Vol. 19: #7 • Carousels • (2-12-2023)

TIDBITS HOPS ABOARD THE

Sliding Doors

by Kathy Wolfe

If you've ever wondered how the merry-go-round you’ve enjoyed riding at a carnival got its beginnings, you’ve come to the right place. This week Tidbits goes ‘round and ‘round, with these facts and more -- all about carousels!

• You might be surprised to learn that carousels didn’t get their start as a source of amusement, but rather as a deadly serious military training method. During the 12th century, they were fastrotating platforms used for training mounted warriors. In fact, the Spanish and Italian words “garosello” and “carosella” translate “little war.”

• Battlefield soldiers in combat training would ride on side-hanging saddles carrying spears, and would practice their skill in aiming the lance and ramming the point through hanging metal rings. The training included competitions and jousting exercises, all designed to improve their deadly accuracy in battle.

• The first known carousel specifically made as

“Nobody picks on a strong man.” Those are the words of Angelo Siciliano, better known as Charles Atlas. Tidbits invites you to explore the life of this unique man and famous bodybuilder.

• Angelo was born in Italy in 1892, and immigrated with his family to New York City via Ellis Island at age 11. By age 16, he had dropped out of school and was a leather worker in the City, making ladies purses.

• As a small and weak adolescent, Angelo was the perfect target for bullies. He later described himself as a “97-lb. weakling” who had sand kicked in his face while at the beach. At age 15, after he was attacked and severely beaten by a neighborhood thug, he resolved to make a change in his life.

• After viewing a statue of the Greek hero Hercules at a local museum, Angelo purposed himself to improve his physique. He was too poor to join the local YMCA, so he watched how exercises were done, then did them at home. He practiced gymnastics, calisthenics, and lifting weights to make his body stronger, but the result was only sore muscles and no improvement in his size.

• A trip to the zoo changed all that. As Angelo watched a lion in his cage, he was struck by how the huge animal sustained a muscular physique while confined to a cage with no exercise. Then he observed the lion rise and stretch its body. It was a process of pitting one muscle against another to create tension. He went home and began working on a system of exercises that required no equipment but one’s own body.

first bodybuilding correspondence course, assisted by a health and fitness doctor. Atlas called his training manual “Health & Strength by Charles Atlas,” and included his exercise regimen along with advice on diet, grooming, and personal behavior.

• The demand was incredible, and in 1928, he worked with a Madison Avenue advertising exec, Charles Roman, who coined the phrase “Dynamic Tension” for Atlas’ mailorder program. The first ad mirrored Atlas’ adolescent experience of having sand kicked in his face, with strip ads in comic books and pulp magazines appealing to young males. The ads pictured the “puny” weakling having his girl stolen by a bully. After completing the Atlas program, the now-muscular young man kicks sand in the face of the bully and wins the girl back. Within months, Atlas and Roman were millionaires.

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Final Changes DUE:

• Atlas heightened his popularity by executing feats of strength, including pulling six cars chained together for half a mile, and towing a railroad engine along the tracks with a rope. The heroic Atlas rescued occupants of a small boat that had drifted a mile off the New York shore by swimming to the craft, tying a rope around his waist, and swimming back to shore, towing the boat behind him.

• Charles Atlas was the model for 45 sculpted works across the nation, including that of George Washington in New York City’s Washington Square and Alexander Hamilton at Washington, D.C.’s Treasury Building.

• Atlas died at age 80 of a heart condition in December 1972. Boxing champions Max Baer, Rocky Marciano, and Joe Louis were among his loyal followers. □

1. ART: Where is the Prado Museum located?

2. GEOGRAPHY: What is the only country that the Equator and the Tropic of Capricorn pass through?

3. LANGUAGE: What does the Latin phrase “tempus fugit” mean?

4. MATH: What is another name for the division sign?

5. MUSIC: How long did it take singer Bob Dylan to write the big hit “Blowin’ in the Wind”?

6. ANIMAL KINGDOM: How many times on average does a ruby-throated hummingbird flap its wings in one second?

7. MOVIES: Which movie features the line, “Keep the change, ya filthy animal”?

8. LITERATURE: Which novel features four children named Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy?

9. TELEVISION: What is Joey’s famous line in the sitcom “Friends”?

10. ANATOMY: What is a common name for the pinna in human anatomy? Answers

1. Madrid, Spain.

2. Brazil.

3. Time flies.

4. Obelus.

• A couple of local contests brought Angelo into the spotlight, first when he was named “America’s Most Handsome Man” in 1921, and “America’s Most Perfectly Developed Man” in 1922. After years of attending Coney Island’s strongman shows where he instructed men about their diet and exercise regimens, Angelo took a performance role in the park’s Circus Side Show, demonstrating feats of strength.

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Final Changes DUE:

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

ROUND AND ROUND

Bill LeGrave

Rolfing in the Desert (3 of 6)

1/8 pg BW 6x disc.

• In 1922, after being told numerous times by friends that he resembled the statue of Greek hero Atlas that stood atop a Coney Island hotel, Angelo legally changed his name to Charles Atlas. Later that year, he began marketing his

January 15, 2023 Vol. 19 - No. 3

carousel in the world can be found in Hanau, Germany. Completed in 1780, it was built as entertainment for Prince Wilhelm IX, and was originally driven by a

Talks About Rolfing

and Flexibility

Rolfing® is a system of deep connective tissue manipulation and education in new movement patterns that guides the body toward anatomical order of increased balance and length, centering it around its vertical axis. Rolfed persons generally experience a marked increase in Flexibility by:

A: The physical manipulation of fascia, freeing layers of muscles that have become stuck to one another, and lengthening the myelin sheathing-enclosed muscle, which often become shortened with misuse and trauma.

B: By aligning the body in its most structurally sound arrangement, Rolfing® allows each muscle to do its designated job and not be forced to overwork to compensate for a body dragged down by gravity. Still the only Rolfer in the Coachella Valley.

Bill LeGrave

®

a public amusement ride in the U.S. was in Salem, Massachusetts in 1799. It was known as the “wooden horse circus ride” and the “Trojan Circus Ride.”

• They gained more popularity as an amusement activity in the early 1800s. At first, they were powered by humans, horses, or donkeys, but it wasn’t long before steam became the choice for power. Later, the steam-operated calliope was used to add festive music to the riders’ experience.

• Publicity for the carousels of the 1800s was boosted by endorsements from physicians who recommended rides as an aid to health, touting their contribution to improved blood circulation and heart health.

