TIDBITS CELEBRATES
by Kathy Wolfe
The end of summer is just around the corner, with the Labor Day weekend marking the final holiday of the season. This week Tidbits has the info on the origin of the holiday, as well as some unique American festivities that celebrate the weekend.
• Labor Day is observed each year on the first Monday of September, with the holiday falling this year on September 2nd. While it’s a day for boating, picnics, and camping as the last hurrah to the summer, its roots have a much more serious foundation.
THE ORIGIN
• With the Industrial Revolution gaining momentum at the end of the 19th century, manufacturing was becoming a huge source of employment. Factory workers were laboring 12 hours a day, seven days a week for paltry wages, trying to make a living. Young children performed similar duties, but earned just a fraction of the adult’s salary. Recent immigrants were particularly exploited, forced to work for even lower pay.
Labor Day: Turn to page 3
TRIVIA NEWSFRONT
(Answers on page 16)
1. GEOGRAPHY: Where is the Parthenon located?
2. TELEVISION: What game are the younger characters in “Stranger Things” playing at the start of the series?
3. MOVIES: Who was the first African American actor to win the Academy Award for Best Actor?
4. LITERATURE: What is floo powder used for in the “Harry Potter” book series?
5. U.S. CITIES: Which U.S. city’s nickname is Beantown?
6. AD SLOGANS: Which ride-share company’s slogan is “Move the way you want”?
7. ART: Which artist painted a work titled “The Potato Eaters”?
8. MUSIC: Who wrote the song “God Bless America”?
9. HISTORY: Who became U.S. president after Abraham Lincoln was assassinated?
10. ANIMAL KINGDOM: Which animal can hold its breath for up to five minutes underwater? Answers
(Trivia Test answers page 16)
X-RAYS
your body
"Fearfully
X-rays are the oldest form of imaging, and can identify broken bones, certain tumors, abnormal masses, pneumonia, foreign objects, kidney stones, dental troubles, and a host of other ailments. This week, Tidbits explores the details about this remarkable procedure that forever changed the field of medicine.
• The formal name of an X-ray is radiograph. The machine works by passing X-ray beams, a low dose of high-energy electromagnetic radiation, through a part of the body to produce images.
• German physicist Wilhelm Roentgen accidentally discovered X-rays in his laboratory in 1895. Roentgen, a professor at Germany’s Wurzburg University, had been experimenting with passing high-voltage current through a glass gas tube, and observed that a screen coated with a fluorescent material turned an odd green fluorescent glow, even when shielded by heavy black paper. He deduced that objects could be penetrated by invisible radiation, an unknown energy he called “X-radiation,” with “x” being a mathematical symbol for something unknown.
• Roentgen’s first X-ray was of his wife’s hand wearing her wedding ring. The image clearly showed her bones, and she exclaimed, “I have seen my death!”
• Roentgen was awarded the 1901 Nobel Prize for Physics, but refused to take out any patents on his discovery in order for all people to benefit from the process. By 1896, physicians were using X-rays on patients on a regular basis.
• It didn’t take long to realize that excessive radiation could be harmful. In early 1896, patients who had been subjected to the procedure were reported to have burns and hair loss. A young patient who had had an exposure time of one hour experienced a two-inch bald spot on his head near the site within days.
• The first known person to die from the effects was a worker in Thomas Edison’s laboratory. Clarence Dally had worked on Edison’s X-ray light bulb for years, being exposed to poisonous
radiation for hours on end. In the late 1800s, Dally’s hair fell out, his face became wrinkled from premature aging, and he suffered skin lesions on his hands and face. Burns on his hands developed into cancer, and both of his arms were amputated. Eight years after researching radiation, Dally died in 1904 at age 39.
• During the 1920s, X-rays were proposed as a method of removing unwanted hair. Weaker X-rays seemed to be just a temporary solution, so stronger rays were used. Even with the resulting serious conditions – bone loss, scarring, disfigurements, skin lesions, skin pigmentation, and carcinoma – it wasn’t until the 1940s that X-ray hair removal was banned by the FDA.
• Emil Grubbe, a Chicago chemist and homeopathic physician, conducted countless experiments with X-rays, at one point taking several images of his left hand every day for two weeks, unaware of how dangerous the overexposure was. In 1896, when he noticed the skin from his hand peeling off after X-rays, he proposed focusing the rays on the cancerous tissue of one of his patients. When her cancer shrank, the concept of radiotherapy was introduced. Although Grubbe underwent 100 surgical procedures and amputations due to radiation sickness, he still lived to the age of 85.
• While X-rays are valuable for detecting many abnormalities, they are not as good as other imaging for soft body parts such as muscles, ligaments, and internal organs. Today’s MRIs and ultrasounds do not use X-rays, although CT scans do, with the scanner taking thousands of X-rays to make up one image. As a result, about 0.4% of current cancers in America can be attributed to the use of CT scans
"Don't
talk to me about X-rays. I am afraid of them."
-- Thomas Edison
1. Athens, Greece.
2. Dungeons & Dragons
3. Sidney Poitier, “Lilies of the
and wonderfully made"
Labor Day: (from page one)
• Labor unions sprang up in an attempt to oppose the poor and unsanitary working conditions and pay. The American Federation of Labor (AFL) was founded in 1886, and lobbied for a shorter workday and to establish a minimum wage. Labor activists organized strikes and rallies to draw attention to the unfairness.
