Tidbits of Ventura County

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TIDBITSÂŽ SNEEZES AT PEPPER by Janet Spencer

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It’s called the King of Spices for good reason. For centuries it served as the cornerstone for various economies and it inspired trade, conquest, and exploration in search of better trade routes and new supplies. It’s the world’s most traded spice, accounting for 20% of the entire spice trade. Come along with Tidbits as we discover that pepper is nothing to sneeze at! THE HISTORY OF PEPPER • The word pepper originated with the Sanskrit word ‘pippali.’ It went into the Latin language as ‘piper’ and WKHQ LQWR *HUPDQ DV ÂľSIHႇHU Âś 7KH ZRUG SHSSHU ZDV XVHG LQ D ÂżJXUDWLYH VHQVH WR PHDQ ÂľVSLULWÂś RU ÂľHQHUJ\Âś DV far back as the 1840s. Sometime in the early 20th century, it was shortened to ‘pep.’ • Pepper is one of the oldest and most important spices LQ KXPDQ KLVWRU\ 3HSSHU ZDV WKH ÂżUVW VSLFH WR PDNH LWV way into Northern Europe as the Roman Empire spread. Back in the days when salting was the only method of SUHVHUYLQJ PHDW SHSSHU ZDV YDOXHG EHFDXVH LW JDYH food added ‘pep.’ • Historians discount the myth that pepper was popular because it disguised the taste of rotten meat, saying that nothing can disguise the taste of rotten meat. Now you can buy a year’s supply of pepper for a few dollars, but it used to cost an ounce of gold to buy an ounce of pepper. THE ORIGIN OF PEPPER ‡ %ODFN SHSSHU FRPHV IURP WKH EHUULHV RI D WURSLFDO YLQH in the botanical family called Piperaceae. The pepper WKDW ZH VSULQNOH RQ RXU IRRG LV HQWLUHO\ GLႇHUHQW IURP WKH red peppers, bell peppers, chili peppers, and jalapeno peppers which come from the Capsicum family. Those are fruits, whereas black pepper is a berry. • Columbus, searching for a shorter route to the pepper VXSSO\ RI ,QGLD GLVFRYHUHG WKH 1HZ :RUOG %HFDXVH KH ZDV GHVSHUDWH WR ÂżQG SHSSHU HYHU\WKLQJ WKDW KH FDPH across which had a hot taste was dubbed “pepper.â€? 7KDWÂśV ZK\ WRGD\ ZH KDYH JUHHQ SHSSHUV DQG FKLOL SHSpers. • Black pepper grows best in moist tropical areas and LV QDWLYH WR VRXWKHUQ ,QGLD &XUUHQWO\ 9LHWQDP LV WKH world’s largest producer and exporter of pepper, producing 34% of the world’s supply. Other top exporters include India, Indonesia, Brazil, and Malaysia. ‡ 3HSSHU YLQHV JURZ XS WR IHHW P WDOO NLOOLQJ DQ\ WUHH WKH\ FODPEHU RYHU 2Q PRGHUQ IDUPV WKH\ DUH NHSW WR IHHW P WR PDNH KDUYHVW HDVLHU DQG WKH\ FOLPE up poles rather than trees.

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Tidbits® of Ventura County

TO YOUR GOOD HEALTH By Keith Roach, M.D. FOR HIGH CHOLESTEROL, STATINS ARE WAY TO GO --DEAR DR. ROACH: Last year, I told my doctor that I no longer wanted to take a statin drug. I had read so much about statins and am on meds for cholesterol and high blood pressure. I am 73, and other than having arthritis in my knees, I am not having problems. 0\ GRFWRU SXW PH RQ IHQR¿EUDWH , DP GXH IRU P\ \HDUO\ FKHFNXS LQ D IHZ PRQWKV DQG don’t really know yet how this is working on my cholesterol. I was wondering what your feelings are about this drug. -- RS ANSWER: I’ve written a lot about statins, which have been proven to save lives and reduce heart attacks in people with heart disease and also in some people at higher-than-average risk for heart disease. In contrast, although non-statin medications reduce cholesterol, they have not been proven to do what they are really intended to do, which is to prevent heart disease and death. , VXVSHFW WKDW PHGLFDWLRQV OLNH IHQR¿EUDWH GR KDYH D VPDOO EHQH¿W LQ SURWHFWLQJ WKH heart; however, I would not use them unless the side effects of statins made it impossible to take one. Often, people intolerant of one statin do well on another. For people at high risk, such as those with previous heart attack or known blockages, I would try a different class of medication. For people at lower risk, I would work on a diet proven to reduce heart disease risk, such as the Mediterranean diet, and encourage regular exerFLVH DQG XVH PHGLFDWLRQV VXFK DV IHQR¿EUDWH VSDULQJO\ RU QRW DW DOO