• The wooden horses typically weigh about 100 pounds Weight varies on the other types of mounts, including zebras, tigers, pigs, dragons, lions, and unicorns.

• Stationary chariots were added to the platform around 1900, which allowed ladies to ride comfortably in their bulky skirts without having to climb up and straddle a horse.

• Carousel animals fall into three categories, based on their stance. “Standing” animals have at least three of their feet on the platform, while “prancers” have their two front feet in the air and two back feet on the platform. “Jumpers” have all four feet in the air as if they are running. Each carousel has a “lead horse.” You can find it by looking for the fanciest and most adorned horse, always in the outer row.

• Coney Island’s first amusement ride was a carousel installed in a bathing pavilion in 1875. An 18-year-old German immigrant was a woodcarver in a furniture factory, who began carving horses in his spare time. He approached William Vanderveer who owned several bathhouses and a three-story hotel, and convinced him to install a carousel in plain

view on Ocean Parkway. It became an instant success. By 1905, there were 24 carousels at Coney Island.

• That young German immigrant was named Charles Looff, and after his first effort at Coney Island, Looff went on to hand-carve horses for 40 carousels between 1876 and 1916, about ten of which still survive. His creations were quite elaborate, with gold and silver ornamentation, sparkling mirrors and jewels, and horse manes and tails made with real horse hair.

• Although the majority of old carousels are located in the eastern United States, one of Looff’s creations still operates at Riverfront Park in Spokane, Washington. In 1909, Looff’s daughter lived in Spokane, where her husband owned Natatorium Park, a swimming venue and amusement park. Her father gifted her with a carousel of 54 horses, a giraffe, a tiger, a goat, and two chariots, all hand-carved. A 1900 German organ provided the festive music to accompany the ride. The carousel remained in operation there until the facility closed in 1968. It was later moved to Riverfront Park in time for Spokane’s World’s Fair in 1974.

The U.S. Post Office has honored the carousel by issuing two commemorative postage stamps, the first in 1988, and again in 1995.

• East Providence, Rhode Island, is home to the Crescent Park Carousel, another Looff creation, with its 61 horses in operation since 1895. Three of his carousels survive in California, at least two in Rhode Island, and others in Massachusetts, Connecticut, New York, and Ontario, Canada.

• North America’s oldest, continuously-operating amusement park is located in Bristol, Connecticut. Lake Compounce, which opened in 1846, is home to a Charles Looff carousel that was built in 1898, and was moved to the park in 1911. A revolutionary new feature was added at that time, a cam-operated mechanism that enabled the horses to travel up and down as the carousel rotated.

• Coney Island’s Dreamland Park, home to many carousels, was hit by fire the day before its Memorial Day seasonal opening in 1911. More than 400 New York City firefighters battled the blaze, but within four hours, the park was reduced to burnt timbers and ashes, a loss of more than $5 million (equivilent to about $156,000,000

today).

• The B&B is the only survivor of all of Coney Island’s carousels. Built in 1906, it features 50 hand-carved horses and two chariots. Thirty-six of the horses are connected to brass poles and

Carousel: Turn to page 15

QUIZ BITS

1. How long does a ride on Disney's World's Prince Charming Regal Carrousel typically last?

2. Which of the carousel animals go up and down?

(Answers page 16)

2.What

Carousel: (from page one) 1.VERNALEQUINOX

NUGGETS OF KNOWLEDGE

A new type of carousel debuted in 1994, one consisting of only endangered species from Southeast Asia. Dugon, cassowary, tapir, and cheeta are just a few of the species that revolve around the platform at the Fort Wayne, Indiana Children's Zoo.

By Lucie Winborne

* When a man noticed that his food supply was mysteriously diminishing he set up a webcam, only to discover that a woman had been living in one of his closets -- for a year!

* During Spain’s colonial period, the builders of Filipino churches used millions of egg whites in the mortar to make the structures more durable. This also accounts for why Filipino desserts often use lots of eggs: Many of the recipes were developed to use up all those leftover yolks.

* A service operated in several Chinese cities that we’d like to see replicated in America is that of “jam busting.” Drivers stuck in traffic snarls who urgently need to be somewhere make a phone call and two people show up on a motorbike. While one stays with the driver’s car, the other transports the frustrated driver to their destination.

* According to the American Kennel Club, dogs will fake a sneeze for play and communication purposes.

* Iceland has the largest population of green-eyed people in the world.

* Modern negligence law resulted from a 1932 Scottish court case, Donoghue v. Stevenson, aka the “Snail in the Bottle” case, in which Mrs. May Donoghue sued beer manufacturer Mr. David Stevenson after she drank a bottle of ginger beer with a dead snail in it and became ill. ***

Thought for the Day: “History, despite its wrenching pain, cannot be unlived, but if faced with courage, need not be lived again.”

- Maya Angelou

(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

by Mary Hunt

10 Ways to Say ‘I Love You’ That Don’t Cost a Dime

Long ago in my stupid days, I went nuts with credit cards. I ran up a six-figure debt over a 12-year period. I did pay all of it back plus interest and fees, and it was anything but easy. I’m still shocked and embarrassed I let it happen.

by Mary Hunt

The funny thing is I didn’t make any really huge purchases. I didn’t max out a $10,000 credit limit with a single purchase or anything that extravagant. It was just a constant accumulation of smaller purchases exposed to doubledigit interest rates and sloppy money management. The truth is I five- and ten-dollared myself and my family into a kind of financial death.

In love, it’s the little things that add up, too. But in a good way. Sure, the big efforts are appreciated, but quite frankly, it’s the little day-today things we do that make a difference.

I’m not going to discourage you from buying your beloved flowers or making his favorite meal and serving it by candlelight in the bedroom. Not me! But I do have a few suggestions for things you can do that will score big in the “Little Things Do Count” department.

No. 1: Get the kids dressed so your spouse can spend an hour in the bathroom by herself. Tell her at least a little bit ahead of time so she can enjoy the anticipation as well.

No. 2: In an uncharacteristic move, take out the trash even though you’ve received no reminder and there’s still a little room left. Repeat often.

No. 3: Clean up, fix or install whatever it is you’ve been promising but haven’t gotten around to. Write up your intention in a gift certificate indicating the estimated date of completion.

No. 4: Tuck a love note into his pocket when he’s not looking that tells him you can’t wait to see him tonight.

No. 5: While he’s in the shower, stick a mushy post-it note to him on the mirror.

