Vol. 20: #29 • Tidbits Does the Laundry • (7-14-2024) Tidbits of Coachella Valley
"The Neatest Little Paper Ever Read"
TIDBITS DOES
by Kathy Wolfe
“This is the way we wash our clothes, wash our clothes, wash our clothes,” goes the old ditty. This week Tidbits delves into the history of the process of doing the laundry and gives credit due to the folks whose inventive minds have made this modern task so much less of a chore!
• Several inventors conceived of the idea to make washing clothes and linens an easier task. The first drawing of a washing machine idea appeared in the January 1752 issue of a British publication called “The Gentleman’s Magazine.” Then in 1767, Jacob Schaffer published his own design in Germany. Later, a British patent was issued in 1782 to Henry Sidgier for a rotating drum washer. All of these early washers featured enclosed containers with grooves, fingers, or paddles around the interior walls. The user still had to manually turn a crank to rotate and agitate the laundry.
• In 1843, Canadian inventor John Turnbull debuted Laundry: Turn to page 3
TRIVIA NEWSFRONT
(Answers on page 16)
1. GEOGRAPHY: What is the highest peak in Europe?
2. TELEVISION: What is the name of the town in the Netflix series “Stranger Things”?
3. LITERATURE: What is the title of the book about a little girl who lives at The Plaza Hotel in New York City?
4. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What is the traditional stone associated with the July birth month?
5. MYTHOLOGY: Which mythical creature has snakes for hair?
6. MOVIES: Who voices the character Joy in the animated movie “Inside Out”?
7. ANATOMY: What is the outermost layer of skin called?
8. INVENTIONS: Which blue medication, originally developed to lower blood pressure, had an unexpected effect on male patients and later was used to treat erectile dysfunction?
9. HISTORY: Who was crowned as Emperor of the Romans in 800 A.D.?
10. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Which state has produced the most presidents by birthplace?
(Trivia Test answers page 16)
your body
"Fearfully
WEIRD DISEASES
that contain the compound, which include eggs, liver, beans, peanuts, cabbage, cauliflower, broccoli, and Brussels sprouts.
We’re all familiar with cancer, diabetes, MS, and other well-known diseases. But how about these unusual ailments? Tidbits has uncovered the facts about several strange and curious maladies.
• Hutchinson-Gilford Syndrome is more commonly known as progeria, a rare genetic condition that causes a person to age seven times faster than normal. The name comes from the Greek language, translated “old age.” Children as young as one or two years old begin to develop wrinkles and lose their hair. Within a few years, they develop stiff joints, cataracts, osteoarthritis, hip dislocations, and progressive heart disease. The average life expectancy for one with progeria is age 14, with death most often as the result of heart attack or stroke.
• The unusual condition known as pica compels people to eat bizarre things such as paint chips, clay, chalk, soap, plaster, buttons, dirt, or pieces of metal. It’s speculated that it could be associated with a deficiency in minerals such as iron or zinc. While some items are harmless to the body, paint chips, which can lead to lead poisoning, and pieces of metal have serious consequences. The bright side is that pica is frequently temporary.
• The bodies of those suffering from trimethylaminuria are unable to break down the organic compound trimethylamine. This results in the emission of a very unpleasant body odor, similar to that of rotting fish. This condition is in fact also known as Fish Odor Syndrome. When trimethylamine builds up in the body, it is released through sweat, breath, and urine. The odor can be reduced by avoiding foods
• About 1 in 2 million people have been diagnosed with Fibrodysplasia ossificans progressiva, or FOP. It’s a condition that causes the body’s soft connective tissues – muscles, ligaments, and tendons – to fuse together and turn into bone, creating a second skeleton. As the bone gradually replaces the tissue, it restricts movement, resulting in a loss of mobility. As FOP progresses, it affects breathing, since the lungs can’t fully expand. It makes it harder to eat and speak, to walk and sit, and maintain balance. Tragically, there is no known cure for this very rare disease.
• The strange disease known as aquagenic urticaria creates an allergy to water. It’s an extremely rare condition, with only 37 cases reported in medical history. Within minutes of being exposed to water, the person breaks out in severe hives, accompanied by swelling, itching, and burning. Even drinking water can create swollen lips and a rash around the mouth. Serious cases can develop into anaphylaxis, generating difficulty in swallowing and breathing, along with a rapid heartbeat. While there is no cure, symptoms can be diminished with the use of antihistamine medication.
• What would it be like to never experience physical pain? That’s what life is like for a very small portion of the population who has the genetic mutation known as congenital analgesia. These people have no nociceptors, those nerve cells that detect tissue damage and send messages about pain to the brain. It might sound like a benefit to be pain-free, but the condition is actually quite harmful. Without any alert to injury, these individuals don’t notice the pain of their foot being crushed or from severely burning their hand on the stove. An attack of appendicitis can go unnoticed, as can broken and dislocated bones, or the pain from an infection or abscessed teeth.
1. Mount Elbrus. 2. Hawkins, Indiana. 3. “Eloise.” 4. Ruby.
and wonderfully made" One in a series
Week of July 14, 2024
Laundry: (from page one)
• Snuggle fabric softener was introduced by Unilever in 1983. Their trademark Snuggle Bear has been around since 1986.
CLOTHES DRYERS
• The first hand-cranked clothes dryer came into use around 1800. They were a type of ventilator, a large metal drum with holes in it. The barrels were suspended over an open flame and turned by hand. Dayton, Ohio inventor George T. Sampson is credited with the first a washing machine with a wringer mechanism, and the 1862 London World’s Fair introduced a rotary washing machine that included pinch rollers for wringing SOAPS & SOFTENERS
• Solid cakes of laundry soap were commonly used during the 1800s until soap flakes were introduced in the 1920s. But it wasn’t the best alternative because of poor performance in hard water. The flakes left a ring in the machine, dulled colors, and left whites a dingy gray.
• In the early 1930s researchers at Procter & Gamble set out to revolutionize the laundry process. The company labored for years trying to discover a way to remove heavy soil from clothes. P&G scientist David Byerly was responsible for isolating two-part molecules he called synthetic surfactants. One part pulled grease and dirt from the laundry, as the other suspended the grime until it could be rinsed away. In 1933, the company introduced Dreft, which worked well for light soil, but was unable to attack difficult grime.