Another medication, ezitimibe (Zetia or Ezetrol), also lowers cholesterol but without convincing proof that it lowers heart disease risk. It may be that the mechanism by which statins reduce heart risk is not just through lowering cholesterol. Learn more about high cholesterol and how to control it in the cholesterol booklet. Readers can order a copy by writing: Dr. Roach -- No. 201W, Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a check or money order (no cash) for $4.75 U.S./$6 Canada with the recipient’s printed name and address. Please allow four weeks for delivery. *** DEAR DR. ROACH: I am 81 years old and in good health. I am 5 feet, 11 inches tall and weigh 168 pounds, the same as in 1950. My blood pressure and cholesterol are good on treatment, and my pulse is 62. I drink an energy drink three or four times a week after the noon meal, when I don’t take a nap and need to keep going. I am a farmer, and am active every day. Are these energy drinks harmful to me? -- L.M.W. ANSWER: The caffeine in one energy drink is about 160 mg per 16-ounce can, which is the equivalent of somewhere around a cup or two of regular coffee, depending on how strong you make it. That much caffeine doesn’t cause problems for most people, especially for those who are used to it. However, it also has 52 grams of sugar -- about 14 teaspoons. My advice is to stick with coffee. You will save money and reduce your sugar intake a lot. *** 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. To view and order health pamphlets, visit www.rbmamall.com, or write to Good Health, 628 Virginia Drive Orlando, FL 32803. (c) 2015 North America Synd., Inc. All Rights Reserved