No. 6: Go to a fancy card shop and read valentine messages to each other. Go for the po-

etry and sonnets. The more romantic, the better.

No. 7: Hand over rights to the remote control for one entire week. Put it in writing.

No. 8: Leave a recording of “your” song as a voicemail. If you don’t have a song, Joe Cocker’s “You Are So Beautiful to Me” is bound to get some attention. Hint: Slydial is a voice messaging service that connects you directly to someone’s mobile voicemail. Pretty sly, huh? It’s free in exchange to listening to a short ad. Dial 267-759-3425 from any landline or mobile phone. At the voice prompt, enter the U.S. mobile phone number of the person you want to slydial. You will be directly connected to the person’s voicemail. Leave a voicemail, then sit back and wait for the response.

No. 9: Make arrangements with a neighbor, friends or relatives to take the kids so you can have a romantic night alone.

No. 10: Write a history of your romance and courtship in the third-person and tuck this special valentine under her pillow.

There you go -- 10 ideas for how you can celebrate this season of love without breaking the bank. Don’t see anything that appeals to you? That’s OK. At least I got you thinking about it.

* * *

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 2023 CREATORS.COM

• The world’s oldest carousel can be found in Hanau, Germany. Completed in 1780, it was built as entertainment for Prince Wilhelm IX, and was originally driven by a horse and mule navigating together hidden under the carousel. The ornate platform with its 12 wooden horses and four chariots is housed in a columned Greek pavilion atop a hill in an historic spa garden. Although it stopped operating in the 1930s, it was restored and reopened as a public attraction in 2016.

• One of the fastest carousels is a 1920 creation located on the shores of Lake Erie near Ohio’s Cedar Point Amusement Park. It’s known as the Cedar Downs Racing Derby and is unusual in the fact that the 64 horses change speed, imitating a horse race. Only two of these racing carousels exist in the United States. It’s one of the fastest carousels in the world, with a maximum speed of 15 mph.

• The oldest galloping carousel in the world had its beginnings in Bressoux, Belgium, where Belgian craftsmen created La Galopant with its 24 jumping horses and two exquisite stationary benches in 1885. It remained there until 1964, when it was brought to New York City for the World’s Fair as part of the Belgian Pavilion.

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• Another World’s Fair, Expo 67 in Montreal, Canada, took ownership of La Galopant in 1967, placing the carousel in the Expo’s amusement park, La Ronde, located on an island in the St. Lawrence River. Strangely enough, the carousel disappeared after the Expo, re-surfacing three years later in a badly damaged condition. After a complete restoration, it was returned to La Ronde. The Six Flags Corporation purchased the ride in 2003, giving it a $1 million refurbishment before placing it in a new landscaped garden in

2007.

• Two different New England carousels claim to be the nation’s oldest, oddly enough, both with the same name. The Flying Horses carousel in Oak Bluffs, Massachusetts, on Martha’s Vineyard, is the oldest “platform” carousel, meaning the horses are mounted on a wooden platform. It’s been in operation since 1876, but only since 1884 in Massachusetts. This carousel with its 20 hand-carved horses originally sported real horse hair manes and tails was located on Coney Island’s boardwalk.

• Westerly, Rhode Island, is home to another Flying Horses carousel, also in operation since 1876. It’s the oldest carousel with horses suspended from a center frame. As the carousel rotates, centrifugal force pushes the horses outward, making them truly “flying horses.” It came to Westerly via a traveling carnival in 1879, and remained when the carnival had to leave it behind.

• Walt Disney World’s Prince Charming Regal Carrousel (spelled in the French version with two r's, as Disney wanted to keep true with the French-inspired story) was built in 1917 for Detroit’s Belle Isle Park and operated under the name Miss Liberty with a red, white, and blue color scheme. When the Park went bankrupt, the attraction was moved to Maplewood, New Jersey’s Olympic Park, one of the most popular amusement parks on the east coast. The park, which had opened in 1887, was severely vandalized in 1964, which created a serious reduction in earnings, forcing the park to close the following year.

• After repairs and renovation, the carousel was installed at Fantasyland for Disney World’s 1971 opening. It’s the Park’s oldest attraction, pre-dating Disney World’s opening by more than 50 years. No two of the 90 horses are exactly alike. □

SOLAR PANEL DOCTORS

by Dana Jackson

Q: Will there ever be another season of “Lucifer”? If not, is the lead actor going to be in anything else? I really enjoyed him. -- P.J.

A: “Lucifer,” starring Tom Ellis, was picked up by Netflix after it was canceled by Fox after three seasons. It was wildly popular on the streaming service and ended up surviving three more seasons, but a seventh is not in the works.

Ellis has two upcoming projects on Hulu. The first is “Washington Black,” with Sterling K. Brown (“This Is Us”), which is a limited series about a young boy living on a 19th century sugar plantation. Ellis will play an eccentric inventor. He also just signed on for another upcoming series on Hulu with Emma Roberts (“American Horror Story”), a romantic dramedy titled “Second Wife.”

Q: Whatever happened to romantic comedies? I miss the movies that starred Meg Ryan, Julia Roberts or Sandra Bullock with a leading man. -- A.L.

A: Your best bet for romantic movies are during the months of February and December, but they’re mostly on television. However, with the recent box-office success of “Ticket to Paradise,” which starred Julia Roberts and George Clooney, you could be seeing more rom-coms at the local moviehouse.

This month, on the small screen, there are several movies that might appeal to you, such as

“Sweeter Than Chocolate,” which premiered on the Hallmark Channel on Feb. 4. It’s about a local chocolatier rumored to have the recipe for true love, and it stars Eloise Mumford (“Chicago Fire”) and Dan Jeannotte (“The Bold Type”). Over on Netflix, Reese Witherspoon and Ashton Kutcher star in “Your Place or Mine,” which focuses on two friends who swap homes for a week. Currently, on Amazon Prime Video, you can stream Jennifer Lopez and Josh Duhamel’s “Shotgun Wedding,” which isn’t your typical lighthearted rom-com -it’s also an action thriller.

As for Meg Ryan, she’s returning to her roots in her upcoming film “What Happens Later,” in which she not only stars but also directs. Ryan plays Willa to David Duchovny’s (“The XFiles”) Bill; they’re former lovers who meet for the first time in years while stranded overnight at the same airport. An official release date hasn’t been announced, but expect to see it in theaters sometime this year.