• Byerly continued his quest for another 13 years and in 1946 finally came up with the formula for Tide, the world’s first heavy-duty laundry detergent. Tide was an instant success and was soon the nation’s leading detergent, a position it still holds today. In 1968, P&G added enzymes to Tide that broke down protein and carbohydrates, making it easier for them to be flushed away in the rinse water.
• Procter & Gamble debuted Downy fabric softener in 1961. Fabric softeners work by coating fabric with chemical compounds with fatty acids that transfer anti-static properties to the surface, removing static cling and reducing wrinkles, all while adding a pleasant fragrance to the laundry. Softeners cause the fabric’s threads to “stand up,” making the clothes softer and fluffier.
• In 1965, Conrad Gaiser, a chemist who had worked in the soap and detergent industry, lived with his wife Audrey on the top two floors of a four-story building. The laundry facilities were on the ground floor. In order to save Audrey the time and effort of running downstairs to add fabric softener to the final rinse cycle, Conrad experimented with creating dryer sheets. He treated small pieces of cotton flannel with liquid softener, then put them in the dryer with the wet laundry. The heat and moisture warmed up the flannel and spread it on the clothes. He continued improving his invention, receiving a U.S. patent for his “Tumble Puffs” in 1969. He sold the rights to Procter & Gamble, who marketed his product as Bounce, beginning in 1975.
PROS & CONS
• Today, dryer sheets are woven sheets of fibers that are coated with stearic acid, which melts in the heat, coating clothes to make them feel softer while reducing static. Unfortunately, they can also leave a waxy film on clothes. The film also coats the interior of the dryer, which can build up on the filter, blocking its ventilation holes. The coating can also affect flame-retardant fabrics, making items such as children’s pajamas less fire-resistant.
You
• While you might love the soft feel and fresh scent of your towels, fabric softeners, with their silicone oil composition, are frequently the cause of towels’ reduced absorbency.
• The good news about dryer sheets is their usefulness in other household tasks. They’re good for removing soap scum from shower walls and for picking up pet hair from furniture. They can be used to eliminate a musty smell from old books as well as acting as an air freshener. Dryer sheets are effective for polishing shoes, cleaning baseboards and window blinds, dusting screens of TVs and other electronics, and even repelling mosquitoes.
• America’s first liquid laundry detergent, Wisk, was introduced by the Lever Brothers Company in 1956. Their 1968 ad campaign was wildly successful, with the slogan “Ring Around the Collar,” touting Wisk’s ability to fight stains on shirt collars.
• A University of Georgia study revealed that about 30% of the population has a fragrance sensitivity and is irritated by scented laundry products.
own a washing machine, and almost 25% of the water used in America is used by these machines. Just 21% of American families use a clothesline.
Laundry: Turn to page 15
1. What is the last step in the wash cycle?
2. What day was designated as wash day during the Victorian era?
can fill your home with a fresh, clean scent in a hurry by placing fabric softener sheets in a vent or behind fans.
By Lucie Winborne
* If you emptied a glass of water into the ocean and waited long enough to ensure that it was thoroughly mixed and distributed throughout the world’s seas, then each glass of water taken from the ocean would contain around 250 molecules from that original glass.
* Euclid is the most successful textbook writer of all time. His “Elements,” written around 300 B.C., has gone through more than 1,000 editions since the invention of printing.
* The Romans used poisonous lead as a sweetening agent.
* People who have had strokes in the left frontal lobes of their brains resulting in severe language loss are better able to detect lies than people without brain damage.
* Generally, centipedes do not have 100 legs. For that matter, millipedes don’t have 1,000 legs. Different species of centipedes have between 30 and 346 legs, while different species of millipedes have between 40 and 750 legs.
* The east coast of Canada is closer to London, England, than the west coast of Canada.
* Sorry, Chicago, you so-called “Windy City” -- you’re not the windiest city in America, or even close: That honor goes to Great Falls, Montana, with an average hourly wind speed of 13.4 miles.
* The last United States president to be born in a log cabin was James Garfield, on Nov. 19, 1831.
* What’s in a name, indeed! A 1964 piece by avant-garde American composer La Monte Young is titled “The Tortoise Recalling the Drone of the Holy Numbers as They Were Revealed in the Dreams of the Whirlwind and the Obsidian Gang, Illustrated by the Sawmill, the Green Sawtooth Ocelot, and the High-tension Line Stepdown Transformer.” ***
Thought for the Day: “Basically, the first half of life is writing the text, and the second half is writing the commentary on that text.” -- Richard Rohr
Everyday CHEAPSKATE®
by Mary Hunt
You Really Need to Submit to That Exam
least six months of living expenses in it. Start saving now even if you are in debt, even if you think you can’t. You can. You have to!
KNOW YOUR BENEFITS
You’ve Been Dreading!
Everyday CHEAPSKATE®
by Mary Hunt
It’s been awhile now since I underwent that procedure no one my age likes to talk about. As much as I dreaded the actual examination, it was nothing compared to what I had to go through to prepare for it. Just seeing those words on the office door made me want to turn and run: Certified Financial Planner.
But we did it! Harold and I spent several hours with a professional planning our estate, which is just a nice way to say we talked about getting old and dying.
Actually, it wasn’t that bad. In fact, now that it’s over, I’m so glad we did the hardest thing of all: showing up. We’ve taken those first difficult steps required to create a realistic plan that will allow us to live the second half of our lives with joy and peace instead of fear and dread. We knew specifically what we would have to do in the next 10 years. To quote that great philosopher G.I. Joe (as our boys often do), “Knowing is half the battle.”
Each year around your birthday, the Social Security Administration updates a projection of your retirement benefits. You can find that online when you create your personal account at www.ssa.gov/myaccount. Lock eyeballs with those projected figures to keep you motivated to save and invest. Remember, Social Security benefits are only a supplement.
KEEP GOOD RECORDS
Figure out a simple filing system where you can keep your important papers: your mortgage, insurance, wills, etc. It’s a real pain to find important documents many years down the road. Take a look at TheNokBox.com. The Nokbox (short for “next-of-kin box”) is a complete system that helps you organize all your accounts, possessions, social media presence, communities, kids, pets, personal history and estate plans (even if you don’t have estate plans yet!). It’s an estate planning tool AND a home organization system that I highly recommend.