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‡ (DFK YLQH becomes SURGXFWLYH after three or four years, and will bear IUXLW HYHU\ third year for PEPPER AS MEDICINE XS WR \HDUV $ JRRG YLQH ZLOO SURGXFH XS WR • Pepper decoctions are widely used in tradi SRXQGV NJ RI SHSSHUFRUQV DQQXDOO\ tional Indian medicine and as a home remedy The pepper comes from berries that hang in for relief from sore throat, throat congestion, FOXVWHUV Rႇ WKH YLQH OLNH WLQ\ OLWWOH JUDSHV Tree Removal Ć’ Palm Tree Trim & Removal and coughs. Piperine has some antimicrobial • Much of the world’s pepper is grown on Sprinkler Install & Repair Ć’ Stump Grinding properties, but at the concentrations present family farms in India and Malaysia where Hardscaping Ć’ Pavers Ć’ Shrub Removal ZKHQ SHSSHU LV XVHG DV D VSLFH WKH HႇHFW LV home-garden plots may yield only one or two Sod Installation Ć’ Pruning Ć’ Hauling small. Piperine also enhances energy metaboShaping Ć’ Fences Ć’ Landscaping SRXQGV WR NJ RI SHSSHU SHU \HDU OLVP LQ WKH ERG\ DQG KDV EHHQ VKRZQ WR KDYH Clean Up Ć’ Planting ‡ :KHQ PRQHWDU\ YDOXH LV FRQVLGHUHG SHSantioxidant and anti-carcinogenic properties. (805)390.4207 RSTreeService@ymail.com percorns are the most widely traded spice in It has been shown that piperine can dramatiInsured & Bonded Ć’ License #743725 WKH ZRUOG +RZHYHU LI ZHLJKW LV FRQVLGHUHG FDOO\ LQFUHDVH DEVRUSWLRQ RI YDULRXV QXWULHQWV slightly more chili peppers are traded than but when taken in large amounts it also has an peppercorns. LUULWDWLQJ HႇHFW XSRQ WKH LQWHVWLQHV PIPERINE ‡ 6RPH SHRSOH EHOLHYH SHSSHU FDQ KHOS FXUH ‡ 7KH FKHPLFDO LQ SHSSHU FDOOHG SLSHULQH SURYLWLOLJR ZKLFK LV D VNLQ GLVHDVH WKDW FDXVHV QRXQFHG 3,( SXU HHQ LV ZKDW JLYHV SHSSHU some areas of skin to lose its normal pigmenits bite. Each peppercorn is made up of about WDWLRQ WXUQLQJ LW ZKLWH LQ SDWFKHV 0LFKDHO ÂżYH WR VHYHQ SHUFHQW SLSHULQH ,WÂśV DQ LUULWDQW -DFNVRQ VXႇHUHG IURP WKLV DႉLFWLRQ $FFRUGand when it comes in contact with delicate ing to researchers in London, piperine can nasal passages, it causes a sneeze to clean it stimulate the skin to produce pigment. Topical out. Piperine stimulates mucous membranes WUHDWPHQW RI SLSHULQH FRPELQHG ZLWK XOWUD YLROHW and it is also a diaphoretic, meaning it causes light therapy is much better than the other SHUVSLUDWLRQ 7KHUHIRUH LI \RX KDYH D FROG DQG WUHDWPHQWV IRU YLWLOLJR eat a good peppery soup, it may help your • Piperine is a natural insecticide and can be congestion clear up. used in the garden. Mix a teaspoon full of PEPPER POPULARITY JURXQG SHSSHU ZLWK D TXDUW RI ZDUP ZDWHU DQG • Black pepper is the top selling spice in spray. America. ‡ 7KH YRODWLOH RLOV IURP EODFN SHSSHUFRUQV DUH • Americans consume 37 million pounds of used in the manufacture of perfume in order to pepper per year altogether. SURYLGH D ZDUP DQG HDUWK\ RGRU ‡ :RUOGZLGH FRQVXPSWLRQ WRWDOV PLOOLRQ pounds annually. ‡ 7KH DYHUDJH $PHULFDQ ZLOO VKDNH VHYHQ PICKS OF THE WEEK RXQFHV NJ RI JURXQG SHSSHU RQWR WKHLU “Cinderellaâ€? (PG) -- 'LVQH\ UHYLYHV LWV KLJKHVW SURÂżOH SULQfood at the table each year. cess in this live-action retelling that stays true to the essence PEPPER FACTS of (their version of) the original fairytale. The story is familiar, ‡ 6WXGLHV KDYH VKRZQ WKDW but helped along by stunning visual effects, costumes and set pepper stimulates the diSLHFHV DV ZHOO DV D ÂżQH SHUIRUPDQFH IURP /LO\ -DPHV 79ÂśV JHVWLYH WUDFW LQFUHDVHV WKH “Downton Abbeyâ€?) as the hardest-working princess. Cate appetite, and aids digesBlanchett, of course, has total control over her role as the evil tion. stepmother, and Helena Bonham Carter makes a cool fairy godmother. While Snow • Pepper starts losing White and others have had their warrior-princess makeovers in the past few years, LWV Ă€DYRU DV VRRQ DV LWÂśV Disney’s lavish live-action fairy tale doesn’t try to re-write the book on princesses. JURXQG EHFRPLQJ FRPSOHWHO\ Ă€DW LQ WDVWH DV Disney made an effort to be appealing to boy audiences with its recent successful WKH YRODWLOH RLOV HYDSRUDWH *URXQG SHSSHU princess-fable “Frozen,â€? but this Cinderella doesn’t shy from her DNA: She’s the should be kept in a tightly sealed container prettiest proto-princess around. Director Kenneth Branagh focused on getting the LQ WKH UHIULJHUDWRU WR SUHVHUYH LWV VSLFLQHVV classic elements right -- resetting the standard for super-pretty, enchanting romanti:KROH SHSSHUFRUQV RQ WKH RWKHU KDQG ZLOO cism and virtue. NHHS WKHLU Ă€DYRU IRUHYHU • Pepper should not be added before cook“Furious 7â€? (R) -- These guys have been pulling “one last jobâ€? for about four ing because it reacts to heat and turns bitter. movies now, but the whole crew of temperamental street racers (Paul Walker, Vin Instead, sprinkle it on as a garnish after the Deisel, Michelle Rodriguez, Tyrese Gibson, et al.) gets back into high-speed hijinks FRRNLQJ LV RYHU 7KLV LV ZK\ ZDLWHUV RႇHU WR ZKHQ D FUD]\ EDGDVV -DVRQ 6WDWKDP SXOOV VRPH HYLO SORW WKDW UHTXLUHV UHDOO\ SHSSHU \RXU IRRG DIWHU WKH PHDO KDV DUULYHG DW JRRG GULYLQJ WR IRLO 'ZD\QH -RKQVRQ UHWXUQV DV DJHQW /XNH +REEV DQG KDV IXQ \RXU WDEOH