***

Q: My nephew wants to work in the film industry, but doesn’t want to move too far from family. I told him that many shows are filmed in Georgia. Where can we find a list of them? -- P.A.

A: Yes, it used to be that you had to

live in Los Angeles, New York or Chicago if you wanted to work in the television and film industry. Now, a few more geographical options are available, like Vancouver, Canada, and Atlanta. Prolific writer and producer Tyler Perry even opened his own studio lot in Atlanta, helping to contribute to the billions of dollars in revenue that the entertainment industry has brought to the state. Other shows that film in Georgia include Netflix’s “Stranger Things,” AMC’s “Fear the Walking Dead” and ABC’s “Will Trent.”

A good resource is the website www.georgia.org/industries/film-entertainment/georgiafilm-tv-production. * *

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

(c) 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

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

1. Avatar: The Way of Water (PG-13) Sam Worthington, Zoe Saldana

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

2. Puss in Boots: The Last Wish (PG) Antonio Banderas, Salma Hayek

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

3. Pathaan (NR) Shah Rukh Khan, Deepika

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

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

6. Resident Evil: The

Final Chapter (R) Milla Jovovich, Iain Glen

7. Sing (PG) animated

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

9. The Space Between Us (PG-13) Gary Oldman, Asa Butterfield

10. xXx: Return of Xander Cage (PG-13) Vin Diesel, Donnie Yen © 2017 King

Good News. Anywhere. Anytime.

Padukone

4. A Man Called Otto (PG-13) Tom Hanks, John Higgins

5. M3GAN (PG-13) Allison Williams, Violet McGraw

6. Missing (PG-13) Tim Griffin, Ava Zaria Lee

7. Plane (R) Gerard Butler, Daniella Pineda

8. Left Behind: Rise of the Antichrist (PG-13) Kevin Sorbo, Mary Armstrong

9. Infinity Pool (R) Alexander Skarsgard, Mia Goth 10. The Wandering Earth 2 (NR) Andy Lau, Jing Wu © 2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

Good Recipes from Crispy Spiced Duckling

It tastes as good cold as it does hot, which is why so many of us bring it to tailgate parties and picnics as an alternative to chicken. A spicy dry rub of red pepper, fennel, cloves and ginger flavors the duck quarters overnight, then they’re roasted to crisp perfection.

2 medium green onions

2 teaspoons salt

1 teaspoon crushed red pepper

1 teaspoon fennel seeds, crushed

1/4 teaspoon ground cloves

1/4 teaspoon ground ginger

1 (4 1/2-pound) duckling, fresh or frozen (thawed)

1 tablespoon soy sauce

2 tablespoons honey

with paper towels.

3. Rub duckling quarters with green-onion pieces; discard green onions. Then, rub duckling with spice mixture. Place duckling in large bowl; cover; refrigerate overnight.

4. About 2 1/2 hours before serving or early in day: Place duckling quarters, skin-side up, on rack in 15 1/2-by-10 1/2-inch roasting pan. Roast in 350 F. oven 2 hours.

5. About 15 minutes before duckling is done, brush with soy sauce, then honey; continue roasting until duckling is golden and tender. Serve duckling hot with Plantain Chips. (To serve duckling cold, cover and refrigerate duckling.)

Serves 4.

in tightly covered container at room temperature until ready to serve. Serves 4.

 Each serving: About 250 calories, 11 g fat, 0 mg cholesterol, 70 mg sodium.

* * *

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

(c) 2023 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved

Final Changes

 Each serving: About 510 calories, 40g fat, 119mg cholesterol, 1,410mg sodium.

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Plantain Chips

1. Day ahead: Cut green onions into 2-inch-long pieces; crush with side of knife. In small bowl, mix salt, crushed red pepper, fennel seeds, cloves and ginger.

2. Remove giblets and neck from duckling; refrigerate to use in soup another day. Cut duckling into quarters; trim excess fat and skin. Rinse duckling with running cold water; pat dry

1. In 3-quart saucepan over medium heat, heat 1 inch salad oil to 375 F. (Or heat oil in electric skillet set at 375 F.)

2. Remove peel from 2 unripe plantains. With vegetable peeler or knife, slice plantains into paper-thin slices. Fry a handful of plantain slices at a time, about 30 seconds, or until golden and crisp. With slotted spoon, remove slices to paper towels to drain. Sprinkle with salt. Repeat with remaining slices.

3. Since Plantain Chips are not served hot, it is not necessary to keep them warm. Store

The future looks bright

Donald Duck by Walt

Tidbits Word Search

Cody’s Corner

Dog Talk with Uncle Matty

By Matthew Margolis

Comfort Dogs

Creators

Petting a dog makes people feel better. It’s not in our heads, and it’s not wishful thinking on the part of dog lovers. It’s science.

Petting a dog decreases levels of stress hormones, regulates breathing, lowers blood pressure and releases the hormone oxytocin, which is associated with bonding and affection. Medically speaking, people who pet dogs literally feel better.

But the comfort provided by dogs is not limited to the passive act of standing to be pet. Psychologist Debbie Custance of Goldsmiths College, University of London, led a study to determine whether dogs actively show empathy. Working from the observation that “dogs are social creatures that respond to us quite sensitively, and they seem to respond to our emotions.” Custance asked volunteers “to either pretend to cry or just ‘hum in a weird way,’” according to National Geographic, who reported on the study.

The response blew everyone away.

Pretty much every single dog approached the criers, showing concern and making an effort to tend to them, even if they were perfect strangers. The hummers went unnoticed.

These are just some of the canine qualities that led people like Tim Hetzner, leader of the Lutheran Church Charities K9 Comfort Dogs team, to come to see dogs as “counselors with fur.” Hetzner and his team of 10 specially trained golden retrievers and their handlers traveled from Addison, Ill., to Newtown, Conn., the day after a shooter invaded Sandy Hook Elementary, killing 20 children and six adults and haunting an entire community.

Hetzner says the dogs “have excellent listening skills, and they demonstrate unconditional love. They don’t judge you or talk back.”

Turns out the “not talking back” bit is huge. According to Hetzner, “The biggest part of (the dog handlers’) training is just learning to be quiet.”

Custance underscores that point. “When humans show us affection, it’s quite a complicated thing that involves expectations and judgments,” she told National Graphic. “But with a dog, it’s a

Cody's Corner: Turn to Page 10

SENIOR NEWS LINE

by Matilda Charles

Lowering Our Drug Costs

I got a shock the other day when I went to the pharmacy to pick up the latest refill of my three prescriptions. I realized that the pharmacy assistant had neglected to run it through GoodRx, the program that helps reduce the price of our drugs. Once he did that, to my great relief, the cost dropped significantly.

