Then at his full retirement age, he could switch to 100% of his FRA rate, or $2,200. Or he could wait until 70 and get an augmented benefit of about $2,860 per month.

Another option would be for Jerry to file for reduced retirement benefits first. He’d get 75% of $2,200, or $1,650 per month. And then at his full

retirement age, he could switch to 100% widowers benefits, or $2,500 per month. (There are no augmented widow(er)s benefits after FRA, so there would be no point in waiting until 70 to switch to widowers benefits.)

Q: I am a retired teacher in California. I never paid into Social Security but get a California teacher’s pension of $3,800 per month. My wife worked and paid into Social Security all her life. She gets a $1,900 Social Security benefit. I recently learned that because of some dumb pension offset law, I won’t get anything from my wife’s Social Security if she predeceases me. Can you explain this?

A: Yes, I can. The Government Pension Offset law just says that a non-Social Security retirement pension (like your teacher’s pension) will be treated the same way as a Social Security retirement pension. For example, if you were getting $3,800 in a Social Security retirement benefit, you never would be due widowers benefits on your wife’s record because your own retirement benefit is so much higher. The GPO law simply treats your teacher’s retirement pension the same way. Because it is so much higher than your potential Social Security widowers benefit, you would not be due that benefit if your wife dies before you do. * * *

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. (If ordering the “Simple and Smart” book from Amazon, click on “See all formats and editions” to make sure you are getting the 2024 edition.) Or you can send him an email at thomas.margenau@comcast.net. To find out more about Tom Margenau and to read past columns and see features from other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www. creators.com.

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

2. From Titus 1, Paul wrote that unto the pure, all things are ....? a) Righteous b) Worthy c) Pure d) Sanctified

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

4. In 1 Kings 21, who forbade Naboth to give his vineyard to Ahab? a) Jezebel b) Absalom c) Balaam d) The Lord

5. What Moabite woman became ancestress of King David through her marriage to Boaz? a) Sarah b) Ruth c) Rebekkah d) Rahab

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

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.

© 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

Is It Necessary To Stop Viagra After a Stroke?

DEAR DR. ROACH: My husband had a small stroke last spring, causing a minor loss of vision in his left eye. He is 81 and an otherwise active man. He has even been told by several doctors that he can drive.

One doctor told him to stop using meclizine and Viagra. Another physician said that he didn’t see a problem with taking the meds. Both physicians are very skilled. Whose advice should he follow? -- M.M.

ANSWER: A stroke is caused by the death of brain cells, most commonly due to poor blood flow in the brain, and it’s critical to avoid any medication that will increase the risk of stroke. Meclizine is an antihistamine medicine most commonly used for motion sickness and sometimes used for vertigo. Although it has been reported to cause blurry vision, the risk of taking meclizine in a person with a history of a stroke is minimal.

The situation with Viagra is more complex. A rare side effect of Viagra is nonarteritic anterior ischemic optic neuropathy (NAION), affecting one in every 10,000 people over 50. A person with a history of NAION should not take Viagra.

There isn’t good evidence that Viagra is dangerous for a person who had a stroke. One trial suggested that there was benefit in reducing the size of a stroke with Viagra. However, Viagra does lower blood pressure by a few points, so if your husband’s blood pressure is on the borderline, this might be an issue.

I can’t give you a definitive answer, but most authorities say that a man who is stable, has good blood pressure and is more than six months out from his stroke does need not stop Viagra.

***

DEAR DR. ROACH: At 75, I developed stress urinary incontinence, but in the past two years, it has become more uncomfortable. My urogynecologist has recommended a urethral bulking agent called Bulkamid. Are you familiar with this procedure? Can you give any insight on the pros and cons? -- M.F.

ANSWER: My preferred treatment for female stress incontinence are pelvic floor exercises, ideally with the help of a pelvic floor physical therapist, as this has a very high patient-satisfaction rate without the risk of medication or surgery. Unfortunately, they don’t work for everyone. In women well past menopause, I look carefully for evidence of vulvovaginal atrophy and consider topical estrogen.

If these low-risk therapies are ineffective, then a visit to the urologist or urogynecologist is in order. The most common treatments include surgery, such as the minimally invasive sling surgery, and also the injection of a bulking agent into the urethra, like Bulkamid. Comparing the two, surgery tends to have higher patient-satisfaction rates, but the injection is less invasive. It has good results for most women, although

sometimes additional injections are necessary (about 25% in a large study).

For younger women, especially those with fewer medical problems, surgical treatment is often recommended. For older women or those who aren’t in good medical shape (or who just want to avoid surgery), the Bulkamid injection is a good option. Your urogynecologist can explain why they recommended Bulkamid over a urethral sling procedure.

* * *

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

(c) 2024 North America Synd., Inc. All Rights Reserved

VETERANS POST  

by Freddie Groves

Small Punishments for Scammers

What always stands out, at least to me, are the low penalties for the criminals who steal from veterans and the Department of Veterans Affairs. The number of scams seems to grow, and one wonders if it’s because thieves don’t perceive there to be much punishment if they should be caught.