• Opinions differ as to who initiated the idea of establishing a “general holiday for the laboring classes.” Some records indicate that it was Peter McGuire of the Brotherhood of Carpenters and Joiners, and a co-founder of the AFL. Others credit Matthew Maguire of the International Association of Machinists. No matter whose idea, the result was the first Labor Day holiday, celebrated on Tuesday, September 5, 1882, in New York City.
• The first Labor Day parade in U.S. history was held that day as 10,000 workers took an unpaid day off to march from City Hall to Union Square. New York City’s Central Labor Council still hosts a parade and march every year, held just north of the original 1882 parade location.
• The September date was reportedly chosen because it was halfway between Independence Day and Thanksgiving.
FAR-REACHING RESULTS
• New York was the first state to introduce a bill declaring the Labor Day holiday, but Oregon beat them to the punch as the first to pass a law recognizing the day in 1887. Five states passed a law that year to create the holiday –Oregon, New York, Colorado, Massachusetts,
NUGGETS OF KNOWLEDGE
What began as a peaceful labor rally in Chicago's Haymarket Square in 1886, ended in tragedy. Tens of thousands of workers walked out on their jobs to protest for higher wages and an eighthour workday. When workers at the McCormick Reaper Works attacked non-union "scabs," the police stepped in, resulting in two deaths and many injuries. Three days later, as the rally continued, someone hurled a bomb at police, creating a riot that caused the death of seven police officers and four civilians.
and New Jersey. By 1894, 31 states had adopted the holiday, spurring Congress to pass an act making the first Monday in September an annual legal holiday, citing the necessity to assure that “the nobility of labor be maintained.” President Grover Cleveland signed it into law.
• The labor market has certainly undergone a vast change over the decades. According to “U.S. News and World Report,” the top jobs of 2023, in order, are software developer, nurse practitioner, medical and health services manager, physician assistant, information security analyst, and physical therapist.
CELEBRATIONS TODAY
• Several areas of the United States have established some unusual celebrations for the weekend over the years. The twin villages of Sauk City and Prairie du Sac, Wisconsin, had their first Cow Chip Festival in 1975, and now observe Cow Chip Throwing Days on Friday and Saturday of every Labor Day weekend. Thousands of spectators travel to the area to watch competitors twirl and hurl cow pies as far as they can.
• Two chips are issued to each participant, chips that must measure at least 6 inches (15.2 cm) across. No gloves are allowed, but the entrants are allowed to lick their fingers before throwing in order to get a better hold on the chip. A Prairie du Sac gentleman, Robert Wyss, has won the contest the past two years, with a toss of 192 feet, 8 inches in 2022 and 165 feet, 8 inches last year. But his cow chip feat is nowhere near the men’s record set by Greg Neumaier in 1991, hurling the bovine pie 248 feet.
According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, at the close of 2023 the U.S. national average annual salary was $59,384. The highest earners were between the ages of 35 and 44.
• A ranch near Clinton, Arkansas has hosted the Chuckwagon Races every Labor Day weekend since 1986. The races memorialize the invention by American cattleman Charles Goodnight, who designed the first such wagon in 1866 used solely for transporting food and cooking equipment. The ranch’s owners, Dan and Peggy Eoff were looking for an out-of-the-ordinary way to celebrate the weekend, and invited friends for a chuckwagon race.
• Expecting a crowd of 100, they were astonished when 500 people showed up to watch the eight Week of August 25, 2024
teams that took part. Today, 30,000 spectators journey to this Ozark Mountain community to enjoy the endeavors of 150 teams. At the start of the race, three team members – the driver, the cook, and the outrider – load up the stove and a tent into the horse-drawn wagon and head for the finish line. Activities have expanded past the race to include bull riding, roping, barrel racing, sled pulls, a barbecue, and a barn dance.
• If you’re in Kewanee, Illinois, over Labor Day weekend, you can attend that community’s Hog Days Festival, an event first held in 1954. In 1948, the Illinois state legislature had declared this small town “The Hog Capital of the World,” paving the way for the festival.
• Even though that county generates $55 million in sales annually, it’s no longer the world title holder, and in fact, is only in the top 20 in Illinois. Yet that doesn’t stop 50,000 people from heading to Kewanee every year for the four-day gala. The cooks say they might use as much as 8,000 lbs. of charcoal to barbecue 5,000 pork
By Lucie Winborne
* When Texas was its own sovereign nation in the mid-1800s, it briefly had a diplomatic mission in Paris.
* In 1939, George Bernard Dantzig, a graduate student at the University of California, Berkeley, arrived late for a statistics class and copied the two problems on the blackboard, assuming they were the homework, then handed them in a few days later. Several weeks afterward, he was awakened by his professor’s excited knock at the door: The “homework” was actually unsolved problems in statistics that Dantzig had managed to prove.
* Since avocados never ripen on trees, farmers can use the trees as a way to store and keep the fruit fresh for up to seven months.
* Maine is the closest U.S. state to Africa.
* It’s a sweetly romantic tradition for the post offices of Romeo, Michigan, and Juliette, Georgia, to offer a special dual postmark leading up to Valentine’s Day.
* As comedian Bob Hope lay on his deathbed in 2003, his wife Dolores asked where he’d like to be buried. His reply? “Surprise me.”
* The three dots on the Domino’s Pizza logo represent the chain’s three original locations. Co-founder Tom Monaghan originally planned to add a new dot for every pizzeria he opened.
* Female bats give birth while hanging upside down, catching the baby in their wings.
* England’s King Richard the Lionheart spent a mere six months of his 10-year reign in England, being there only briefly in 1189 and 1194.