It made me realize just how much other seniors are paying for the prescription meds that we need to stay healthy. There are ways to cut those costs. It just takes a little work and a lot of monitoring on our part to make sure it happens.

As mentioned, there’s GoodRx (www. goodrx.com), which I’ve used for several years. Their website isn’t the easiest to use, but after you try it once, you’ll appreciate being able to cut the costs of your drugs every time you need a refill. There are other ways to be aware of as well:

RxAssist (www.rxassist.org) has programs that are run by the pharmaceutical companies to

help those who can’t afford their needed prescriptions. If your drugs cost more than $10, present your RxAssist card to get the lowest price. Check the website for a long directory of patient assistance programs. Beware that some programs involve a small fee to be a member and many have eligibility requirements.

Consider Walmart pharmacies for their generic program. A 30-day prescription will cost $4 and only $10 for a 90-day prescription. Not all generic drugs will qualify for those prices, but it’s worth making a call to your local Walmart pharmacy to find out if your drugs are on that list.

NeedyMeds website (www.needymeds. org) was started by a physician in 1997 to help gather information about reduced drug and health care costs. The website says over $337 million has been saved so far since the program's inception.

And finally, check the prices at Mark Cuban’s Cost Plus Drugs (costplusdrugs.com). For some drugs, this one is the lowest of all. (And, yes, it's the same Mark Cuban that you see on the "Shark Tank TV series, and owner of the Dallas Mavericks pro basketball team).

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.

Final

(c) KingFeaturesSyndicate

of extra-large framed artworks can either hang on the walls or rest against them.

Cody’s Corner (from page 9) very uncomplicated, nonchallenging interaction with no consequences. And if you’ve been through a hard time, it’s lovely to have that.”

Therapy dogs have long made their mark in hospitals and nursing homes around the world. They draw smiles and forge bonds in programs developed for at-risk children. They aid in the rehabilitation of prisoners and the healing of soldiers suffering from PTSD. They calm the anxious and give confidence to the blind. And they provide comfort in times of tragedy.

It seems so simple, doesn’t it? A friendly approach, a patient presence, a quiet sounding board, a soft coat, a cold nose.

Sometimes simple can be so powerful.

Woof!

* * *

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

by Joseph Publillones

Artfully Placing Your Art

No design project is quite finished without art. It’s the final touch, like putting on jewelry. The selection of art is truly personal. Much like beauty, it is the eye of the beholder that qualifies art as meaningful or valuable.

Are there correct ways to hang art? Well, yes and no. Some think there are rules to be followed, while others feel rules are to be broken. Conventionally, art may be placed above a couch or at eye level. But so what? Ultimately, placing your coveted works of art is itself an art. It’s as much a form of self-expression as is the art being displayed. So let loose! Here are a few ideas to inspire you:

Framed photos in black and white on the walls of an all-white foyer can be quite dramatic when there’s a black-and-white floor underfoot. Add a splash of an unexpected color in an upholstered bench or chair and it’ll be a winning room.

Another sophisticated idea is to place framed engravings in all sizes and styles above a beautiful antique chest topped with a lamp and other objets d’art or maybe a silver or cut glass bowl. The style will ooze over even the most jaded guest.

Hallways can be interesting and functional for home galleries. A row of pictures across a long wall calls out: “Slow down! Look at me!” A mix of art and mirrors in a cluster or geometric arrangement warrants attention and can sometimes enhance a space that’s devoid of architectural interest. If your halls have tall walls, a pair

Living rooms and dining rooms are the rooms where art is center stage. In your living room, rather than place a painting above the couch as expected, why not rest two paintings on a ledge behind the sofa? This is not only chic but also offers a very relaxed attitude about living and can be changed at whim to allow the room to always have a fresh feeling. Similarly, a symmetrical play of mirrors and art can act almost as windows to a room. This optical composition adds sophistication.

Dining rooms can offer the best place for a captive audience to admire your collected works of art. A single large painting can offer a very sumptuous background, but up the ante and do a gallery wall. Create a mix with personality by hanging works of different mediums, sizes and genres to entertain diners for hours and hours.

In bedrooms, select art that is, above all else, unobtrusive and tranquil. Generally, the expected place for art in the bedroom is the wall on which the bed rests, above the headboard. It is OK to forgo that expected location in favor of the side walls or the wall across from the bed beside -- or in place of -- the ubiquitous television.

Final Changes

Finally, bathrooms are also a place for art. A single portrait on a wall can do the job, but why not consider a whole series of identically framed paintings or engravings or mirrors? Hung gridlike on the wall, they’ll give that WOW factor to a sometimes boring space. * * *

Joseph Pubillones is the owner of Joseph Pubillones Interiors, an award-winning interior design firm based in Palm Beach, Florida. His website is www.josephpubillones. com. To find out more about Joseph Pubillones and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

The Art of DESIGN

YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY

by Tom Margenau

Message to Homemakers: Building Up Your Own Social Security Might Not Be Worth It

I will occasionally get questions, almost always from women who spent much of their adult life as homemakers and are now approaching their senior years, who tell me that they plan to get a job to start building up their own Social Security. My usual message to them is that it’s probably not worth it. I’ve saved up some questions about this topic and will answer them today.

Q: I am 60 years old. My husband is 65 and plans to start his Social Security when he is 67. I worked a few years after I got out of school. But after we got married, I stayed home for the next 35 years raising our kids and maintaining our household. I have 28 Social Security credits and know I need 40 to qualify for benefits. I am planning to get a job to earn the 12 extra credits I need. Is this a good idea?

A: Well, if part of the reason you are thinking of working is to get out of the house and earn a little extra money, then of course you should go for it. But if you are doing so just to build up your own Social Security, then it’s probably not worth it.

Why? Because you’re always going to get more money as a dependent wife (and someday as a dependent widow) on your husband’s Social Security record. I’ll use a little example to explain this in more detail.

Let’s say your husband’s benefit is going to be $3,000 per month. When he files at 67, it sounds like you’ll be 62. If you file for spousal benefits then, you’d get an amount equal to about one third of his rate, or $1,000.

