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I’m feeling the buzz with my trendy scalp
BY DAVID LEIBOWITZ
Tribune Columnist
Let the record show that in mid-April 2022, I became incredibly hip according to the style gods at the New York Times. My secret? The shaved head I have been sporting since I lost a bet in 1999. In a story headlined, “Shaved Heads Have People Buzzing,” Times fashion and beauty scribe Kristen Bateman declared, “There’s plenty of evidence that the shaved head is the first trendy cut of 2022.” It’s about damn time you people – of all conceivable pronouns – finally caught up with yours truly. The Times story focuses mostly on women who have opted for the clippers set to stubble, including my fellow style icon, 29-year-old Rita Melssen, who “shaved her head on a whim and now changes the color from icy white to light pink as it grows out.” Me, I prefer a natural salt-and-pepper hue, kept baby soft with some Head and Shoulders. “I walk through the world very differently with a shaved head as opposed to a head of long curly hair like I had before,” says Melssen. “I feel more powerful and graceful. There is a purity and a fierceness to it. It’s like I am peeling back a layer so that you can see a deeper part of me.” Exactly! I, too, am like an onion, constantly peeling and evolving, revealing new and previously hidden depths. Also, the guys at the Russian barbershop over on Camelback Road can knock out my haircut in 12 minutes, leaving extra time for me to work on my power and grace. I’m not kidding about having lost a bet and paying with my hair. I was hosting a radio show on KTAR in January 1999 when my alma mater, Florida State, came to town to play in the Fiesta Bowl for the college football national championship. I felt so confident the Seminoles would beat Tennessee, I bet a caller “if FSU loses, I’ll get my head shaved right here on the air.” Yes, it was a jinx. Yes, Tennessee won 2316. Yes, I paid up. Back then, Mesa was home to a seminotorious hair stylist, Kat Gallant, who cut hair in lingerie and ran for governor unsuccessfully in 1998. Kat shaved my head on air. I’ve never grown it out, maybe because I agree with recent crewcut convert Joseph Charles Viola, who told the Times, “Life was weighing me down, and I thought my hair could take some of that weight off for a bit.” You said it, Joseph Charles. I feel positively spritely every couple of weeks after a trip to the barber. Even more so after he kneads my shoulders for 30 seconds with that electric sander/jackhammer thingy. The Times story reports that a shaved noggin “has history, with roots in mourning, religion, rebellion and even ostracism. That history is also what makes the cut empowering and provoking all at once.” As an added bonus, my ex-girlfriend told me, “I think that short hair makes your nose look smaller.” All male cis-gender kidding aside, a shaved head is worlds easier to manage than my old daily ritual involving a blow dryer and a dab of styling gel. My hair used to take five minutes a day. That’s 30 hours a year and when I was done, I still looked like a schlub with a side part. Nowadays, my hair takes 11 seconds to style with a towel – and I’m a trendsetter. Getting a buzzcut may not have meant as much to me as it did to Camille Rogers, but I cannot disagree. “Every time I shave my head, I feel like a weight has been lifted,” reports Rogers. “A new wave of confidence washes over me because I feel like a badass when I’m bald.” ■
April 27 is Stop Food Waste Day
BY HILLARY BRYANT Tribune Guest Writer
Food takes up more space in U.S. landfills than anything else. Waste Not’s primary mission is to reduce food waste from local businesses and use this rescued food to feed people in need. But we also care about the impact of home food waste on our environment and household food budgets. The average American family of four throws out $1,600 each year in produce alone and 43% of annual food waste happens right at home. As we celebrate Earth Day and strive to be better stewards of our resources, let’s all pledge to participate in Stop Food Waste Day on April 27. Here are some simple ways Waste Not suggests that every household can use to cut back on food waste:
• Plan your meals and buy groceries
accordingly! Don’t buy perishable things you don’t have scheduled to eat that week – even if they’re on sale. Stick to your shopping list. Take a quick inventory of your pantry and fridge before you head to the store so you don’t make the mistake of duplicating items you already have. • Use clear food storage containers in your fridge so that you can actually see what leftovers are waiting to be eaten. Try to put the things that need to be eaten first at eye level. Factor using dinner leftovers for lunches into your meal plan. • Control your portions. Take a smaller portion to start with and go back for seconds if you’re still hungry. Extras then become left-overs instead you can store or freeze instead of waste that’s scraped off plates into the trash. If you have extras you don’t plan to eat soon, freeze them in a reusable container and label with a description and date so you remember to use it for a future meal.