ADVERTISING PROOF
Final Changes DUE:
Here’s the question that started the ball rolling: “When would you like to have the option to stop working?” Selecting a date some years in the future gave the planner a frame of reference to begin creating a plan that will allow us to do that. We pulled out the documents he asked us to bring to our appointment. He did not gasp in horror or even chuckle. This was all business for him and exactly the non-emotional approach we needed.
We left with a sizable homework assignment. Our venerable living trust needed an overhaul. We had no disability or long-term care insurance. Our investments needed reallocation, as we’ve been using that ever-popular, hit-and-miss approach of self-directed investing. But unlike then, when I couldn’t even talk about these things, we left energized and ready to go because we’ve added a valuable member to our team: a financial planner.
You may be many years away from needing the service of a professional financial planner. But you can, and should, start getting ready for your appointment now.
Don’t know who to call? I suggest you ask around or look for a fee-only professional who will charge by the hour, the way you would pay an attorney, rather than a commissioned planner who benefits when you purchase financial services they recommend. You could start your search at the National Association of Personal Financial Advisors website (www.napfa.org) to find such a fee-only planner near you.
GET OUT OF DEBT
You need to get rid of all unsecured debt. Easier said than done? Maybe not. I can show you how to get out of debt quickly and painlessly. It’s Chapter 5 in my book “Debt-Proof Living,” available wherever books are sold!
START SAVING
You will need a savings account with at
There was a time not so long ago when I would have rather shoved toothpicks under my fingernails than meet with a financial planner. But I’ve changed my mind. In fact, I’ll take a meeting with our planner any day over one that involves weight scales, blood pressure cuffs and the snapping on of rubber gloves!
* * *
Mary invites you to visit her at EverydayCheapskate.com, where this column is archived complete with links and resources for all recommended products and services. Mary invites questions and comments at https:// www.everydaycheapskate.com/contact/, “Ask Mary.” This column will answer questions of general interest, but letters cannot be answered individually. Mary Hunt is the founder of EverydayCheapskate.com, a frugal living blog, and the author of the book “Debt-Proof Living.”
COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS.COM
Estate Planning Attorney
Robin Hood Days are celebrated this week, giving Tidbits the chance to delve into the facts and fiction of this legendary outlaw.
• The story of Robin Hood, the one who reportedly stole from the rich to give to the poor, is filled with tales that contradict each other, that may or may not be based on fact, while having some historical roots. Ballads sung by roving minstrels of the 14th century told of a yeoman who lived with his crew of “merry men,” thieves who roamed the expanse of
Sherwood Forest. While some accounts claim that Robin was a member of the nobility, many describe his yeoman status, that of a commoner who was in the middle ranks of servanthood to a noble household, perhaps cultivating the royal land.
• Robin’s struggles with the Sheriff of Nottingham came about because of the English decree that royal forests were prohibited to all but the King. Robin and his men settled there, killing the deer and generally antagonizing the Sheriff, who had the authority to impose exorbitant taxes on the area’s citizens. The penalty for killing a “royal deer” was usually execution.
• The tales are usually set during the 1100s, under the reign of King Richard, the Lionheart. Manuscripts in the British Museum claim that Robin Hood was born around 1160. Until around 1500, the tales were verbal, but the advent of the printing press put the sagas in writing. The first printed story was called “A Gest of Robyn Hode,” with the earliest surviving edition dating from 1500.
• Robin’s loyal sidekick, Little John, was listed in the earliest of the tales. However, Robin’s love interest, the fair Maid Marian did not appear until the 15th century, hundreds of years after the initial minstrel ballads. Legend has it that she married Robin Hood in a Nottingham church, but it’s quite possible that she didn’t exist.
• While many versions paint Robin Hood as a commoner, others declare that he was an Earl, a member of the nobility, greatly skilled as an archer and swordsman. He is depicted as a soldier who fought in the Crusades, who returned to England to discover that his lands had been taken by the Sheriff. A 16thcentury English playwright, Anthony Munday, portrayed Robin as Robert Fitzooth, the Earl of Huntingdon. In fact, however, David of Scotland, a Scottish prince, was the Earl of Huntingdon during the reign of King Richard.
• There are also differing opinions as to whether Robin Hood was a “good guy.” While most legends portray him as the “Prince of Thieves” fighting for social justice for ordinary people, others say he was just a hot-tempered bandit who liked to fight. Those accounts pictured him not as giving to the poor, but rather keeping the loot for himself, instilling fear into the locals.
• Robin Hood has been a hit on the big screen since 1913. There have been 19 feature-length films about the outlaw since then. Notable actors include Douglas Fairbanks in 1922, Errol Flynn in 1938, Sean Connery in 1976, Kevin Costner in 1991, and Russell Crowe in 2010.
• Disney produced two films, the first in 1952, and the 1973 animated version. The only parody of the story was Mel Brooks’ “Men in Tights,” released in 1993, starring Cary Elwes.
• Since 1954, Sherwood, Oregon has hosted The Sherwood Robin Hood Festival every July, a family event that draws 20,000 enthusiasts. The gala offers an archery tournament, fencing lessons, re-enactments, music and dance and, of course, appearances by Robin Hood and his entire crew of merry men.
by Dana Jackson
Q: When is “The Umbrella Academy” returning to Netflix? I thought the new season would have been here by now. -- V.W.
A: The fourth and final season of “The Umbrella Academy” will drop on Netflix on Aug. 8. It’s been over two years since the third season. Based on the comic book series of the same name created by Gerard Way, (lead vocalist of the band My Chemical Romance), the TV series has received much critical acclaim. It stars Elliot Page (“Juno”) and Tom Hopper (“Terminator: Dark Fate”) as two of the many Hargreeves siblings. They are former child heroes who must reunite as adults to save the world.
Alas, Steve Blackman, who created the series, has been accused of leading a toxic working environment. According to Rolling Stone, 12 former writers and support staff claim that their boss would “diminish the roles of, or outright fire, staffers who pushed back against his ideas.” Another charge is that he would “implement his writers’ ideas without giving them appropriate credit or promoting them.”
Q: Is “The Traitors” reality show filmed in a real castle? Or do they show the outside of one, then film in a studio? Can tourists visit it? -- B.P.
A: Both the U.S. and U.K. versions of the hit reality show “The Traitors” is filmed inside the Ardross Castle in Scotland. According to Entertainment Weekly, the castle sits on over 100 acres of parkland space on the banks of the nearby River Alness. The original owner was the Duke of Sutherland from the late 1700s until 1845. A family by the last name McTaggart has owned the castle and its land since the 1980s.