An example: A veteran threatened to blow up a VA medical facility. He verbally told the crisis line and even identified the person he specifically wanted to kill and when. He was found and arrested for making threats and even made additional threats after the arrest. Now, he hasn’t gone to court yet, but the evidence is pretty strong. Why, one wonders, would he only be in line for five short years in the slammer for such a serious offense? Yes, there could be a hefty fine, but it’s the time behind bars that would keep society safe.

Another example: There was the VA employee who stole prescription drugs that were mailed to VA patients. He knew where they were going, of course, since the drugs were shipped from the VA pharmacy and he therefore had the addresses. He and his pals would then break into the mailboxes to steal the drugs, which he would then sell for big profits.

I think about cancer patients when I learn of something like this, cancer patients who must have their drugs on time, not to mention the likely pain medications they need for relief. The main thief in this mail theft/drug scam only received a sentence of 42 months in prison; his scammer pals got sentences of 12 and 35 months. Not long enough, not nearly long enough!

Then there was the guy who convinced the VA that he was blind and therefore 100% disabled and was due some benefits. Turned out he had both a drivers license and a gun carry permit and could see well enough for those activities. Not so blind after all, but his soft-peddled punishment was just a few years of probation and some cash restitution.

So where is the deterrence to thieves and scammers when the punishment is so light? Our Justice system is badly broken.

* * *

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.

(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

-- by Jim Miller

Who Should Be Screened for Lung Cancer?

DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: Who should be screened for lung cancer and how is it covered by Medicare? I used to smoke but quit many years ago and am wondering if I need to be tested.

-- Just Turned 65

Dear Just Turned: Even if you haven’t touched a cigarette in decades, you could still be due for an annual lung cancer screening, based on new recommendations from the American Cancer Society (ACS).

The new guidelines state that adults ages 50 to 80 who currently smoke or used to smoke the equivalent of one pack a day for 20 years should get an annual low-dose computed tomography scan (also called a CT scan), no matter how long ago you quit.

ACS guidelines previously said that those who quit 15 or more years ago were in the clear. But new studies have shown that expanding screening eligibility saves lives, even among people who quit smoking years earlier.

Early Detection Saves Lives

Lung cancer is the deadliest cancer in the United States. According to the American Cancer Society, an estimated 234,580 new cases are expected to be diagnosed in 2024, and about 125,070 Americans will die from the disease.

Lung cancer can occur in anyone at any age, and the disease has been in the world since long before the invention of cigarettes. People who have never been exposed to tobacco smoke of any kind can still contract the disease regardless.

However, cigarette smoking has been labeled the top risk factor and is linked to about 80 to 90 percent of lung cancer deaths, and most people diagnosed with the disease are age 65 or older.

What makes lung cancer especially tricky is that it’s often symptomless until it’s at an advanced stage, when it’s harder to treat. Early detection can lead to a 20 to 25 percent improvement in survival rates, resulting in fewer deaths from lung cancer.

But a 2022 report from the American Lung Association found that only 5.8 percent of people eligible for lung cancer screening in the U.S. get screened, and the screening rate is as low as 1 percent in some states.

Screening & Coverage

If you fall into the population eligible for a lung cancer screening, start by speaking with your doctor, even if it’s been a long time since you smoked.

Medicare Part B will cover lung cancer screenings with a low-dose CT scan once a year for people ages 50 to 77 who are current smokers or quit in the last 15 years and have a 20-pack-year history. Patients must have an order from their doctor or health care provider and should not have symptoms of lung cancer.

A low-dose CT scan is a noninvasive test where you lie down and hold your breath while being moved through a doughnutshaped X-ray machine. The scan takes several X-ray images of the lungs and can help to identify possible abnormalities in the lung tissue.

There are some potential risks with

this screening, including the possibility of false positives, which can lead to more scans or possibly invasive procedures. According to the American Lung Association about 12 to 14 percent of lung cancer screening scans will have a false positive, which is about the same rate as with mammograms.

Fanfare for Fan Vase

Q: Enclosed is a photo of a piece of Quimper pottery that I purchased at a garage sale. It stands about 8 inches high and 6 inches wide. There is an opening that is divided into three compartments. Signed on the bottom are the words “Henriot Quimper France -- 337.”

I would like to know what this piece is. I have looked in many books -- general and specific ones -- about Quimper pottery, but have yet to find anything on this object. I thought it might be a vase, but it doesn’t hold very much water, and the water tends to run out if overfilled because of the downward angle of the sides.

I would like to know how old this piece is, and if it has any value.

A: You have a fan vase that was made by Henriot Quimper around 1925. The butterfly-feet base, floral trees, figure in blue pants holding a whip and four blue dots scattered on the side are typical of Quimper pieces.

Quimper faience was made in Quimper, Brittany, France, as early as 1600. From the early 19th century, the pottery was decorated with Breton figures and motifs in primary colors. Jules Henriot pieces have been made since 1884, and are very desirable. The mark you described was first used around 1922. Your vase is also called an eventail, a French word meaning fan-shaped. The vase was intended to hold short-stemmed flowers.