* At the end of 1914, when Russia was fighting in World War I, the country’s army had 6,553,000 men, but just 4,652,000 rifles.
Thought for the Day: “Happy is the person who knows what to remember of the past, what to enjoy in the present, and what to plan for in the future.” -- Arnold H. Glasow (c)
Everyday CHEAPSKATE®
by Mary Hunt
Where to Find Replacement Parts for Just About Anything
It appeared that my only option was to throw my custom Levolor blinds into the trash when the mounting brackets became hopelessly missing after I painted the room.
Everyday CHEAPSKATE®
that will help you find that specific piece of china, silverware or glassware. The largest and most likely to have what you need is replacements. com; 800-737-5223). If you don’t know the name of a pattern, you can send them a picture and they will help you make that determination. And you can request to receive an email each time additional pieces of your set become available. Or if your items are still being manufactured, contact the manufacturer directly to find out about replacements. By the way, Replacements also buys in case you have such an item(s) you’d like to sell. Learn more at the website.
by Mary Hunt
Because these particular blinds were no longer manufactured, I figured I was out of luck. In a last-ditch effort, I contacted the folks at Levolor’s customer service and got the surprise of my life. Not only would they help me find replacement brackets, they were anxious to do so. Within days they shipped the exact replacement parts I needed -- no charge.
Whether it’s a teaspoon from your grandmother’s sterling, the “X” in your Scrabble game, or a unique button on your best winter coat -whatever you’re missing, chances are good you can find a replacement. You just have to know where to look. Here's some tips:
TOYS AND GAMES
You can get replacement parts for most games and toys from the manufacturer, for very little money, and often free. LEGO will replace instructions and missing pieces from models and sets you own when you call 800-233-8756 or go to lego.com/en-us/service/replacement-parts
Missing Barbie’s shoe or other part? Head over to service.mattel.com or call 800-5248697. Find Little Tikes replacement parts at parts. littletikes.com
Many toy brands owned by Hasbro (Parker Brothers, Kenner, Tonka, Playskool, Transformers, Nerf, Power Rangers, Play-Doh and Milton Bradley are just a few) offer replacement parts for just about every brand of toy or game still in production at consumercare.hasbro.com
Hasbro’s website has several pages devoted to customer service. If you can’t find what you’re looking for there, this contact information is given: U.S. residents only, call 888-836-7025. Telephone hours are Monday through Thursday from 8:30 a.m. to 6:30 p.m. ET, or Friday from 8 a.m. to 4:30 p.m.
(You wouldn’t have Tidbits without them) Remember: You read it in tidbits! Tell them you saw their ad in Tidbits! patronize advertisers, Tell the advertisers you saw their ad in Tidbits! Remember to TELL OUR ADVERTISERS YOU SAW
CERAMIC TILE
Matching ceramic tile after the fact is nearly impossible because tiles produced at different times have noticeable color differences. The best solution is to remove good tiles from behind appliances or under rugs or furniture, then make them your perfectly matched replacements. Now find the closest match you can from a tile store to fill in the gaps where you removed the tiles. Next time, buy 10% more than you need at the time of installation, and store them away. You’ll always have perfectly matched replacements.
BUTTONS
If you cannot bear to replace all the buttons on your coat or other prized garment because one or two are missing, there are a few stores that carry thousands of buttons. Britex Fabrics in San Francisco (415-392-2910; britexfabrics.com) has hard-to-find and delightful vintage buttons. Also try Buttons Galore and More (856-753-6700; buttonsgaloreandmore.com) For everything else, call the manufacturer’s customer service, search online or check eBay. If you are diligent, you’ll discover there’s a replacement out there for just about every missing part or piece.
Too many details to remember? No worries! I have prepared all of this plus more information including clickable links and frequent updates at EverydayCheapskate.com/replacements. Easy!
* * *
Contact your Tidbits representative immediately with changes or corrections.
CHINA, SILVER,
GLASSWARE
There are dozens of matching services
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
TRUCKS
Tidbits invites you to hop aboard a sturdy Tonka truck and journey through the history of this renowned manufacturer of toy truck replicas, enjoyed and treasured by generations of children and collectors alike.
• Tonka Toys began as "Mound Metalcraft" in the fall of 1946, a gardening tools company in the community of Mound, Minnesota, located about 20 miles from Minneapolis on the western shore of scenic Lake Minnetonka. Lynn Everett Baker, Avery F. Crounse, and Alvin F. Tesch created the company in an old schoolhouse building. Although specializing in tools and tie racks, the company decided to also produce metal toy trucks as a sideline product.
• Initially, six employees were used to assemble the toys, a steam shovel and a crane. When these sturdy trucks grew in popularity, they soon became their principal product. In 1955, the rapidly growing company decided to drop their gardening tool line altogether and changed its name to Tonka Toys Inc., a name derived from nearby Lake Minnetonka. The Dakota Sioux word “Tonka,” meaning “great” or “big” certainly applied to these sturdy toys.
• By 1947, toy trucks and steam shovels were being manufactured at scale using heavy, automobile-
Please review carefully. Double check:
gauge steel. Their precision likeness to life-size trucks and high quality soon made them a market sensation. Between 1955 and 1960, Tonka’s sales tripled. In 1961, the company went public, and by 1963 they were selling toys overseas.
• Mini-Tonkas made their debut in 1963, which were smaller and less expensive trucks designed for younger children. A jumbo truck line called Mighty-Tonka was introduced in 1965.