The castle is reserved for weddings and business meetings -- but at a premium cost. (Visit ArdrossCastle.co.uk/Contact-Us if you’re interested). No tour buses or Airbnb reservations are allowed.
No other series or movie has filmed at the castle or its grounds. You can watch all versions of “The Traitors” on the streaming platform Peacock. Look for the third season of the U.S. version in early 2025.
Q: Who is the guy with the long white hair in “House of the Dragon”? I know I’ve seen him on another show or movie. -- J.S.
A: There are many characters with long platinum locks in the “Games of Thrones” spinoff “House of the Dragon,” but I’m going to guess you’re asking about Prince Daemon, played by Matt Smith. He’s most recognizable as one of the actors to inhabit the role of the titular character in “Doctor Who,” but you also may have seen him as Prince Philip in “The Crown” on Netflix.
Other recent projects the British actor has done recently are the horror film “Starve Acre,” the panned Marvel movie “Morbius” with Jared Leto, and the film “The Forgiven” with Jessica Chastain. Next up for Smith is another series called”The Death of Bunny Munro,” which is based on the
novel of the same name by
Cave.
Send me your questions at NewCelebrityExtra@gmail.com, or write me at KFWS, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803.
(c) 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.
(Go Figure solution page 14)
CLIP AND SAVE
(Showrunner of “The Umbrella Academy”)
Photo Credit: Charley Gallay
Steve Blackman
Honey-Soy-Glazed Salmon with Peppers
This sweet ‘n’ sticky Asian glaze would taste equally delicious on chicken or grilled veggies.
2 large peppers, seeded and thinly sliced
1 medium red onion, thinly sliced
2 tablespoon toasted sesame oil, divided
1/4 teaspoon salt
3 tablespoon soy sauce
2 tablespoon honey
2 teaspoon grated peeled fresh ginger
1/4 teaspoon black pepper 4 fillets salmon (5 ounces each)
3 cups cooked brown rice
Fresh basil, for garnish
1. On large rimmed baking sheet, toss peppers with onion, 1 tablespoon sesame oil and salt. Roast in 425 F oven 20 minutes or until tender.
2. In 2-quart baking dish, whisk soy sauce, honey, 1 tablespoon sesame oil, ginger and black pepper; add salmon turning to coat. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until cooked through.
3. Serve salmon with pepper mixture and cooked brown rice. Garnish with fresh basil. Serves 4.
Here's a hearty one-skillet dinner made with apples, carrots and red potatoes.
8 ounces reduced-fat turkey kielbasa, cut diagonally into 1/2-inch-thick slices
12 ounces red potatoes, cut into 1-inch chunks
2 cups shredded carrots (about half 10-ounce bag)
1 bag (16 ounces) sauerkraut, rinsed and drained
2 Honey Crisp or Golden Delicious apples, unpeeled, cored and cut into 1/2-inch
chunks
1. Heat nonstick 12-inch skillet over medium-high heat until hot. Add kielbasa and cook 3 to 4 minutes or until golden, stirring occasionally.
2. Add potatoes, carrots, sauerkraut, apples and 1/3 cup water; heat to boiling. Reduce heat to medium-low; cover and simmer 18 to 20 minutes or until potatoes are fork-tender. Makes 4 main-dish servings.
Each serving: 230 calories, 5g total fat (2g saturated), 11g protein, 40g carbohydrates, 5g total fat (2g saturated), 9g fiber, 35mg cholesterol, 935 mg sodium.
For thousands of triple-tested recipes, visit our website at www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/. (c) 2024 Hearst Communications, Inc.
NEXT WEEK in
TIDBITS TRIES ON SOME BIRKENSTOCKS
7/14 Bastille Day
7/15 World Youth Skills Day
7/16 National Guinea Pig Day
7/17 National Hot Dog Day
7/18 Do an Act of Kindness Day
7/19 Robin Hood Day
7/20 World Chess Day
Dog Talk with Uncle Matty
By Matthew Margolis
ship: The Pros and the Other Pros
I spend a lot of time talking about the problem behaviors -- and their fixes -- that sometimes surface in the shared lives of dogs and humans. I’m a dog trainer; it’s what I do.
But while problems come and go -- especially when they’re properly addressed -- the good stuff that comes from shacking up with a dog can last as long as the relationship itself.
Young to old, single to full house, without respect to race, gender or religion, dogs across the board simply make life better. But don’t take my word for it. Just follow the science.
A study published in Pediatrics magazine found that infants who live “with dogs at home had fewer respiratory symptoms or infections and less frequent ear infections. The babies also needed fewer courses of antibiotics than other babies.”
Turns out that dirty dog may be just what the doctor ordered.
Dr. Mary Tobin, director of the allergy division of Rush University Medical Center, said, “It’s kind of exposing the immune system at an early age to all kinds of proteins the dogs would be exposed to in the environment, which somehow leads to a tolerance of the environment versus being more allergic to it.” Even as the commercial anti-bacterial crusade grows stronger, the truth is that there is such a thing as too much sanitization -- and dogs may be the natural antidote.
But it isn’t just babies who benefit.
In 1980, Dr. Erika Friedmann conducted a study of coronary patients that determined that “pet owners were more likely to live one year longer after discharge from a coronary care unit than non-owners.” And there are countless medical studies that link the companionship of animals -- particularly dogs -- to the improved health and longevity of humans: lower blood pressure and cholesterol, decreased levels of depression and anxiety, better
A friend sent me a text message just as I was going out the door for a trip to the store. I replied: “Making a grocery run. Need anything?” “No, but thank you,” came the reply. “Stay safe.”
Stay safe. It’s been a long time since anyone has said those words to me, and it certainly wasn’t in the middle of summer when they did. In winter when roads and walkways are covered in ice, yes, someone might warn about being extra careful. Or when sudden fog rolls in, making it nearly impossible to even see the end of the car hood, yes, someone coming back from town might send a text message with a warning to take it extra slow.
But in the middle of summer in clear weather with no icy roads and no fog, someone tells me to stay safe?
Still, those two little words have caused me to take stock of my habitual carelessness and safety. So here’s what I’ve done so far:
I’ve surrendered my big stepladder to a neighbor to keep me from being tempted to
The Art of DESIGN
by Joseph Publillones
It’s My House, and I Live Here
The living room has historically been an overdecorated room used mainly to receive and impress visitors. This room was a status symbol for outside guests, which is why the decor was typically dressed up or done to the nines.