The value of your vase would probably be $175 to $200. ***

Q: This mark is on the bottom of a cut-glass pitcher that belonged to my grandmother. She bought the pitcher from a neighbor who was moving in 1944.

The pitcher stands about 8 inches tall and is decorated with swirling designs, faceted stars and fan shapes. The handle is notched.

My grandmother told me it was made during the Brilliant Period of cut glass. I keep it in a china cabinet, and it is in mint condition.

I plan to pass it along to my daughter and would like to have more information on the maker and value.

A: Your cut-glass pitcher was produced by T.G. Hawkes & Company in Corning, N.Y. The Brilliant Period of cut glass began in the late 1800s and ended just before World War I.

Hawkes & Company produced outstanding cut glass. It was favored by the White House, affluent American families and European royalty.

Your pitcher is circa 1900 and would probably be worth $150 to $175.

* On March 25, 2017, the world’s largest banana split made its debut in Innisfail, Australia. Concocted with 40,000 bananas, it stretched for an astounding 5 miles long. No word on the number of calories it contained.

* On March 26, 1971, East Pakistan declared its independence from Pakistan, forming Bangladesh, which started an eightmonth-long war between Pakistan and the newly-formed state. As many as 3 million people lost their lives in the conflict.

* On March 27, 1989, the groundbreaking soap opera “Generations” aired on NBCTV, making it the first U.S. African-American show of its kind. Focusing on the relationship between two Chicago families, one white and one Black, the series tackled difficult subjects, including sickle cell anemia, racial bias and hate crimes, but failed to find a wide audience and was canceled in 1991.

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

COPYRIGHT 2023 CREATORS.COM

* On March 28, 1949, English astronomer Fred Hoyle coined the term “Big Bang” during a BBC radio interview, though he also refuted the scientific theory, remarking in a later interview with the network that “the reason why scientists like the ‘big bang’ is because they are overshadowed by the Book of Genesis. It is deep within the psyche of most scientists to believe in the first page of Genesis.”

* On March 29, 1984, the city of Baltimore refused to replace its antiquated stadium, so the owner of the Baltimore Colts decided to up and leave the state. The team loaded up all their equipment into 15 trucks, moved to Indiana, and renamed themselves the Indianapolis Colts.

* On March 30, 1842, inhaled sulfuric ether was used as an anesthetic for the first time, by American surgeon Crawford Williamson Long, the first obstetric anesthetist, in Athens, Georgia. Long was also a cousin of Western legend Doc Holliday, and may have operated on Doc’s cleft lip.

* On March 31, 1923, the first dance marathon took place in New York City, with dance instructor Alma Cummings setting a new record at the Audubon Ballroom by hoofing it for 27 hours with six different partners. In just three weeks, her feat would be surpassed at least nine times across the U.S.

(c) 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.

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TRIVIANEWSFRONT™ PRESENTS

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1.Whohada#1hitin1961withthesardonic “Mother-in-Law”?

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2.Accordingtotheproverb,whatis“the motherofinvention”?

2.Accordingtotheproverb,whatis“the motherofinvention”?

3.WhatwastherealfirstnameofAfricanAmericancomedienneMomsMabley?

3.WhatwastherealfirstnameofAfricanAmericancomedienneMomsMabley?

4.Whatfilmactorwantedto in1987? ThrowMomma fromtheTrain

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1.Whohada#1hitin1961withthesardonic

Quimper faience was made in Quimper, Brittany, France.

The Brilliant Period of cut glass began in the late 1800s.

• By 1960, an estimated 30% of homes in Texas were air-conditioned, a higher percentage than any other place in the nation. In 1965 the Houston Astrodome became the world’s first airconditioned indoor stadium.

• Japan has the most air conditioners per capita, with 91% of households having AC. The U.S. comes in second with 80%. The only other country that comes close is South Korea with 86%. Saudi Arabia comes in at 63%, China at 60%, and all other countries fall far below that threshold. Regarding which country uses the most energy to power its collective air conditioners, that would be China.

FINAL FACTS

• Since 2000, over 95% of new U.S. homes come with air conditioning as standard equipment.

• The world’s largest HVAC (Heating, Ventilation, Air Conditioning) system is in the Holy Mosque in Mecca, Saudi Arabia. Designed to cool a space that gets up to one million visitors monthly, it's in a climate where temperatures often top 100°F.

• The smallest air conditioners are micro-units designed for use in prison cells, where they’re a perk given to VIP prisoners such as diplomats and international spies.

• Today the world’s largest producer of air conditioners is the Japanese-owned conglomerate Daikin, headquartered near Houston, Texas. It’s thought to be the third largest factory in the US, after Tesla in Austin and Boeing in Washington state.

• It’s estimated that there are now over one billion single-room air conditioners in homes, offices and apartments worldwide. 

and check this position over and over again until it feels more natural.