• Choose one dinner each week as
a “use-it-up” meal. Check your fridge and cupboards for leftover ingredients that can be turned into tasty meals. There are even free apps that can help you come up with ideas based on your list of ingredients. • Understand food product dates. Confusion over them account for about 20 % of consumer food waste. “Best if Used By” is a standard phrase manufacturers use to indicate when a product will be at its best flavor and quality – but the product is still safe to consume after that date. “Use Buy” is generally reserved for things that are highly perishable or have food safety concerns over time.
Hilary Bryant is executive director of Waste Not, a nonprofit that for 35 years, has been matching nutritious prepared and perishable foods from local food business like caterers, resorts and event foodservice that would otherwise go to landfills with nonprofits that feed people in need of food. Last year, Waste Not
rescued nearly 3.5 million meals. ■
THE MESA TRIBUNE | APRIL 24, 2022
Disney’s world is looking more like Goofy
BY J.D.HAYWORTH Tribune Columnist
Mickey Mouse has turned Leftist Louse…due to circumstances beyond his control, and the long love affair that Disney has enjoyed with almost every American family appears headed for the rocks. The company has chosen to go “woke,” and that decision could conceivably leave the entertainment giant broke.
Television helped make the biggest Disney dream a reality. Walt worked out a deal with ABC to finance his Orange County, California, theme park in exchange for a Disney-produced program.
Television made Walt Disney himself a “star.” For 12 years, first on ABC, then on NBC— as the Disney anthology series made the move in 1961 to become “The Wonderful World of Color”—Walt was a weekly presence in American homes. Baby Boom kids came to regard him as a virtual “member of the family.”
The Disney brand, “post-Walt,” was in some ways initially even “more Walt.” His older brother Roy O. Disney, co-founder of the company, worked to maintain a “Main Street” perspective, demonstrating his own allegiance to family values by insisting that the new theme park in Florida, carry the name of his late brother.
Company leadership remained in the family, but inevitably there was a “family feud.” Walt’s son-in-law, xx-Southern Cal and LA Rams football player Ron Miller, was initially part of a “management trio,” then became Disney president and CEO in 1980.
Disagreements with Roy’s son, Roy E. Disney, prompted Smith’s ouster in 1984 in favor of yet another management trio, but this troika consisted of non-Disney Executives, and the firstamong-equals who eventually emerged was Michael Eisner.
Eisner led Disney for 21 years. Most notable during his tenure was Disney’s merger with ABC. Bob Iger succeeded Eisner, and enjoyed 15 years at Disney’s helm. Iger led Disney’s acquisition of most of the studio film operations and assets of 21st Century Fox in 2019.
In late February 2020, Disney announced that Iger would be succeeded as CEO by Bob Chapek. Chapek now runs things – and seems intent on running the studio right into the ground.
With each executive transition, Disney itself has transitioned. The “House of Mouse,” primarily offering family entertainment for much of its history and has finally “gone Hollywood,” both politically and culturally.
What began under Eisner and grew under Iger has now blossomed under Chapek. Disney is in the process of discovering that it has a bumper crop of “stinkweed” American families will avoid.
Journalist Christopher Rufo obtained several clips of Disney’s “Reimagine Tomorrow” video conference in late March, which was convened as “all-hands meeting” for the company concerning the Florida parental rights bill.