The American living room has changed a lot in the last two or three decades. In today’s homes, we see less and less the idea of a formal living room -- aside from older homes or exceptionally large homes, where square footage and budgets are of no consequence. For the rest of us, lifestyles have evolved, and formal living rooms are things of the past.
paint the bathroom. The food in my pantry has been checked for long-expired dates. I've had a handyman install sturdy grab bars in the shower and next to the commode. I donated my small trip-hazard throw rug to a local thrift store. I now have a shredder to deal with any old documents with personal information that scammers would love to find. Thieves will rummage through your trash just looking for these things.
Although the Covid scare is basiclally over I still wear a mask when out in public for protection against pollen and other airborne particles I'm allergic to. I did a major decluttering and had many things hauled away (plus two carloads of donations to Goodwill), so there are fewer things in the house that could be considered clutter. All of my smoke detectors now have new batteries, and I've added several more nightlights in low wall plugs around the house to illuminate more pathways in the dark. I’m signed up at the rec center so I can use the indoor track. I have a pretty good (none are perfect) antivirus program on my computer.
So, I should be good, right? How about you? How many changes can you make to help yourself be safer and more secure than you are right now? I'll bet there are many!
* * *
Matilda Charles regrets that she cannot personally answer reader questions, but will incorporate them into her column whenever possible. Send email to columnreply2@ gmail.com.
(c) KingFeaturesSyndicate
are happy with a generic design, I would advise against going the easy furniture store route. The design and decorating process, if you are doing it solo, sans professionals, it should be slow. As in any creative endeavor, there are times when it is a painful process that puts self-doubt at the forefront.
There are no shortcuts in a design. If working with designers, this is usually where they show off their credentials of taste and experience. When this process works out, the resulting design is unique and one that highlights your personal taste and style.
Today’s living room has morphed into a grouping of several different rooms into one. The living room, dining room and kitchen have given way to the “great room,” or the open-floor plan home. This arrangement is the most popular layout for single-family homes, condominiums and apartments. Anything is possible in these rooms, and no one decorating style or formula can or should apply. Decorating these rooms is seemingly free of convention or traditional discipline. It is for this reason that one should tread cautiously when decorating. One should still attempt to have an overall design concept as the goal. Otherwise, the result can be as chaotic as your last visit to any furniture store, where you were bombarded by the sea of furniture vignettes. Unless you are one of those people that
A thorough analysis of the architecture of the room should take place. Take note of focal points, window locations and activity areas. Your decor should enhance the architectural style of the room. These great rooms offer you a chance to play around with the style of furniture and to mix and match them, if you so desire.
Most rooms are a mix of various styles, unless you are a purist. The mood you are seeking generally comes as a reaction to the ambiance and the limitations of the room. Another key element to a successful great room is the recognition of the scale and the size of your room. Dainty furniture may seem out of scale in a large room with high ceilings. Similarly, overstuffed furniture may look too large for an enclosed room with low or normal-height ceilings.
It is all a matter of balance -- the mix of furniture, the size of your furnishings and your selection of art. Make it personal. After all, it’s your house, and you live there.
* * Joseph Pubillones is the owner of Joseph Pubillones Interiors, an award-winning interior design firm based in Palm Beach, Fla. To find out more about Joseph Pubillones, or to read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
Cody’s Corner (from page 9)
physical fitness and more laughter. Yes, laughter.
An experiment by Robin Maria Valeri on laughter in relation to humans and the animals in their lives concluded that people who live with dogs laugh more than both people who live with cats and people who live with neither. In encouraging further exploration of the connection between dogs and laughter, Valeri writes, “Dogs are also reported to laugh and to use laughter to elicit play behavior in other dogs. Do humans recognize the laughter of their dogs? And, if yes, do they respond to their dog’s laughter with their own laughter?”
If she’s asking me, the answer is a solid you bet. And I think Jane Brody would agree.
Blogging for The New York Times, Brody detailed the loneliness that weighed on her four years into widowhood and her subsequent decision to “acquire a four-legged companion, rather than a two-legged one.”
“I am now making it work with Max II, little mischief that he is, and I am besotted,” she writes. “But perhaps the most interesting (and unpremeditated) benefit has been the scores of people I’ve met on the street, both with and without dogs, who stop to admire him and talk to me. Max has definitely increased my interpersonal contacts and enhanced my social life.”
To varying degrees, dogs require time and energy and money and aren’t for everyone. For those who have the inclination and the resources, though, the benefits are invaluable. While the companionship of a dog is not a panacea, the companionship of the right dog might be the next best thing.
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 2014 CREATORS.COM
benefit. (There are different inflation factors for each year of earnings.)
YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY
by Tom Margenau
Will Extra Earnings Increase a Social Security Check?
Maybe.
When I talk to various groups and organizations about Social Security, my PowerPoint presentation includes a slide with a bar graph that shows the most common sources of income for elderly Americans. As you might guess, the longest bar on the graph is Social Security. About 85% of seniors get a Social Security check. Other bars on the graph represent various income sources such as “Retirement benefits other than Social Security,” “Veteran’s benefits,” “Asset income,” etc.
But today, I want to talk about another bar on that graph. That bar represents “Earnings from work.” As I’ve updated that graph over the years, I’ve watched that bar grow longer and longer. When I first started using that slide, earned income was just a tiny little blip. Only about 5% of seniors were working. But today, it’s about 35% and still climbing. In other words, more and more older Americans are working.
I haven’t bothered to search for data to explain why that is happening. But I can make two guesses. One: More and more seniors need to work to supplement their Social Security check. And two: Many seniors are just more inclined to work until later in life.
I can back up that latter assertion with anecdotal evidence from my 32-year career with the Social Security Administration. When I started working there in 1973, most seniors started their Social Security benefits at age 62. By the time I retired in 2005, many older folks were waiting until their full retirement age to file. And today, almost 20 years after my retirement, I can tell from my emails that waiting until 70 to file for Social Security benefits is more and more common.
But no matter when you start your benefits, seniors who continue to work after their Social Security checks start rolling in usually have two questions for me. And they go something like this: “I’m 74 years old and just went back to work. Do I still have to pay Social Security taxes even though I’m already getting Social Security benefits? And if yes, will my current earnings increase my Social Security benefit?”