Now let’s say you did work and earn the extra 12 credits you need. Because you’d have the bare minimum of 40 credits, that will translate into a very small Social Security retirement check for you. My guess is you might get $150 per month. So, when you reach age 62, you’d get about 70% of that, or $105. Then you would get $895 in spousal benefits to take you up to the $1,000 wife’s rate you are due.

In other words, you’d end up with the same $1,000 Social Security check each month. Working and paying taxes and acquiring those extra 12 Social Security credits nets you nothing extra, so why do it? (Again, unless you just want to get out of the house and work and make some money on your own.)

Q: I am a 45-year-old stay at home mom. I’m married to a 55-year-old well-paid lawyer, and we are secure financially. My kids are now old enough to be on their own. So, I’m thinking of getting a job because I’d like to have my own Social Security someday. However, our accountant says it’s not worth it because I’ll always get higher Social Security benefits from my husband. What’s your take on this?

A: Part of my message to you is the same as the first answer. (Do you want to get out of the house? Do you want to work and earn some money on your own? etc.)

However, my Social Security message is a little different in your case. Even if you work for

the next 15 years or so, there’s still a pretty good chance you’d end up getting higher spousal benefits on your husband’s account.

However, there are a couple other issues to consider. One of those is your long-range health. If you should happen to become disabled before reaching your senior citizen years, you wouldn’t be due any spousal benefits until you are 62. Or to put that another way, there is no such thing as a Social Security benefit for a disabled wife who is under 62. But if you do take a job, after five years you would be eligible for Social Security disability benefits on your own record if something were to happen to you. With your husband’s big income, that’s maybe not too important. But it is something to think about.

The other issue involves future widow’s benefits. Given the difference in your ages, it’s likely that someday your husband will die before you do. As I said about spousal benefits, even if you worked for the next 15 years, you would never make enough to exceed in retirement benefits what you would be due as a widow on your husband’s account.

But there is a flip side to that argument that might cause you to consider working for Social Security purposes. Widows who have their own Social Security account have an option they sometimes can use. They can take reduced benefits on one record and later switch to higher benefits on another record. For example, if your husband dies when you are 62, and assuming you do work for the next 15 years or so, you could get reduced retirement benefits on your record and then at age 67 switch to 100% widow’s benefits on your husband’s record.

Q: My husband and I have owned and run a small restaurant for the past 25 years. I do all the cooking. He helps out in the front of the place and does all the marketing and bookkeeping. We both just turned 62 and are thinking about retiring. So, we finally started paying attention to the Social Security statements we get annually, and I was surprised to learn that my husband is scheduled to get $2,850 at his full retirement age and I’m scheduled to get nothing because I supposedly don’t have the minimum of 40 credits. I’m so confused because we have been filing a joint tax return for years.

How did the government mess this up? And how do we correct this mistake?

A: The government didn’t mess anything up. Your husband (the bookkeeper) did. I have written many past columns about how mom comes out on the short end of the Social Security stick in a mom-and-pop business. And how that happens is that all the earnings from the business get recorded under the husband’s name and his Social Security number.

For self-employed people, filing a joint tax return has nothing to do with the assignment of earnings and credits for Social Security purposes. What does that is a tax form called the “Schedule SE.” And I will bet my next pension check that if you go back and look at your tax returns, you will see that your husband’s name and Social Security number is the only one listed on that form. So, he got all the earnings, and you got zilch.

And as pointed out in prior answers, at this stage in your lives, there is no point in trying to do anything about this. You are going to end up getting higher spousal benefits on your husband’s record than you would ever be able to get on your own account -- even if you were able to file amended tax returns for whatever period of time the IRS might allow you to go back and change the records.

If you have a Social Security question, Tom Margenau has the answer. Contact him 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 Eliab is in the a) Old testament b) New testament c) Neither

2. From Genesis 21, who was the commander of Abimelech's army? a) Amron b) Benaiah c) Sisera d) Pichcol

3. Saul consulted a medium wanting to talk to whose spirit? a) Goliath b) Moses c) Samuel d) Solomon

4. Which natural disaster occured only once in the Bible? a) Earthquake b) Flood c) Drought d) Windstorm

5. Who was known as the "Weeping Prophet"? a) Jeremiah b) Nathan c) Job d) Daniel

6. Who was the mate of Rachel? a) Ananias b) Boaz c) Issac d) Jacob

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

Inc.

2023 King Features Synd., Inc.

day with ibuprofen (the most I can tolerate being 200 to 300 mg a day).

How much aspirin is OK to use in this way? -- J.B.

VETERANS POST  

Bariatric Surgery Can Be Considered to Keep Weight Off

DEAR DR. ROACH: I have had a BMI over 40 for the last 20 years, and I have not been able to lose weight or keep the weight off. My doctor prescribed Ozempic, which is helping, but as soon as I stop, all the weight creeps back on in a few weeks.

I was always wary of surgery for weight loss, but recent studies seem to indicate better long-term health outcomes. What are your thoughts? -- S.O.

ANSWER: Medical or surgical treatment for weight loss is not right for every person who is overweight. Many people take medications in the class called glucagon-like peptide-1 agonists, which includes semaglutide (Ozempic and Wegovy), liraglutide (Saxenda and Victoza) and tirzepatide (Mounjaro). But these medicines have the potential for harm, and an individual’s risks, especially conditions that can be affected by being severely overweight or obese, need to be carefully considered.

Surgery has far more risks than medication and requires the most careful consideration before receiving a recommendation of bariatric surgery, of which there are many types.

I am much more likely to refer a patient to one of my colleagues in bariatric surgery when a patient is very obese and when there are clear medical issues that I can expect to get better with surgery. These medical issues can include diabetes, obstructive sleep apnea, or nonalcoholic fatty liver disease. Most of the time, these conditions can be well-managed without bariatric surgery, but sometimes management is very difficult. In this case, consideration of bariatric surgery is worthwhile.

Bariatric surgery is never the first choice in weight management. A comprehensive lifestyle intervention -- with an individualized diet (ideally recommended by an expert such as a registered dietician or nutritionist), moderate exercise (with a goal of 150 minutes per week minimum), and regular meetings to help keep a person on track -- is the right place to start. It is effective for many people if they maintain the behaviorial changes.

I have been prescribing some of my patients with the GLP-1 or GLP-1/GIP medications with good results, but as you mention, if you stop taking them, they stop working. Unless you make a dramatic change to your lifestyle that you can keep up, the weight will return.

Bariatric surgery does have very strong long-term weight-loss data, as well as dramatic reductions in diabetes when used for the appropriate people.