Not only did Disney Execs falsely characterize the legislation as the “Don’t Say Gay” bill, many spoke in favor of propagating the LGBTQ+ agenda, expressing the goal that future Disney productions should strive to insure that at least half the characters are gay, lesbian, bisexual, transgender, queer, or something other than heterosexual. Our nation’s founders rallied around the cry “no taxation without representation.” Today, American families are calling for “no sexualization without maturation!”
Gov. Ron DeSantis signed the parental rights Bill into law and substantial majorities of both Florida Republicans and Democrats support it. They do not want children from kindergarten through third grade introduced to sexual subject matter in their schools.
Moreover, a Trafalgar Group national poll, conducted the first week of April, found that nearly 70 percent of likely voters are less likely to do business with Disney upon hearing of its focus “on creating content to expose young children to sexual ideas.” Memo to the new Disney CEO: if you continue down this wayward woke path, at least change your company logo. Spare our memories of Mickey. Replace him with Goofy. ■
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Neuropathy Is Often Misdiagnosed
Muscle cramping, difficulty walking, burning, tingling, numbness, and pain in the legs or feet are symptoms of neuropathy people live with every day,” explains Dr. Kerry Zang, podiatric medical director of CIC Foot & Ankle. “The thing is PAD has very similar symptoms. So similar that in many cases, people are told it’s neuropathy when it may not be.”
Medicine is often prescribed. “Pills aren’t a cure, they just suppress the symptoms,” says Zang. “If neuropathy isn’t causing the symptoms, the real problem could get worse.”
It’s important to determine if PAD (peripheral artery disease) is causing the pain or making it worse. PAD is plaque in the arteries which causes poor circulation. “Blood brings oxygen and nutrients to your feet which they need to stay healthy,” explains Zang, “When your feet aren’t getting an adequate supply, they start sending signals.” Those signals include pain, burning, tingling, numbness, or cramping.
The good news is PAD is treatable in an office setting. Dr. Joel Rainwater, MD endovascular specialist explains, “We go into the bloodstream to find the blockage using imaging guidance. Then with small tools that can go into the smallest arteries, remove the blockage, and restore blood flow.”
Getting the proper diagnosis is the first step to getting better. “It’s all about finding out what’s causing the problem,” says Zang. “When your feet burn, tingle, or feel numb, it’s your body telling you it needs help, and you should listen.”
If your neuropathy medication is not working, your symptoms may be an indication of another condition.
For golfers, a stiff big toe can make their game suffer.
HELP!
Y / N
Don’t wait for your feet to yell at you. If your feet hurt, they are talking to you. Our doctors can help tell you what they are saying.
Does foot pain prevent you from doing your favorite activity? Do you have burning or tingling in your legs or feet? Do you have leg or foot cramps with activity or at rest?
If you’ve answered “yes” to any of these questions, call our office today to see how our doctors can help.
(602)954-0777 azfeet.com
Dr. Kerry Zang • Dr. Shah Askari • Dr. Dan Schulman • Dr. Kim Leach Dr. Barry Kaplan • Dr. Jeff Weiss • Dr. Patrick Gillihan
Stiff Joints Interfere with Everyday Living
One in 40 people over the age of 50 may find themselves limiting their activity because of a condition called hallux rigidus. It’s a degenerative disease of the big toe joint. As it progresses, the pain in the joint increases and motion decreases.
“People don’t realize the impact their big toe has on their life. It plays a role in balance, shock absorption, and forward movement as you walk,” explains Dr. Daniel Schulman, of CiC Foot & Ankle. “When the joint is stiff, it’s not able to bend and rotate properly, and it changes how we walk without us even realizing it.” These changes can lead to back or knee pain as well as discomfort in other parts of the foot.
“It always concerns me to hear that someone is playing less golf or staying home because they’re in pain,” says Schulman. “There are ways to help.” The goal is to protect your feet from the repetitive stress of everyday activities. “We have several treatment options to not only relieve foot pain but help improve how your feet work. If we can help your feet function better, in many cases the need for surgery can be avoided or at the very least postponed,” says Schulman. “Patients are always happy to learn about ways to alleviate their symptoms.”