body-slamming people and ad-libbing intimidating lines. I got what I wanted from ‡ *URXQG SHSSHU ZLOO QRW GLVVROYH LQ ZDWHU EXW it -- ridiculous and awesome stunts delivered completely without irony, though it’s ZKHQ GLVVROYHG LQ DOFRKRO LW TXDGUXSOHV LQ packaged in some silly stuff about characters I lost track of awhile ago. The movie does its duty in giving a good send-off pepper power. to characters that some audiences must have grown fond of. BAD LUCK ‡ (GGLH &ROOLQV ZDV DQ LQÂżHOGHU IRU WKH &KL“Love & Mercyâ€? (PG-13) -- Brian Wilson co-founded the Beach Boys, hit the top of the charts, made a beautiful mark on FDJR :KLWH 6R[ LQ WKH HDUO\ V +H KDG D rock history with his album “Pet Sounds,â€? and then lost himself to mental illness and drugs. This biopic doesn’t try to tell habit of sticking a piece of gum on the button his whole life story, but focuses on two time-periods: His ascension and creative peak in the ‘60s (played by Paul Dano on the top of his cap when he went to bat. If DW WKLV DJH DQG WKHQ MXPSLQJ WR WKH Âľ V ZKHQ D PLGGOH DJHG :LOVRQ -RKQ &XVDFN PHGLFDWHG DQG PDQLSXODWHG E\ D KH JRW WZR VWULNHV KH ZRXOG WDNH WKH JXP Rႇ psychiatrist (Paul Giamatti), falls in love (Elizabeth Banks) and tries to reclaim his life. Even for non-fans, the movie works WKH FDS DQG FKHZ RQ LW YLJRURXVO\ IRU D IHZ its drama and romance without smelling like another music history hero lesson. minutes for good luck. But one day teammate Ted Lyons secretly sprinkled pepper on “The Overnightâ€? (R) -- Two young married couples fall into funny situations after the kids are put to bed in this sitcommy WKH JXP MXVW EHIRUH (GGLH ZHQW WR EDW :KHQ romp. Alex and Emily (Adam Scott and Taylor Schilling) are a nice young couple who’ve recently relocated with their boy Eddie got two strikes, he started chewing. He IURP 6HDWWOH WR /RV $QJHOHV ,Q D VKRUW WLPH WKH\ PHHW IULHQGO\ .XUW -DVRQ 6FKZDU]PDQ ZKR LQYLWHV WKH QHZ QHLJKERUV spat— and then struck out. WR EULQJ WKHLU ER\ RYHU IRU IDPLO\ SL]]D QLJKW 7KLQJV JHW ZHLUGHU DQG ZHLUGHU DQG DV GULQNV Ă€RZ WKH\ OHDUQ DERXW .XUWÂśV hole-inspired artwork and more. It’s raunchy and surprising, but I’m not sure if the humor outweighs the crushing awkwardness. TV RELEASES “Lost In Space: The Complete Adventures with Limited Edition Molded Robot Packageâ€? “Clarence: Dust Buddiesâ€? “Big Bang Theory: Season 8â€? “Marvel’s Agents of S.H.I.E.L.D.: Season 2â€? “Marvel’s Agent Carter: Season 1â€? “Sleepy Hollow: Season 2â€? (c) 2015 King Features Synd., Inc.

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NOTEWORTHY INVENTORS... GORO YOSHIDA? GEORGE? • George’s hobby was photography. He was going on vacation and he wanted to take pictures. The problem was that it was the 1880s, the camera weighed 30 pounds (13 kg), and it took hours to produce a single photo. George GHFLGHG WR ¿QG D EHWWHU ZD\ • It took him three years to invent a better way. First he invented a dry glass plate instead of the wet glass plate; WKLV VLPSOL¿HG WKH SURFHVV 1H[W KH LQYHQWHG D ZD\ WR put the emulsion on paper instead of glass. This was a miraculous improvement, but professional photographers wouldn’t use it because you could see the grain of the paper through the photo, and glass was still superior. • So George began to market it to the amateur photographer. In 1888 his camera cost $25 at a time when a new suit cost $15, so sales were slow. Then he discovered cellulose. ‡ :LWK FHOOXORVH ¿OP WKH TXDOLW\ ZDV VKDUS WKH FDPHUD ZDV VPDOO DQG WKH SULFH was cheap. He began selling cameras that were pre-loaded with 100 negatives. People would take 100 photos and then return the entire camera to the company. The company would develop the negatives, print them out, re-load the camera with 100 more negatives, and return the entire package to the customer. • By 1896 he’d sold around 100,000 cameras. However, in 1900 he introduced a camera priced at $1 which was so simple even a child could take pictures. It was a sensation. • George decided the name of his company had to be short, simple to spell, easy to pronounce, and impossible to confuse with anything else. He came up with a QRQVHQVH QDPH WKDW ¿WV DOO WKHVH TXDOL¿FDWLRQV :KDWœV WKH FRPSDQ\ FDOOHG" ([WUD FUHGLW IRU NQRZLQJ *HRUJHœV ODVW QDPH DQG ERQXV SRLQWV IRU NQRZLQJ WKH name of the $1 camera.) Answer: Kodak, George Eastman, Brownie.