***

DEAR DR. ROACH: My shoulder pain seems to be getting worse (lack of cartilage), and it is interfering with sleep. I haven’t taken any pain medication for it, but I read that the best relief is from either aspirin or ibuprofen. I’d like to switch them back and forth -- maybe two to three days with aspirin, then one

ANSWER: I recommend against the combination of a medicine like ibuprofen (or naproxen, like Aleve) and aspirin. They have similar toxicities and work nearly in the same way, so you don’t get much more, if any, pain relief and instead increase the risk of kidney and stomach damage.

by Freddie Groves

Fast Help for Suicidal Veterans

Proof:

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

The combination of aspirin or an antiinflammatory drug like ibuprofen with the drug acetaminophen (Tylenol) is commonly used and can lead to improved pain relief without a big toxicity risk when taken in the recommended doses.

* * *

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.

Veterans FLAGS FLAGPOLE SALES & VETERAN Owned Business

to the Loma Linda VA Hospital USA States Foreign Military & Religious Flagpoles- Residential & Commercial (760) 343-1175 John Cuddihy We’re Near! I-10 & Monterey in Thousand Palms • Delivery Available

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

It has a very long title, but a short, concise purpose. The Veterans Comprehensive Prevention, Access to Care, and Treatment Act of 2020, or the Veterans COMPACT Act of 2020, section 201, allows eligible suicidal veterans to go to an emergency room for help. This opens the door for 9 million veterans to get the care they need.

But the scope is much wider. An acutely suicidal veteran can go to not only a Department of Veterans Affairs emergency room, but any emergency room.

The VA will pick up the tab, at no cost to the veteran, for inpatient or crisis residential care for up to 30 days and then outpatient care for up to 90 days, as well as any necessary transportation. The veteran doesn’t need to be enrolled in VA health care.

After getting that care, they’ll determine eligibility for any other VA services and benefits and refer the veteran to appropriate programs.

Even though the VA believes that there are 9 million veterans who can take advantage of this, if necessary, there are a few eligibility requirements. Veterans must have been discharged or released from active duty after serving more than 24 months, and leave under conditions other than dishonorable.

Eligible individuals are former members of the armed forces (including reserves) who served more than 100 days “under a combat exclusion or in support of a contingency operation either directly or by operating an unmanned aerial vehicle from another location” and again, be discharged under conditions other than dishonorable.

And thirdly, former members of the armed forces who were the victims of sexual assault or sexual harassment are eligible.

If you or someone you know needs help, there are a number of ways to get it. Go online to www.veteranscrisisline.net and view the choices. You can call them by dialing 988 and then pressing 1. You can chat online at that website. Or you can text a message to 838255. Help is available 24/7 from qualified, trained people.

Or, per this Act, help is as close as the nearest emergency room.

* * *

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.

-- by Jim Miller

How Much Do You Have to Make to File Taxes?

DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: What are the IRS income tax filing requirements for retirees this tax season? My income dropped significantly when I retired in 2022, so I’m wondering if I need to even file a tax return this year.

-- Recent Retiree

Dear Retiree: Whether or not you are required to file a federal income tax return this year will depend on how much you earned last year, as well as the source of the income, your age and filing status.

Here’s a rundown of this tax season’s IRS tax filing requirement thresholds:

For most people, this is pretty straightforward. If your 2022 gross income – which includes all taxable income, not counting your Social Security benefits, unless you are married and filing separately – was below the threshold for your filing status and age, you may not have to file. But if it’s over that limit, you will. Here are the thresholds:

Single: $12,950 ($14,700 if you’re 65 or older by Jan. 1, 2022).

Married filing jointly: $25,900 ($27,300 if you or your spouse is 65 or older; or $28,700 if you’re both over 65).

Married filing separately: $5 at any age.

Head of household: $19,400 ($21,150 if 65 or older).

Qualifying widow(er) with dependent child: $25,900 ($27,300 if 65 or older).

To get a detailed breakdown on federal filing requirements, along with information on taxable and nontaxable income, call the IRS at 800-829-3676 and ask them to mail you a free copy of the “1040 and 1040-SR Instructions for Tax Year 2022,” or you can see it online at IRS.gov/pub/irs-pdf/i1040gi. pdf.

Check Here Too:

Be aware that there are other financial situations that can require you to file a tax return, even if your gross income falls below the IRS filing requirements. For example, if you earned more than $400 from self-employment in 2022, owe any special taxes like an alternative minimum tax, or get premium tax credits because you, your spouse or a dependent is enrolled in a Health Insurance Marketplace plan, you’ll need to file.

You’ll also need to file if you’re receiving Social Security benefits, and one-half of your benefits plus your other gross income and any tax-exempt interest exceeds

Coffee Tastes Best with Tidbits!

Final

$25,000, or $32,000 if you’re married and filing jointly.

To figure all this out, the IRS offers an online tax tool that asks a series of questions that will help you determine if you’re required to file, or if you should file because you’re due a refund. It takes less than 15 minutes to complete.

You can also get tax preparation assistance through the AARP Foundation Tax-Aide service. Call 888-227-7669 or visit AARP.org/findtaxhelp for more information. You don’t have to be an AARP member to use this service.

ADVERTISING PROOF

You can access this tool at IRS.gov/ Help/ITA – click on “Do I Need to File a Tax Return?” Or you can get assistance over the phone by calling the IRS helpline at 800-8291040.

Check Your State

Final

Final Changes DUE:

Even if you’re not required to file a federal tax return this year, don’t assume that you’re also excused from filing state income taxes. The rules for your state might be very different. Check with your state tax agency before concluding that you’re entirely in the clear. For links to state tax agencies see Taxadmin.org/state-tax-agencies Tax Preparation Help

If you find that you do need to file a tax return this year, you can free file through the IRS at IRS.gov/FreeFile if your 2022 adjusted gross income was below $73,000.

Or, if you need some help, contact the Tax Counseling for the Elderly (or TCE) program. Sponsored by the IRS, TCE provides free tax preparation and counseling to middle and low-income taxpayers, age 60 and older. Call 800-906-9887 or visit IRS.treasury.gov/ freetaxprep to locate services near you.

The maker signs all pieces, and they are very attractive, and I would like to know more about them. I know the factory burned down and also heard they had a connection to the starting of Frankoma Pottery.