The answer to the first question is “Yes.” All people who work at jobs that are covered by Social Security (and almost all jobs are) must have payroll taxes deducted from their paychecks -whether they are 16 years old or 116 years old.
The answer to the second question is “Maybe.” To understand whether the earnings you have and the taxes you pay after you start getting Social Security will increase your benefits, you have to understand how Social Security retirement benefits are figured in the first place.
Simply stated, your Social Security retirement benefit is based on your average monthly income, indexed for inflation, using a 35-year base of earnings. So, when you initially filed for benefits, the Social Security Administration looked at your entire earnings history. Then, they adjusted each year of earnings for inflation. The inflation adjustment factor depends on your year of birth and varies from one year to the next.
Here is just one example. Let’s take a guy who was born in 1949. And let’s say that he made $7,000 in 1970. When figuring his Social Security benefit, the SSA multiplied that $7,000 by an inflation adjustment factor of 6.58. In other words, instead of $7,000, they actually used $46,060 as his 1970 earnings when figuring his Social Security
After the SSA indexes each year of earnings for inflation, they pull out your highest 35 years and add them up. Then they divide the total by 420 -that’s the number of months in 35 years -- to get your average monthly inflation-adjusted income. Your Social Security benefit is a percentage of that amount.
The percentage used depends on a variety of factors too complex to explain here. But for the purposes of this fact sheet, we don’t need to know the precise percentage. Suffice to say that for most people, their Social Security retirement benefit represents roughly 40% of their average inflationadjusted monthly income.
So, when you are working and paying Social Security taxes after you start receiving Social Security benefits, those additional taxes you are paying will increase your monthly Social Security check IF your current earnings increase your average monthly income. In other words, if your current annual income is higher than the lowest inflationadjusted year of earnings used in your most recent Social Security computation, the SSA will drop out that low year, add in the new higher year, recalculate your average monthly income, and then refigure your Social Security benefit.
Here is a quick example of what I mean. Let’s go back to that guy who made $7,000 in 1970 and say that was the lowest year in his current Social Security computation. And let’s further say that he is now working and made $35,000 last year. You might assume that because $35,000 is much higher than $7,000, he should get an increase in his Social Security checks. But remember, the SSA didn’t use $7,000 in his benefit calculation. They used the inflation-adjusted amount of $46,060. Because his current earnings of $35,000 are lower than the low year of $46,060 used in his Social Security retirement computation, the additional earnings do NOT increase his average monthly income, so his Social Security benefit will not go up.
On the other hand, had his current earnings been $70,000, for example, that would increase his benefit. The SSA would replace his low year of
1. The book of Pharisees is found in the a) Old testament b) New testament c) Neither
2. In Matthew 21, to wht type of tree did Jesus command, "Let no fruit grow on thee henceforth forever."? a) Pear b) Apple c) Lemon d) Fig
3. From 2 Corinthians 6, what did Paul warn Christians against being yoked with? a) Debt b) Worry c) Unbelievers d) Doubt
4. In biblical times, what was a tambourine or small hand drum called? a) Tamtam b) Spluret c) Simgal d) Timbrel
5. Jonah was alive in the belly of the great fish how many days and nights? a) Two b) Three c) Five d) Six
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(Answers on page 16) For comments or more Bible Trivia go to www.TriviaGuy.com
$46,060 with the new higher year of $70,000, recompute his average monthly wage and refigure his benefit.
Now let’s say you are in a situation like that. You’re working, you’ve had a good year of earnings and you are pretty sure it should increase your Social Security check. So, what do you have to do to make that happen? The answer is: nothing.
The SSA has a software program that automatically tracks the earnings of working Social Security beneficiaries and refigures their benefits to see if any increase is due. It generally happens between May and October of each year.
In other words, if you are getting Social Security benefits, and if you are working, and if your latest earnings increase your average monthly wage and thus your Social Security benefit, you generally will see that increase by October of the following year. For example, you would get an increase for your 2023 earnings by October 2024. The SSA sends you a notice indicating the increase in your monthly benefit, which is retroactive to January of the year you get the notice.
If you don’t get an increase, that means your earnings were simply not high enough to raise your average monthly income and thus your Social Security benefit. * * *
If you have a Social Security question, Tom Margenau has two books with all the answers. One is called “Social Security -- Simple and Smart: 10 Easy-to-Understand Fact Sheets That Will Answer All Your Questions About Social Security.” The other is “Social Security: 100 Myths and 100 Facts.” You can find the books at Amazon.com or other book outlets. Or you can send him an email at thomas.margenau@comcast.net. To find out more about Tom Margenau and to read past columns and see features from other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.
COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS.COM
Enjoy Tidbits with a Friend!
Man’s Restless Legs Raise up to a Foot in the Air at Night
DEAR DR. ROACH: Do you have any recommendations to stop restless legs at night? My husband has been to many doctors to find a cause or a solution to stop them. His legs have raised up as much as a foot in the air at night, constantly jumping and causing many sleepless nights. No one seems to have a solution for him. -- J.O.
ANSWER: Restless legs syndrome (RLS) is a common condition where people have the urge to move their legs. It’s usually worse at night and associated with an unpleasant sensation that is relieved by movement. People with RLS often have involuntary jerking movements of their legs during sleep, unimaginatively called “periodic limb movements of sleep.”
Your husband may have these periodic limb movements without RLS, which is then considered periodic limb movement disorder.
Treatment recommendations require an exact diagnosis. I often see his condition misdiagnosed or continue on for years without a diagnosis. The diagnosis is confirmed by a sleep study where the limb movements are recorded and characterized. Once the diagnosis is made, there are a few important considerations:
The first is that this condition often coincides with iron deficiency, which should be looked for and treated, if necessary. (The underlying cause for iron deficiency also needs to be found.) It may take weeks or even months after iron replacement for the leg movements to get better.
Prior to medication treatment, a review of any medicines your husband takes is appropriate, as some can cause similar symptoms. Regular exercise, avoidance of caffeine and alcohol, and good sleep (ironically) can all improve symptoms in some people.