• In 1932 Germany released a new camera called the Leica. Billed as the best camera on earth, it caused a sensation in Japan. However, it sold for 420 yen at a time when 70 yen per month was considered high pay. • At the time, a man named Goro Yoshida had a job repairing motion picture cameras and projectors in Tokyo. He often traveled to China to buy parts he needed. One day a trader in Shanghai asked him, “Why do \RX FRPH WR &KLQD IRU FDPHUD SDUWV" <RXU FRXQWU\ EXLOGV EDWWOHVKLSV DQG DLUSODQHV ZK\ FDQÂśW \RX EXLOG FDPHUDV"´ ‡ ,QWULJXHG <RVKLGD GLVDVVHPEOHG D /HLFD FDPHUD H[DPLQLQJ LW FDUHIXOO\ He found it was made of ordinary materials, and he couldn’t understand ZK\ VRPHWKLQJ PDGH RI EUDVV DOXPLQXP DQG UXEEHU VKRXOG EH VR H[pensive. It made him angry. ‡ 6R KH ZHQW LQWR EXVLQHVV ZLWK WKH LQWHQWLRQ RI LQYHQWLQJ DQ DŕľľRUGDEOH camera. By 1934 he had a prototype. Yoshida named the camera and the company Kwanon, after the Buddhist goddess of mercy. He made three functioning prototypes, and then sold the company. The new owners offered the cameras for sale in 1935 at half the price of a Leica. ‡ 7KH QDPH RI WKH FRPSDQ\ ZDV VLPSOLÂżHG LQ VSHOOLQJ ZKHQ WKH FDPHUD was released to an English-speaking world. It’s pronounced almost the same, but the English pronunciation of the word means ‘a code of laws’ or ‘a set of fundamental principles.’ • Though he had long since left the company, by the time Goro Yoshida died in 1993 at the age of 93, the company he founded had become a multinational corporation that specializes in RSWLFDO HTXLSPHQW FRSLers, and computer printHUV :KDWÂśV LW FDOOHG" Answer: Canon.

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COOKING FOR PETS DEAR PAW’S CORNER: You’ve written often about cooking fresh, healthy (and safe) meals for pets, referencing cookbooks as guides for your readers to use. Those are great but now that so many of us are online, don’t forget that a lot of good videos are available for free that show how to cook IRU SHWV -HUU\ & LQ /DID\HWWH /D DEAR JERRY: You’re absolutely right -- there are numerous online resources for pet owners looking for great recipes for their dogs and cats. Cooking fresh food for pets does take extra time, and owners must be careful with the ingredients they use, from spices to additions like onions (which are poisonous to dogs). But giving your pet a fresh meal once or twice a week is a great addition to its diet. Some might even consider feeding their pet an exclusively home-cooked diet, but doing so does require a transition period to get used to cooking for one’s pet regularly and adjusting recipes for sensitive stomachs if needed. There are a lot of videos online showing ways for pet owners to cook for WKHLU SHWV EXW ¿QGLQJ WKHP FDQ EH D ELW RI D FKRUH <RX7XEH LV KRPH WR D ORW of these videos: For example, Google the Doggy Cooking Network, Salmon Pup Cakes for a demo of the YouTube-based series that features recipes for dogs. Or try Linda’s Pantry, another YouTube series, which outlines how to make a week’s worth of homemade dog food. As always when cooking fresh for your pets, review guidelines on what ingredients aren’t safe for them. And monitor your pet whenever you introduce any new food or treat. Send your questions about pet care to ask@pawscorner.com. (c) 2015 King Features Synd., Inc.