• It seemed everyone wanted to have a Tonka truck. According to a 1966 survey, 85% of American households were home to at least one Tonka toy, with the average of 3.2 trucks per household. By 1969, that number exceeded 90%, and the average was more than five Tonkas per household. Amazingly, a sizeable share of the population owned nine Tonka toys! Sales more than doubled between 1965 and 1969, from $22 million to upwards of $45 million.
• A 1975 Tonka ad featured a full-grown, six-ton African elephant standing on a Mighty Tonka truck, with the truck enduring the weight, although it weighed less than five pounds. The slogan, “A toy shouldn’t break just because a child plays with it” accompanied the visual.
• The company branched out from trucks in the 1970s, making parts for farm and construction machinery and hydraulic components, as well as acquiring a company that manufactured ceramic stains and glazes.
• Their toy line expanded into educational products in a joint venture with the Smithsonian Institute, along with some craft and hobby kits. Cheaper plastic trucks and infants’ plastic wheeled toys were incorporated into their product lineup.
• In 1985, Tonka launched “Pound Puppies”, which were plush stuffed dogs with floppy ears and droopy eyes. Each puppy was packaged in a cardboard case shaped like a doghouse. In response to Cabbage Patch dolls which were “adopted” by children, Pound Puppies came with an adoption certificate. In 1986, sales of the stuffed toys accounted for more than half of the company’s profits. Over a five-year period, sales were $300 million in 35 countries. By 2002, Pound Puppies had generated upwards of $1 billion in retail sales.
• Tonka spent $622 million in 1987 to acquire Kenner Parker Toys, which included the classic board games of Monopoly and Clue, and favorites, PlayDoh, Nerf, and Care Bears. Tonka became the third largest toymaker in the U.S.
In 1991, the toy company Hasbro, Inc., acquired Tonka for $516 million.
• In 2001, Tonka trucks were inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame at The Strong in Rochester, New York. The Winifred Museum in Winifred, Montana, has a collection of more than 3,000 Tonka toys. In 2002, Ford made its very first partnership with Tonka with the Mighty F-350 concept.
with their agent before touring any homes. This new rule doesn’t require a specific type of agency agreement or relationship. The agreement might include how much the buyer will pay their agent, and this amount can be negotiated between the two of them.
If you would like more information on this rule as published by the National Association of Realtors, please contact US and WE will be happy to provide it to you.
by Dana Jackson
Q: My mom loves watching Drew Carey host “The Price Is Right.” I told her that there used to be a funny sitcom he starred in, but I couldn’t find it on streaming or cable. Is there a way to watch it? -- K.L.
A: “The Drew Carey Show” is one of those series that hasn’t been released on modern streaming services because there’s so much licensed music in it that hasn’t been cleared yet. However, a free streaming service (with ads) called Plex recently released all nine seasons with some changes to the music. For example, in one episode, some generic rock music was added to a scene that previously played Van Halen’s “Panama.”
The show was created by Carey and Bruce Helford (“Roseanne”) and aired on ABC from 19952004. It’s hilarious ensemble cast included Diedrich Bader (“Veep”), Ryan Stiles (“Whose Line Is It Anyway?”), and former “Late Late Show” host Craig Ferguson.
Hopefully, they’ll eventually be able to get all the music rights cleared, and the show will
eventually end up on an ad-free platform like Netflix. But in the meantime, Plex is a great app with a library of various popular TV shows and films. You just have to be patient and sit through some commercials.
***
Q: Is it true that the Disney series “Wizards of Waverly Place” is being rebooted? Is Selena Gomez starring in it, or is it a new, young cast? -- D.W.
A: Selena Gomez and David Henrie, who played siblings in the hit Disney series “Wizards of Waverly Place,” are producing a sequel series called “Wizards Beyond Waverly Place.” Gomez will star in the first episode, and Henrie will lead a new cast of youngsters through the rest of the season, including Billie, who is played by Janice LeAnn Brown (“Euphoria”) and has special powers.
The original series ended 12 years ago, and the new spin-off will begin airing later this year on both Disney Channel and the streaming platform Disney+.
You can also catch Gomez in the upcoming fourth season of “Only Murders in the Building,” which premieres on Hulu on Aug. 27.
***
Q: Which cast members from “Young Sheldon” will be on the first season of the new spin-off about his older brother? I really miss the show and hope it includes some of them. -- P.T.
A: ”Georgie & Mandy’s First Marriage” will premiere this fall on CBS, beginning Thursday, Oct. 17. It’ll be filmed in a traditional sitcom style known as the multi-camera format, and it’s produced by Chuck Lorre, who also produced “Young Sheldon” and its prequel series “The Big Bang Theory.” Will Sasso (“Mom”) and Rachel Bay Jones
(“The Good Doctor”) will reprise their “Sheldon” roles as Mandy’s (Emily Osment) parents. The young couple will be living in the same town where “Young Sheldon” took place, so expect to see guest appearances by some of the cast you miss. For example, Georgie’s mom, grandma and sister (Zoe Perry, Annie Potts and Raegan Revord) are all expected to pop up at least once during the first season.
* * *
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.
Good Recipes from
Roasted Stuffed Peppers
4 small bell peppers
2 tablespoons butter
3 tablespoons olive oil
1 1/2 pounds mushrooms
4 tablespoons chives
4 ounces feta cheese
1 cup fresh white breadcrumbs
1/3 cup Parmesan cheese
Salt and pepper
1. Heat oven to 350 F. Halve the peppers lengthwise, keeping stems intact, and carefully remove seeds and ribbing. Grease a shallow baking dish with butter and arrange the peppers side by side in the dish.