Can you tell what my set is worth and where I might sell it? I am getting along in years and do not have a daughter to pass the set along to. I have been told the set is quite valuable. Thank you so much for any info you can provide on my Tamac Pottery.

Pink and Green Dinner Plates Show Promise

Q: This is a photo of a dinner plate that I have. It is decorated with a border of pink roses and green leaves against a white background. Marked on the back of the plate are the words “W.S. George -- 122B -- Derwood.”

What can you tell me about my plate?

A: Tamac Pottery was founded in Perry, Okla., in 1946. They produced free form biomorphic style dishes that appealed to mid- 20th-century buy-

ers. The biomorphic dishes included dinnerware, vases, wall pockets and other accessories. Their pieces were available in gray, raspberry, frosty, pink, butterscotch and avocado. They are very collectible. After a series of financial and marketing problems and several owners, the pottery closed in 1973. The original factory is still standing and I found no connection to Frankoma Pottery. You might consider selling your set on eBay.

The value of your set would probably be $500 to $1000.

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

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

A: William Shaw George founded his semiporcelain factory in 1904 in East Palestine, Ohio. They made semi porcelain dinnerware and hotelware. “Derwood” is the name of the pattern, and they produced a complete line of dinnerware from 1910 to 1940. “122-B” is a design number. The W.S. George China went out of business in 1950.

You didn’t mention if you had just one plate or a service for four. A single plate would probably be worth $10 to $15, and a set of a service for four would be in the range of $50 to $125.

Q: I have sent a drawing of the mark that is on the back of a set of dishes that I have. Also included in the mark are the words “Perry Okla. -- USA.” The set is a service for 12 and includes all the serving pieces.

My mother gave me a four-piece starter set years ago, probably in 1949. I kept adding to the set until I had a service for 12. The dishes are unusual shapes. For example, the plates look like puddles with curled edges. The dishes are lime green in the middle and shades to avocado green and the edges and the bottoms are solid avocado.

Puzzle Solutions

If I knew some cruel folks had been dispatched, I would probably cry "The brutish are coming!"

GO FIGURE

William Shaw George founded his semi-porcelain factory in 1904 in East Palestine, Ohio.

Tamac Pottery was founded in Perry, Oklahoma, in 1946.

move up and down, while the other 14, along with the chariots, are stationary. In 1917, the carousel’s organ was brought from Germany, and remains one of just three in existence. The B&B has been completely restored and is in operation today in Coney Island’s Luna Park.

• The “Golden Age” of carousels is considered to be from 1870 to 1930. At the peak, it’s estimated that about 3,000 hand-carved, handpainted carousels were operating across the U.S. Only about 150 now remain.

• World War I put a damper on the Golden Age, with the wood required for war supplies. In addition, the introduction of the roller coaster in the 1920s pushed the carousel out of the spotlight, reducing its status to a “children’s” ride.

• What’s the difference between a carousel and a merry-go-round? While “merry-go-round” typically refers to the revolving circular platform in playgrounds, powered by humans, many people still call the carousel a merrygo-round. In the United Kingdom, they are sometimes called gallopers.

• Some carousels have a “Catch the Brass Ring” feature, which involves a swinging arm apparatus that dispenses metal rings into the outer horses’ path. Riders reach out to grab the rings, and if they are skillful enough to capture one, it’s good for an additional free ride.

• Carousels revolve much more slowly than they did during their Golden Age. Insurance companies put constraints on the speed for safety reasons. Today, outer row riders travel at about 5 to 11 mph.

• While modern carousel animals are modeled after the vintage animals, they are now crafted mostly from aluminum or fiberglass rather than wood.

• You can have a ride on the world’s largest indoor carousel in Spring Green, Wisconsin. This enormous carousel, which opened in 1959, is 35 feet tall with an 80-ft diameter, weighs 36 tons, and features 269 animals (none of which is a horse!), 182 chandeliers, a collection of angels flying overhead, upwards of 20,000 lights, and festive musical accompanyment by calliope, cymbals and bass drums. □

STAN SMITH’S TENNIS CLASS

Game Changers

by Jason Jenkins

A good finish should have the left leg straight, the right thigh up close to the left leg, the right foot up on the toe, and the upper body arching back slightly. The trick is that the hips are now “tucked under” the upper body or the stomach is pushed forward. Many beginners, or players who don’t have good core strength, will finish with their hips pushed out behind their upper body. Learn to correct the finish by tucking the hips under or pushing your belt buckle forward in order to feel the correct position. Good leg work will assist in correct hip positioning as well.

Look to Lag

Three putt avoidance is a fairly new PGA Tour statistic that illustrates how often a player three putts over the course of all his putting adventures. The top players are usually under 2% of the time, which is quite amazing when you think of the difficulty of some tournament greens. Most amateurs, on the other hand, would probably love to have their avoidance percentage be lower than 20%.

Practicing lag putts is a simple matter of tying the visuals of distance to the feels of stroke speed and length. For many golfers, this may require looking at the target during practice time in order to get a better recognition system built for later on the course.

I’ve always felt that great lag putters could hold a visual image of where the hole was in the mind’s eye those few seconds before taking the stroke. By looking at the hole in practice, you may become more aware of what you’re seeing with how hard you need to hit it.

When I work with a lot of beginning to intermediate players, the finish position requires extra attention. The body is contorting into an unusual position and needs to be balanced to be effective. Advanced players take the finish position for granted, especially when it comes to the small arch in the lower back.

Tuck It Under

Game Changers

Jason Jenkins was a 16-year member of the Jim McLean Golf School teaching staff. He was one of

7. MOVIES: Which movie features the line, “Keep the change, ya filthy animal”?

8. LITERATURE: Which novel features four children named Peter, Susan, Edmund and Lucy?

9. TELEVISION: What is Joey’s famous line in the sitcom “Friends”?

Games

October 23-29, 2006

GO FIGURE!

10. ANATOMY: What is a common name for the pinna in human anatomy? Answers

TRIVIA TEST Answers Answers

1. Madrid, Spain.

2. Brazil.

3. Time flies.

4. Obelus.

5. 10 minutes, according to Dylan.

6. About 50 times.

The idea of Go Figure is to arrive at the figures given at the bottom and right-hand columns of the diagram by following the arithmetic signs in the order they are given (that is, from left to right and top to bottom). Use only the numbers below the diagram to complete its blank squares and use each of the nine numbers only once.

7. “Home Alone.”

2.

8. “The Lion, The Witch and the Wardrobe.”

DIFFICULTY:

9. “How