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“Thank Yous� to Summer Say, “thank you.� Those two important words are so embedded in our training as children that we pass the gesture of politesse to the next generation as part of the social drill. My mom was no exception. At a young age, she taught me to get in step every year when my Great-Aunt Miriam sent me a birthday card with crisp $1 bills inside, equal to my years. Since she lived miles away, I couldn’t just “say� thank you. Instead, Mom shared her stationery and showed me how to write, address and stamp a handwritten note to 916 Lyons Ave. Sure, it’s easier nowadays to say “thank you� with email or text. But the handwritten word does so much more. Expressing gratitude with pen on paper says something about how the thankful person went out of his or her way to do something extra special. That’s why Wendy Brown, former video producer and mom of three, is passionate about handwritten thank-you notes and started her inspiring blog and unique online paper-goods boutique dedicated to the art of handwriting (www.brownink.com). At the age of 5, her mom gave her personalized stationary, and she was hooked. To this day, her prized possessions are shoeboxes filled with letters to and from family, notes to friends and travel journals. “There has never been a more important time to slow down and relish the power in hand-

writing and the excitement of receiving a note, especially one that says, ‘thanks,’� she says. Here are two ideas for doing just that with young kids as they reflect and write personalized thank-you notes of appreciation to day-camp counselors, coaches, relatives and friends. Preschoolers: Set out a piece of paper, fold it in half, and let your preschooler stamp or attach stickers of images on the front side of the paper symbolic of things they enjoyed doing with the recipients, such as eating icecream cones, going to the beach or catching fish off a dock. Prompt your child to dictate a thank-you message that you write inside.

School-age: Young school-age kids will have fun choosing and printing out their favorite summer photos from your computer and gluing the small prints on paper. Encourage them to write words around each photo describing the activities they did together with the person they are thanking. Show them how to sign, address and stamp the envelope. *** Donna Erickson’s award-winning series “Donna’s Dayâ€? is airing on public television nationwide. To find more of her creative family recipes and activities, visit www.donnasday.com and link to the NEW Donna’s Day Facebook fan page. Her latest book is “Donna Erickson’s Fabulous Funstuff for Families.â€? Š 2015 Donna Erickson Distributed by King Features Synd.

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KC Exceptionalism --There is -- or was, if you listen to the stylings of Donald Trump -- such a thing as “American exceptionalism.â€? I GRQÂśW UHDOO\ NQRZ WKH WH[WERRN GHÂżQLWLRQ RI WKDW SKUDVH RU its etymology, but I’m pretty sure that American exceptionalism makes it OK if I don’t look it up and just go from the gut on this one. Here’s a story: There was a great restaurant in Kansas City, long since gone because maybe it wasn’t all that great, but one day the restaurant was pretty packed. In the door walks a notorious Kansas City football team executive and his exceptional new wife. He wants a table. His reservation, he is informed, isn’t for another 20 minutes. +H Ă€LFNV KLV OHIW DUP RXW DV LI KHÂśV SXOOLQJ D VZLWFKEODGH but it is not. It is an exceptional timepiece ... it’s Swiss, not American, but exceptional nonetheless. “Yeah, well according to my $20,000 watch,â€? he says to the hostess, “it’s right now.â€? The hostess blinks, so I cannot say that she did not bat an eyelash because she did. And she had long, black eyelashes. I’m guessing they were fake, but her response was pretty genuine classic. “Well ... I don’t have a watch on, and I can tell you that it’s always RIGHT NOW. And your table will be ready in 20 minutes. You’re welcome to wait at the bar.â€? He narrows his eyes and growls like cartoon villain, but he deserved that and so he retreats to the well-appointed bar. The football executive orders a Chardonnay. His wife looks at the cocktail board and inquires about a few of the drinks and their ingredients. “What is triple sec?â€? she asks the bartender. His name is Sean. He is the best in the business. Truly exceptional. “It’s three times the amount of normal sec,â€? he responds. The executive narrows his eyes again and purses his lips. The wife is bemused, waiting for the real answer I would think, but Sean doubles down. “Single sec is very weak. We won’t carry it here.â€? She gets the Cosmopolitan, and they both begin talking to other married couples, keeping Swiss time. Another bartender, Ally, is making a bright-red drink and conjuring up a name from Chiefs lore. “What’s that?â€? asks the football executive. “It’s the Len Dawson Cocktail,â€? replies Ally. “It’s one of our signature drinks.â€? “The Len Dawson!â€? the football executive narrows his eyes again. If he keeps that up, they’re gonna stay that way permanently. “Yep,â€? she says, dipping a straw into the pint glass, extracting a sample and offering it up to the football executive, who leans over in a tentative manner. “It tastes just like Len Dawson,â€? she promises. 7KH EDU KDV H[FHSWLRQDO PDUEOH Ă€RRUV 7KH\ÂśUH ,WDOLDQ It’s funny how you don’t notice them when you walk in, because you’re looking up, but when a football executive pushes backward on his barstool really fast, you can actuDOO\ KHDU WKH GLIIHUHQFH LQ WKH TXDOLW\ RI Ă€RRULQJ 7KH\ GRQÂśW even scratch. Timing is everything. Waiting for him at the end of the screech is the hostess, two menus in hand. No doubt, an exceptional time was had by all. Mark Vasto is a veteran sportswriter who lives in New Jersey.