2. Warm the butter and 1 tablespoon olive oil in a skillet over medium heat. Add mushrooms and saute until golden and no excess liquid remains in pan, about 5 to 7 minutes; stir in chives. Spoon mixture into pepper halves.
3. Crumble feta cheese over mushrooms. Mix breadcrumbs and Parmesan in small bowl, and sprinkle on top. Season with salt and pepper to taste, and drizzle with remaining 2 tablespoons olive oil.
4. Roast, uncovered, 45 minutes, or until golden and tender. Makes 8 servings.
Penne With Spinach, Bacon and Mushrooms
1 box penne
10 slices bacon
1 medium onion
1 package sliced mushrooms
2 cloves garlic
1/4 teaspoon crushed red pepper flakes
1 package fresh baby spinach
Grated Parmesan
1. Cook pasta as package directs.
2. Meanwhile, cook bacon in a large, deep nonstick skillet over medium heat until browned. Remove bacon to paper towels to drain. Remove all but 2 tablespoons fat from skillet.
3. Add onion and mushrooms to skillet; saute 5 minutes until onion is golden. Add garlic and red pepper flakes; cook 30 seconds until
fragrant. Add spinach; cover and cook, stirring occasionally, 2 minutes until wilted.
4. Drain pasta, reserving 1 cup pasta water. Add pasta to skillet with some of the reserved pasta water; toss. Add more water as necessary. Crumble bacon on top of pasta and serve with Parmesan. Serves 6.
Recipe courtesy Woman’s Day Kitchen.
For thousands of triple-tested recipes, visit our web-
NEXT WEEK in TIDBITS WATCHES TELEVISION REPLAY
8/25 National Kiss and Make Up Day
8/26 Women's Equality Day
8/27 Rock, Scissors, Paper Day
8/28 Read Comics in Public Day
8/29 According to Doyle Day
8/30 Toasted Marshmallow Day
8/31 National Matchmaker Day
Dog Talk with Uncle Matty
By Matthew Margolis
Dangerous Dog at the Door… But Come On In!
Cartoonist Gary Larson once drew a Far Side strip depicting husband, wife and their very large and mean-looking dog greeting a visiting couple at their front door. The caption read: “Hey! Jack and Paula! You made it! … Now, quickly: Keep one hand across your throat and put the other one confidently down on Bruno’s head -- stupid dog’s going to get Agnes and me into a giant lawsuit one day.”
What came first: the cartoon or the epidemic?
This week I received a request to help a 2-year-old Shih Tzu named Verdell.
“From the time Verdell turned 1 year old, he began to act very agitated whenever he heard anyone approach the front door. When a stranger entered the house, he would run away and hide. After a few months, he stopped hiding and instead barked, growled and turned aggressive toward anyone other than the family. This has escalated to biting anyone who comes into our house.
“I hired a trainer when this problem began, but I became very frustrated because her solution was to constantly distract him from aggression with treats. This worked for a few minutes, but after eating 5 or 6 treats, he lost interest in them and went right back to full aggression mode.
“I am now truly desperate. He has bitten over a dozen different people in our home, and although he is a small dog and won’t cause severe injuries, this behavior is absolutely unacceptable…”
I spoke with this woman about her dog and asked all the obvious questions: Why do you keep inviting people to your home? And why, when you do, don’t you keep Verdell alone in a room away from your guests? He, like Larson’s dog, should not be greeting anyone at the door.
What it boiled down to -- what it always boils down to -- is she didn’t want to feel like a failure. More than 12 victims in, she still couldn’t accept that Verdell is a biter. People are more willing to admit behavioral problems with their children than with their dogs.
Another woman called this week to discuss
Cody's Corner: Turn to Page 10
(CryptoQuip Solution on page 14)
SENIOR NEWS LINE
by Matilda Charles © King Features Synd., Inc.
Easily finding the information you need
We don’t always need to have the answers to questions on the tip of our tongue. Whether it’s things we knew long ago and have forgotten, or if it’s information about our current world, sometimes it’s enough to know where to find that information.
Check the Senior Blue Book (seniorsbluebook.com) for a whole library of information. Whether it’s articles or video, use the dropdown menus to look for information on healthy aging, elder law and so much more.
When your grandchild wants to know the lyrics to the song you used to sing in high school and you only remember the first two lines, fear not. Do an internet search for the name of the song, or even type in the first lyrics that you do remember. Presto... It’s sure to pop up.
All of us have words we’ve never been certain how to pronounce. Again, pull up a
The Art of DESIGN
by Joseph Publillones
The Color of Architecture
Who hasn’t heard the phrase “beauty is in the eye of the beholder”? The old adage is appropriate for almost every aesthetic concern. However, there is much controversy about what constitutes beauty and the appropriate color for the exterior of a home. Most homeowners will regard this matter as one of personal preference, and that is true to some extent. Homeowners sometimes fail to see the importance of selecting a color, which impacts the public realm. Something as simple as color on the exterior of a home has an impact for five to 10 years, which is generally the life span of a good paint job.
The style of architecture should be one of the main elements taken into account when selecting a color for a home. Generally, the more complex or sophisticated a particular architectural style is, the more subdued palette should be. Simpler architectural styles can opt for more colorful and saturated colors, which will make up for any architectural details that a home lacks. Architectural styles that are harder to discern or homes that lack a definite architectural style can benefit from an “anything goes” palette or a simple white or neutral color scheme. Taking into account the architectural fabric and existing color palette throughout the area is another important factor when selecting colors for your own home. Some homeowners, however, are at a loss as to what to do as they weigh what is considered good taste versus striking out for a fresh approach to colors.
search engine and type in the word you want, then type “pronounce” and It will play it for you.