If medicine is needed, medications like pregabalin or pramipexole may be the first-line treatment, depending on the results of the sleep study and how intermittent the symptoms are. A new therapy called neurostimulation is a drugfree approach that has been shown to be effective. One device, the tonic motor activation, was approved by the Food and Drug Administration for RLS and will hopefully be available shortly. But there are many experts in this condition. He should see a sleep medicine expert. ***
DEAR DR. ROACH: I was wondering if you could give me any information on idiopathic stabbing headaches. I have been having them for three months now. From what I have read, this is a long time to have this condition. I can have them anywhere from 3-50 times a day, and sometimes they go away for a day or two. They are extremely painful.
I was prescribed indomethacin, which gives some relief but doesn’t fix the problem. This is a very strong NSAID, and I am tolerating it with minimal side effects. But I don’t want to be on this long-term. Do you have any suggestions that might help me? -- L.L.
ANSWER: A stabbing headache is an uncommon headache syndrome. It can be hard to distinguish it from a cluster headache, but a stabbing headache does not have the characteristic eye symptoms (tearing) or nose symptoms (runny nose). Cluster headaches are seldom greater than eight per day.
There isn’t a lot published on the longterm prognosis of a stabbing headache. As you found, it goes away in many people after several weeks, but some people have intermittent symptoms that last for months or sometimes years.
One alternative to indomethacin is melatonin, which is much less likely to damage the stomach and kidneys. A neurologist with expertise in headaches may have other options for you.
* * *
MONDAY
Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to ianswer individual questions, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu.
(c) 2024 North America Synd., Inc.
VETERANS POST
by Freddie Groves
Stealing ... Which Is Worse?
I don’t know which is worse: stealing millions of dollars from the VA or stealing pain drugs from patients.
In one case, a pair of holistic health care center co-owners submitted claims for reimbursement for $1.9 million in treatments before they were nabbed for health care fraud, conspiracy and filing false claims.
Advertised as a chiropractor with several branch offices, the thieves billed for services that never occurred, such as hot and cold therapy, acupuncture (that was actually massages) done by others, treatments that weren’t medically necessary and more.
5:00 p.m..
Then there’s the elderly veteran who had two small businesses. On the one hand, he claimed individual unemployability benefits from the VA (which is given when a veteran gets money equal to a 100% disability rating because he can’t work).
Free Transportation for Veterans to the
Loma Linda VA Hospital
American Veterans (AMVETS) Post 66 provides a van for free transportation for our veterans in the Coachella Valley to the VA Hospital in Loma Linda, California. The van operates with courteous volunteer drivers and is available Monday through Friday. The pick up locations are in Cathedral City and Palm Springs.
We request that you do not make a reservation if your medical appointment is after 12 Noon as the van must return to the desert at that time. You can ask your doctor to schedule you for an early morning appointment if you explain that your transportation must return by 12 Noon.
You must make your reservation in advance by calling the reservation dispatcher at: (760) 832-8712
On the other hand, the guy applied for a service-disabled veteran-owned rating for his two businesses, stating that he was the owner, worked lots of hours ... and received millions of dollars in VA small business contracts.
Then he applied for Social Security disability and raked in money from that, claiming he couldn’t work. He was caught and will be paying back a lot of money.
As bad as that was, this is much worse: A VA nurse pleaded guilty to taking drugs that were intended for ill and dying patients in intensive care. Most of the time she would give only a partial dose to the patient and take the rest herself. In one case, she did this 19 times over nine days to a patient suffering with severe pain. Can you imagine?
She also volunteered to take care of a particular patient so she could steal the patient’s drugs. The three drugs in question were fentanyl (50 to 100 times more potent than morphine and heroin), hydromorphone (two to eight times stronger than morphine) and oxycodone, all pain medications.
Maximum prison time for these crimes could be only four years. That’s shameful. For denying sick and dying patients their pain medication, she deserves much more punishment than that. Our judicial system is broken.
* * *
Freddy Groves regrets that he cannot personally answer reader questions, but will incorporate them into his column whenever possible. Send email to columnreply2@gmail.com.
-- by Jim Miller
How to Prevent and Treat Age-Related Macular Degeneration
DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: Is macular degeneration hereditary? My mother lost much of her vision from it before she died, and now at age 65, I’m worried that I may get it too. What can you tell me? -- Concerned Catherine
Dear Catherine: Unfortunately, having a parent or sibling with macular degeneration does indeed increase your risk of getting it by three to four times. But the good news is there are things you can do to protect your eyesight, and a number of treatments that are available if you do happen to get it. Here’s what you should know.
What is AMD?
Macular degeneration, also known as age-related macular degeneration (or AMD) is the most common cause of severe vision loss in people over age 60, affecting an estimated 20 million Americans.
AMD is a progressive eye disease that damages the macula, the part of the eye that allows us to see objects clearly, causing vision loss in the center of your vision. This affects the ability to read, drive, watch television and do routine daily tasks, but it does not cause total blindness.
There are two types of AMD – dry and wet. Dry AMD, which affects about 85 to 90 percent of all people that have it, progresses slowly and painlessly over a period of years.
However, wet AMD is much more aggressive and can cause severe vision loss in a matter of weeks or months.
Factors that can increase your risk of getting AMD include age (60 and older); excessive exposure to sunlight, especially if
you have light-colored eyes; certain genetic components; a family history of AMD; high blood pressure; obesity; and being Caucasian.
What You Can Do
For anyone over the age of 65, it’s a smart idea to get your eyes examined by an ophthalmologist every year. They can spot early signs of AMD before vision loss occurs. Early signs, however, may include shadowy areas in your central vision or unusually fuzzy or distorted vision.
The Amsler grid is also an excellent tool to check your eyes for AMD at home. Visit Macular.org, and search “amsler chart” to test your sight.
While there’s currently no cure for AMD there are things you can do if you’re high risk, including: eating antioxidant-rich foods such as dark green, leafy vegetables, and cold-water fish for their omega-3 fatty acids; protecting your eyes from the sun by wearing UV protective sunglasses; controlling high blood pressure, and exercising regularly.
Dry AMD Treatments
If you do happen to get AMD, your doctor may recommend you start taking a daily dose of antioxidant vitamins and minerals known as AREDS or AREDS2. Studies by the National Eye Institute have shown that while taking these supplements cannot prevent you from getting AMD, they can reduce your risk of progression from intermediate to advanced AMD by about 25 percent.
You can purchase AREDS supplements – made by Bausch and Lomb and sold as PreserVision – over the counter in many drugstores and online for around $30 a bottle.