• On Sept. 16, 1620, the Mayflower sails from Plymouth, England, bound for the New World. Along the way, the settlers formulated and signed the Mayflower Compact, establishing constitutional law and the rule of the majority, an important precursor to American democracy. • On Sept. 17, 1796, George Washington prepares a final draft of his presidential farewell address, officially announcing that he will step down as the nation’s first president. Rarely, if ever, in the history of Western civilization had a national leader voluntarily relinquished his title. • On Sept. 15, 1916, during the Battle of the Somme, the British launch a major offensive against the Germans, employing tanks for the first time in history. Some of the 40 or so primitive tanks advanced more than a mile into enemy lines. • On Sept. 20, 1946, the inaugural Cannes Film Festival opens in the resort city on the French Riviera. The outbreak of World War II had forced the cancellation of the inaugural Cannes festival in 1939. • On Sept. 19, 1957, the United States detonates a 1.7 kiloton nuclear weapon in an underground tunnel 65 miles north of Las Vegas. The test was the first fully contained underground detonation and produced no radioactive fallout. • On Sept. 18, 1960, Fidel Castro arrives in New York City as the head of the Cuban delegation to the United Nations. Castro’s visit was climaxed by his four-hour speech, a blistering attack on American “aggressionâ€? and “imperialism.â€? In January 1961, the U.S. severed diplomatic relations with Cuba. • On Sept. 14, 1975, Elizabeth Ann Seton is canonized by Pope Paul VI at the Vatican in Rome, becoming the first American-born Catholic saint. In 1797, Seton founded the Society for the Relief of Poor Widows with Small Children in New York. Š 2015 King Features Synd., Inc.

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• “When moving, use foam plates as separators for your dinner plates. Use kitchen towels to wrap serving platters. If you have a box that separates glasses, drop a spice jar into each glass. Use all the space, and you’ll have fewer boxes to move.â€? — P.L. in South Carolina • To remove stubborn hard-water deposits from a shower head (without removing it), use this trick: Add a cup of plain white vinegar to a zipper-top sandwich bag (or a larger bag with added vinegar to fit larger showerheads). Submerge the shower head in the vinegar and draw the plastic bag up tightly around the stem. Use a rubber band to secure the bag around the shower head. Leave overnight. Remove, scrub and shower to release the deposits. • Borax can be used to keep sidewalks free of weeds. Simply sprinkle a little Borax on the sidewalk and sweep into the cracks. This is a very effective weed killer, but it also will kill your grass if you use too much, so keep it in the cracks only! • “Have a stripped screw? Place a wide rubber band over the head and insert your drill. The rubber band fills in the stripped spots and makes the drill catch the screw. It works most of the time.â€? — D.D. in Nebraska • “Make audio recordings or short videos of you reading your children’s favorite books, then play for them when you are busy doing housework, working or cooking.â€? — K.A. in Oregon • If you have a sticky zipper, try running a candle along the zipper face, then zipping it up and down a few times. Send your tips to Now Here’s a Tip, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803. Š 2015 King Features Synd., Inc.

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(c) 2015 King Features Synd., Inc.

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*DPH &KDQJHUV by Jason Jenkins

Soft Toe Spinner Watching televised golf, you may hear a commentator mention that a player has “short sided” themselves, meaning they’ve missed the green on the same side as the pin. This usually creates a GLI¿FXOW VLWXDWLRQ LQ WKH SLWFKLQJ JDPH Yet, the player then plays a soft landing, spinQLQJ VKRW WKDW ¿QLVKHV a few feet away. While this shot seems like only the kind that tour players can produce, there are a few simple keys that may allow you to produce effective shots when you’ve missed the green on the “short side.” 1. Use the most lofted club in the bag (typically a lob wedge), and allow the face to be opened slightly at address. Turn clubface then take a normal grip. 2. The real trick is to place the ball of the toe side of the club, and attempt to strike the grass VOLJKWO\ ¿UVW VR WKH EDOO will hit the toe area. By hitting the high, toe area of the clubface, you’ll be more apt to produce a spinning, softer soft. 3. It helps to use a softer covered ball and newer wedges as well. Tour players have the advantage of both each week. Jason Jenkins was a 16-year member of the Jim McLean Golf School teaching staff and was one of GOLF Magazine’s Top 100 Teacher Nominees 1999-2010. He was named one of the Golf Digest Top Teachers in California in 2011. Contact Jason at 760-485-2452 or GHYJRO¿QVWU#JPDLO FRP