And if you need translations from a foreign language? Type into the search box “translate [name of foreign language] to English.” Then copy and paste the foreign words into the box. English will appear in the box next to it.
Look at ThirdAge (thirdage.com) for a collection of information on fitness, family, food, health and more.
If you want to beef up your internet skills, start with Seniors Guide to Computers (seniorsguidetocomputers.com) for good information on the basics, doing email, online security and saving your data. The site includes links to 300 YouTube how-to videos and is run by a guy with 40 years of computer experience.
Bookmark several different search engines on your computer: Google, DuckDuckGo and Bing are well known ones that you can trust.
Once you get used to looking up any kind of information, you’ll be all set to immediately get what you need for any question that comes up. Give it a try and you'll see what I mean.
* * *
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
an area is stable and established or an up-andcoming fringe neighborhood. Needless to say, you can see how color could affect the value of a home and marketability of a neighborhood.
In residential developments, the norm is to have a preselected color palette intended to maintain a cohesive image for the neighborhood. Some may think that this prescription is too strict or lacks imagination. On the other hand, when you purchase your home, you are guaranteed a certain aesthetic standard void of any surprises. Outside of gated neighborhoods, color is something that is also very hard to regulate, even in historic districts.
For those who are having doubt, there are a few ways to approach the dilemma of selecting an appropriate color for your home. The first is somewhat scientific: Try and chip or scrape off layers of paint until you reach block, brick or whatever stucco may cover your home. If you are successful, sometimes you can see the different layers of paint and take the sample to your local paint store, where they have computers to color-match the original. Another method is to do a study of the type of architecture of your home and look through photographs and books on architecture about what colors were typically used for that style. Finally, the last approach involves hiring a professional color consultant, who may be an artist, architect or historical preservationist.
Here are a few tips, if doing it yourself.
Tip No. 1: Buy a few cans of different colors, and choose a discrete area of your home to try a few selections. Ask a few neighbors for their opinions; this will help you narrow down your final selection.
Cody’s Corner (from page 9)
options for her 1-year-old show dog. He had been disqualified from his last competition for lunging at the judge. During the conversation she mentioned that she has three kids at home, ages 3, 7 and 9. I told her I didn’t think that was the right dog for a family with small children. We hung up, and five minutes later my phone rang:
“Uncle Matty?” boomed a man’s voice.
“Yes…”
“You upset my wife. Sure, the dog lunged. But the judge had a funny look!”
Add that to the ever-growing list of excuses: He rarely breaks the skin. He only bites on Thursdays. He didn’t really mean it.
Blinded by love for their dog and crippled by their own egos, this couple showed no more concern for the well-being of their children than the other couple did for the safety of their house guests.
For some households, “put one hand across your throat, the other confidently down on Bruno’s head -- and cross your fingers you don’t end up embroiled in a lawsuit” is standard operating procedure. And I bet Larson stayed far away from them.
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.
Curb appeal, obviously, is the one thing that most homeowners are after. Color selection can affect how one perceives a neighborhood. Curb appeal can lure a potential homeowner to a certain area or neighborhood. The colors of the homes can give identity to a neighborhood or particular district and speak volumes about whether
Tip No. 2: Never, ever copy the color scheme of another home within a five-minute walk.
Tip No. 3: Rarely should you use more than three different colors (walls, trim and doors). * * *
Joseph Pubillones is the owner of Joseph Pubillones Interiors, an award-winning interior design firm based in Palm Beach, Fla.
other woman when he died, you don’t qualify for that death benefit.
YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY
by Tom Margenau
No Death Benefit for Widow of Husband Who Was Having an Affair
Q: My husband of 49 years died a few months ago. I filed for widow’s benefits and started receiving them with no problem. But I got a letter telling me that I was not eligible for the $255 death benefit. When I called the Social Security people to ask about this, they told me that I wasn’t due that one-time benefit because we were not living together when he died. I’m ashamed to admit that my husband had been living with another woman for several years before he died. But it seems odd to me that I can get his monthly widow’s benefits, but I can’t get the burial benefit. Can you explain this?
A: Yes, I can. And it all has to do with the weird story behind that one-time $255 “death benefit.” Before I can answer your question, I’ve got to get into a little history. It didn’t start out as a death benefit, per se, at least not in the context it is thought of today. It certainly was never meant to be a “burial benefit” as you and many other people call it.
As part of the thinking that went into the original Social Security act passed in 1935, Congress realized that many of the new Social Security taxpayers would die before they ever had a chance to collect benefits. Or they would die without having earned enough “quarters of coverage” to be insured for survivor benefits for any dependents.
So, they decided to compensate the families of a loved one who died with some form of reimbursement for the Social Security taxes that the deceased had paid into the system. They set up a one-time benefit they called the “lump sum death payment.” It was originally intended to reimburse the family with an amount equal to 3.5% of the money the deceased had paid into the system.
It was supposed to be a temporary benefit, because Congress knew that as time passed, most workers would be paying a sufficient amount of money into Social Security that they would be insured for survivor benefits. In other words, when a taxpayer died, the widow or widower (and any minor children) would get monthly benefits -- so this lump sum payout would no longer be needed.