There are also two new medications (Syfovre and Izervay) that were approved by the FDA last year to treat a late-stage form of AMD called geographic atrophy or GA. These treatments, which are given either monthly or every other month in the form of an injection into the eye, can slow the progression of GA.
Wet AMD Treatments
For wet AMD, there are several anti-
VEGF medications like Avastin, Lucentis and Eylea that can stop vision loss and may even restore it. These medications, which have been around for more than a decade, are also given by injection into the eye and repeated every month or two.
Newer anti-VEGF drugs, like Vabysmo and Eyla HD, are also highly effective but don’t require monthly treatments. Most patients on these medications can go three to four months between injections.
Roommate 1: "Who was that at the
Roommate 2: "They dropped off your laundry."
Roommate 1: "What? It's done already??"
Roommate 2: "No, they wouldn't accept it."
insured and what its value is.
A: Royal Bayreuth porcelain factory made your pitcher. They have been located in Tettau, Bavaria, since 1794. Your pitcher is an example of their Art Nouveau Lady series, which reflected the Art Nouveau movement of the late 1800s and early 1900s.
Plate Fit for a King
Q: I have enclosed a photo of a lovely porcelain plate that my grandmother had. She would be in her 100s now, so it must be very old, and I am curious about its origin. The plate is oval and is approximately 8 inches long. Marked on the back of the plate is a crown between crossed swords and the letters “R.C.” Below that is the word “Versailles.”
What can you tell me about the age, maker and value?
A: Rosenthal China Co. made your dish. They have made porcelain in Bavaria, Germany, since 1879. The mark you described was used from 1891 to 1906. “Versailles” is the name of the palace of the French king, King Louis XIV, and is the name of the pattern.
The value of your dish would probably be $50 to $75.
Q: I have enclosed the mark that is on the bottom of a porcelain pitcher that I have. My godmother gave it to me in the 1960s.
The pitcher is decorated with the image of a young woman in relief. It stands almost 5 inches tall and is decorated with a white glossy finish. I have treasured my pitcher all these years and would like to know more about it. I also have been wondering if I should have it
Pitchers, candlestick holders, toothpick holders, vases, bowls, baskets and dresser sets were some of the pieces in the series. They can be recognized by the Art Nouveau graceful young woman in relief, the curvilinear designs that were inspired by nature and the white satin finish. The pitchers were available in three sizes, a 4 3/4-inch milk pitcher, a 4-inch cream pitcher, and a 6 1/2inch water pitcher.
Royal Bayreuth porcelain factory has used several different marks over the years. The one you’ve provided was around 1900. The company is still in business.
A few years ago, the value was around $800. Today it is much less. An insurance value for your pitcher would probably be $250 to $300.
Antiques expert and columnist Anne McCollam has since retired and no longer receives inquiries nor answers reader letters. Due to the popularity of her column, this publication will continue to reprint previous columns of interest to our readers.
To find out more about Anne McCollam and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com
* On July 15, 1838, Ralph Waldo Emerson delivered the Divinity School Address at Harvard Divinity School, which was met with a negative outburst by many Unitarian theologians who considered his ideas radical and an attack on their faith.
* On July 16, 1979, Saddam Hussein became president of Iraq. His 24-year rule was marked by costly and unsuccessful wars with neighboring countries and brutal atrocities against his own people.
* On July 17, 1918, the ocean liner Carpathia, which had rescued the survivors of the doomed Titanic six years earlier, was sunk by three torpedoes from a German Uboat during World War I. Five people died, but the rest were picked up by the HMS Snowdrop.
* On July 18, 2013, the city of Detroit, Michigan, became the largest municipal entity in the United States to declare bankruptcy, with up to $20 billion in debt. The decision was made by Kevyn Orr, an emergency manager appointed by then-Governor Rick Snyder, and the filing revealed that the city’s largest creditors were its pensioners.
* On July 19, 1961, TWA became the first airline to begin showing regularly scheduled in-flight movies with the presentation of “By Love Possessed,” starring Lana Turner, to first-class passengers on a flight from New York to Los Angeles.
* On July 20, 2011, basketball player Yao Ming, one of China’s most popular athletes, announced his retirement from the NBA. Ming, who stood at over 7 feet tall, played with the Houston Rockets and had broken his foot the previous year. He had also missed a number of games in the last six seasons due to foot and ankle injuries.
* On July 21, 1987, Enzo Ferrari unveiled the Ferrari F40 at the factory in Maranello, Italy, to celebrate four decades of Ferrari production, telling assembled journalists that he had “expressed my wish to the engineers -build a car to be the best in the world. And now the car is here.” At the time, the F40 was the fastest road vehicle ever built, with a top speed of 201mph.
(c) 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.
Rosenthal China Co. was founded in 1879.
Royal Bayreuth porcelain factory was located in Bavaria.
Laundry: from page 3
patent of an automatic clothes dryer. His 1892 patent idea consisted of a frame rather than a barrel, and was suspended over a stove. Electric clothes dryers appeared around 1915, but the first fully automatic dryer wasn’t in use until 1938, the brainstorm of a North Dakota farmer named J. Ross Moore, who made a deal with the Hamilton Manufacturing Company in Two Rivers, Wisconsin to produce his invention.
• It’s estimated that Americans do a total of 660 million loads of laundry a week. An older washing machine can use 40 gallons of water per load. Newer energy-efficient washers cut that amount down to 14 gallons. A front-loading washer uses significantly less water than a top-load model. Even with an energy-efficient model, six loads of laundry per week use over 4,300 gallons of water annually. For an older washer, that figure exceeds 12,000 gallons! But the biggest expense of running a washer is the cost of heating the water, which accounts for 90% of the energy usage.
by Jason Jenkins
Golf has many zones of success where the club or body doesn’t have to be in exact positions in order to be successful. For example, the upper body is in an address orientation where the spine should be slightly tilted away from the target. Because the right hand is lower on the club than the left, the shoulders should naturally be tilted uphill. In order to compliment the shoulders, the entire upper body should be tilted somewhere between two and ten degrees away from the target.
The golf shirt’s placard can serve as a great “reference line” for the spine when you look downward at address. Due to the body tilt, the placard should align toward the left instep. If the line points right sided, or outside the left foot, the upper body has drifted outside its zone of two to ten degrees of tilt. Take note that the tilt may increase for the longer clubs, but it should still stay in that zone.
10. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Which state has produced the most presidents by birthplace? Answers