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TidbitsÂŽ of Ventura County

ALCATRAZ

"Alcatraz" is the Portuguese word for pelican; it comes from the word meaning the bucket of a waterwheel. ESCAPE FROM ALCATRAZ ‡ 7KH LVODQG RI $OFDWUD] R྾ WKH FRDVW RI &DOLIRUQLD QHDU 6DQ )UDQFLVFR ZDV ¿UVW used as a military fortress beginning in the 1850s. Then it was a military prison for years before becoming a federal penitentiary in 1934. The prison was closed in 1963 because it had EHFRPH WRR H[SHQVLYH WR RSHUDWH 1RZ LWœV D WRXULVW GHVWLQDWLRQ • Over the years, 36 prisoners were involved in escape attempts. Seven of those were shot and killed; two drowned; 22 were reFDSWXUHG DQG ¿YH UHPDLQ XQDFFRXQWHG IRU but are presumed to have drowned. One of the escape attempts served as inspiration for the 1979 movie "Escape from Alcatraz." • Guards on Alcatraz Island allegedly told SULVRQHUV WKDW WKH LVODQG ZDV VXUURXQGHG E\ VKDUNV ZKR KDG KDG WKHLU ULJKW ¿QV UHPRYHG VR that they could do nothing but swim in circles around the island. This was thought to deter prisoners from breaking out and swimming to the mainland. In truth, although there are sharks VZLPPLQJ LQ WKH ZDWHUV R྾ $OFDWUD] WKH\ DUH QRW WKH PDQ HDWLQJ YDULHW\ HYHQ ZLWK ERWK ¿QV • It’s about a mile and a half from the island to shore, a hard swim but by no means impossible. In fact, each summer 1,000 amateur athletes compete in the Escape From Alcatraz triathlon. First they swim the mile and a half (2.4 km) from Alcatraz Island. Then they take DQ PLOH NP ELNH ULGH WKURXJK *ROGHQ *DWH 3DUN DQG WKH\ ¿QLVK XS ZLWK DQ HLJKW PLOH NP UXQ WKURXJK WKH *ROGHQ *DWH 1DWLRQDO 5HFUHDWLRQ $UHD FAST FACT • During the years Alcatraz was used as a federal prison, the average length of stay IRU DQ LQPDWH ZDV ¿YH \HDUV FAMOUS INMATES • A total of 1,545 men served time on Alcatraz, the most famous of which was Al Capone, who was incarcerated there for four and a half years. Capone was transferred to Alcatraz from the SHQLWHQWLDU\ LQ $WODQWD *HRUJLD EHFDXVH KLV ¾IDPLO\œ PHPEHUV PRYHG LQWR D KRWHO QH[W WR the prison and communicated with him constantly, allowing him to continue to run his crime organizaWLRQ LQ &KLFDJR 2Q $OFDWUD] KH ZDV FXW R྾ IURP this contact. Capone behaved so well at Alcatraz that he was allowed to play the banjo in the inmate band, called WKH 5RFN ,VODQGHUV ‡ 5REHUW 6WURXG ZDV FRQYLFWHG LQ RI KDYLQJ PXUGHUHG a bartender when he was 18 years old. He was sent to LeavHQZRUWK ZKHUH KH SURYHG WR EH D GLྜFXOW DQG WURXEOHVRPH prisoner. He killed a guard and was sentenced to death, which was commuted to life without parole. • At Leavenworth he rescued a small injured bird which sparked a lifelong love of birds, especially FDQDULHV +H UDLVHG WKHP ZURWH DERXW WKHP DQG FRUUHVSRQGHG ZLWK H[SHUWV %XW ZKHQ SULVRQ RྜFLDOV GLVFRYHUHG WKDW VRPH RI WKH HTXLSPHQW KH RUGHUHG VXSSRVHGO\ IRU KLV ELUGV ZDV LQVWHDG EHLQJ XVHG WR EXLOG DQ LOOHJDO PRRQVKLQH VWLOO KH ZDV WUDQVIHUUHG WR $OFDWUD] +H VSHQW WKH QH[W \HDUV WKHUH EHfore being transferred to a prison in Missouri, where he died in 1963. Although he was never allowed to keep birds while imprisoned at Alcatraz, he still became known as the Birdman of Alcatraz. ‡ 5REHUW 6WURXG ZDV GHQLHG SHUPLVVLRQ WR VHH WKH PRYLH VWDUULQJ %XUW /DQFDVWHU WKDW ZDV EDVHG on his life.

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