But as often happens with government programs, once you start paying a benefit, it’s hard to take it away. Over the years, there have been any number of proposals to eliminate the lump sum death payment.
But as miserly as the benefit is, it’s a popular feature of the Social Security program. Politicians soon learned that tampering with it meant an automatic loss in the next election. So the “temporary benefit” never went away.
But occasionally, Congress has made some relatively minor adjustments to the original law. In 1954, they capped the benefit at $255 -- and it’s remained at that level ever since. And in 1983, when politicians were looking for ways to save money in the Social Security system, they restricted the payment of the one-time death payment to a “spouse who was living with the deceased at the time of death.” Because your husband was living with an-
Today, we essentially have a meaningless one-time miserly payment that comes with restrictions. Perhaps 50 years ago, $255 paid the cost of a funeral. Of course, today, it barely covers the price of the flowers. If I were the king of the Social Security world, I would do one of two things. Either I would raise the death benefit to something meaningful -- say, $2,500 -- or I would simply eliminate it. But I’m a columnist, not a king. So all I can do it explain the law and answer any questions you might have about it. Here are a few more.
Q: My wife recently died. She was a homemaker all of her life, so she was getting spousal benefits on my record. Everything went fine with stopping her Social Security checks. But I have two questions. When will I get the $255 death benefit? And will my benefit go up to give me credit for the spousal share that was being deducted from my checks?
A: I’m sorry, but the $255 death benefit is only paid on the account of someone who had worked and paid Social Security taxes. It sounds like your wife never did that because she was just receiving spousal benefits, not her own Social Security. And the money paid to a spouse is just an “add-on” benefit. In other words, nothing was taken out of your retirement check to pay her, so your retirement benefit rate will remain the same.
Q: My husband died five years ago when I was in my late 50s. I don’t ever remember getting the death benefit. Was it automatic?
A: No, it’s not automatic. You must apply for the death benefit. I’m not sure, but it might be too late to file for it now. To find out, call Social Security at 800-772-1213.
1. The book of Hosea is found in the a) Old testament b) New testament c) Neither
2. From Judges 16, what had Samson been to God from his mother's womb? a) Nazarite b) Philistine c) Reubenite d) Blessed
3. In Exodus 4, who had a staff or rod that turned into a snake? a) Noah b) Aaron c) Adam d) Moses
4. How many books of the Bible are named for a woman? a) One b) Two c) Three d) Four
5. What biblical name means "peace"? a) Abraham b) Jacob c) Salome d) Adam
6. Which of these died on Mount Hor? a) Abraham b) Noah c) Aaron d) Moses
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
Q: My father died on June 25. My parents were divorced, although they were still close friends. My mother applied for and started getting divorced widow’s benefits on his record. But I have two questions. Why did she have to return his June check? And why didn’t she get the $255 death benefit?
A: She had to return the June check because Social Security benefits are not prorated. Since your father didn’t live the entire month of June, the check for that month had to be returned. But there is an upside to that lack of prorating: Your mother started getting divorced widow’s benefits for the whole month of June, even though she was a widow for only five days in that month. As far the death benefit goes, the law says it can only be paid to a widow who was living with the deceased at the time of death. I assume your divorced parents weren’t living together, which is why the $255 can’t be paid to her.
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
Accutane Isn’t To Blame for Affecting Woman’s Fertility
DEAR DR. ROACH: My daughter is in her 30s and has been experiencing infertility for several years. She and her husband have been tested, and the issue is her egg quality. She’s had several rounds of in vitro fertilization (IVF) with no success.
At age 19, she was prescribed Accutane for her acne. She had to take a monthly pregnancy test in order to take this medication. I researched this medication at the time and was aware of the depression side effects. I was also aware that if a pregnancy occurred while taking this drug, it would have to be terminated. The situation was not a concern at the time.
damage to the developing fetus if taken during pregnancy, a study showed that any effect on fertility was gone 18 months after treatment.
There are many reasons why a woman can have difficulty getting pregnant, due to eggs that are less likely to get fertilized. Age is a major factor, but many genetic conditions, chemotherapy, radiation, viruses (including COVID-19), and autoimmune diseases are known causes.
I wish your daughter the best of luck. I have had several patients give up after several rounds of IVF, only to conceive a healthy baby naturally. ***
VETERANS POST
by Freddie Groves
Suicide Care at the VA
How on earth, one hates to ask, did a veteran commit suicide while a patient in a Department of Veterans Affairs hospital? Using an item belonging to that patient? And when an order had been given for the patient to be watched? When an order had been given for psychiatric care?
The VA Office of Inspector General (OIG) noted several things during their investigation afterward:
ADVERTISING PROOF
DEAR DR. ROACH: In a recent column, a reader mentioned that they were having problems coming up with words and wondered if a supplement would help. They mentioned taking medication for neuropathy. Some of the medications for neuropathy have brain fog as a side effect. -- P.A
Final Changes DUE:
ANSWER: I appreciate your writing. Of all the causes for people to have memory and concentration problems, a side effect from medication is one of the most common and easily reversible.
Now, years later, her fertility doctor says that she has eggs, but they are of poor quality. What is your opinion on this medication affecting fertility? I read that Accutane was banned in 2009. -- C.M.
ANSWER: Isotretoin (Accutane) is the most effective treatment for acne, but it has the potential for serious side effects and can only be given after a thorough review of its risks.
I have to correct two misapprehensions: Although brand-name Accutane was discontinued in 2009, generic isotretoin was not banned and still remains an extremely beneficial treatment that is safe when used appropriately. Secondly, there is no obligation while on this medicine to commit to a pregnancy termination.
Great care needs to be taken to prevent pregnancy, with repeatedly negative pregnancy tests before starting therapy, as well as two forms of birth control in any person who could get pregnant (unless they are abstinent).
There is a high likelihood that a baby who is exposed to isotretoin will experience severe damage or be stillborn. If a pregnancy occurs while on isotretoin, the drug must immediately be stopped, and the person needs to be referred to an expert in reproductive toxicity. A pregnancy termination should be discussed, but the decision is always up to the patient (except where prohibited by law).
Although isotretoin can cause severe
You are right that many medications used for neuropathy, especially gabapentin and pregabalin, can cause difficulty concentrating. Many people describe this as brain fog. It’s worthwhile to discuss any medication, even over-the-counter ones and supplements, with your doctor to see if any of these might be causing this symptom.
* * *
Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to ianswer individual questions, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med.cornell.edu.
(c) 2024 North America Synd., Inc. All Rights Reserved
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
First they found that no one had thought to go through the patient’s things and take away anything that could be a risk for self-harm. Then staff did not do what’s called a “warm handoff,” which is called for in the suicide risk evaluation guidelines. A psychiatrist apparently did a partial assessment but didn’t complete it within the required 24-hour time frame so other staff could see it. Instead, the order was changed from constantly watching the patient to checking the patient every 15 minutes.
The OIG had some recommendations afterward: Reassess the patient before changing observation levels. Actually complete the inpatient notes. Go through the patient’s things and take away anything that could be used for self-harm. And, gosh ... what a concept ... complete the risk evaluation within the required 24 hours.
At another facility the VA OIG concluded that staff inaccurately assessed the suicide risk of three different veterans.
At yet another, the veteran managed to commit suicide in the emergency room.
At another VA facility the VA OIG stepped in with their recommendations after one patient attempted suicide and another was successful.
Complete the risk screening. Put the notes in the health record. Adhere to the one-on-one observation. Don’t deactivate a patient’s high-risk status information without consulting other staff.
Flipping through years of reports a pattern emerges: There isn’t enough oversight and adhering to rules when it comes to helping suicidal veterans at the VA.
But of all the missteps small and large, how is it no one thought to clear potentially dangerous items from the veteran’s belongings there in the hospital?
* * *
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.
M.D.
-- by Jim Miller
Does Medicare Cover Cataract Surgery?
DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: How does Medicare cover cataract surgery? My eye doctor recently told me I’ve developed cataracts and should consider making plans for surgery in the next year or so. I'm concerned about the cost for this and whether my insurance covers it. -- Almost 70
Dear Almost 70: Like gray hair and wrinkles, cataracts are an inevitable part of the aging process we have to go through. Eventually, almost everyone (usually in their 60s) will develop cataracts, a condition that causes cloudy or blurry vision. The only way to correct this is through cataract surgery.
Fortunately, Medicare does cover medically necessary cataract surgery, which includes removing the cataract and implanting a standard intraocular lens (IOL). This is a small, lightweight, clear disk that replaces the focusing power of the eye’s natural crystalline lens to restore clear vision. The procedure is essentially painless and performed using traditional surgical techniques or lasers.
The Medicare coverage can be a substantial savings, since cataract surgery often costs about $1,800 to $2,800 per eye.
Cataract surgery is usually an outpatient procedure, covered under Medicare Part B. Once you pay the annual Part B deductible, which is $240 in 2024, you’re responsible for the Part B coinsurance.
That means you’ll pay 20 percent of the cost for covered services yourself. If you have a Medicare supplemental policy, also known as Medigap, you’ll have full or partial coverage for the 20 percent Part B coinsurance.
If you happen to be enrolled in a private Medicare Advantage plan, rather than original Medicare, you’ll also have coverage for cataract surgery. However, you may have to pay different deductibles or copayments and need to use an in-network provider. You’ll need to call your plan to find out its coverage details before you schedule surgery.
What’s Not Covered
Be aware that Medicare only covers cataract surgery with standard (monofocal) intraocular lenses, which improves vision at just one distance so you may still need glasses for close-up vision. Medicare will not cover premium (multifocal) intraocular lenses that can correct vision far away, up close and in between, which would allow you go glasses-free after surgery.
Premium interocular lenses are expensive, costing approximately $1,500 to $4,000 per eye, which you would be responsible for if you choose to upgrade. Talk with your doctor about your options and costs before your surgery.
Are Eyeglasses Covered?
Even though Medicare usually doesn’t cover eyeglasses or contact lenses, it will pay 80 percent for one set of corrective glasses or contacts after cataract surgery. Medicare, however, limits its coverage to standard eyeglass frames and lenses. If you want to get deluxe frames, progressive or tinted lenses or scratchresistant coating for glasses, you’ll need to pay those costs yourself. Medicare also requires that you purchase the glasses or contacts from a Medicare-approved supplier.
Also, if you have any post-surgery complications or problems that are deemed medically necessary to address by a doctor, Medicare cov-
ers those expenses too. Any drops, antibiotics or other medication prescribed after your surgery would be covered by Medicare Part D or a Medicare Advantage plan that includes prescription drug coverage.
Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior. org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.
ANTIQUE
JUNQUE
by Anne McCollam Creators News Service
Cigar Box Collectibles Are
Smokin’!
Q: This is a photo of a wood Corina Larks cigar box that I have had since 1950. The cigars sold for 15 cents each. The label on the inside has a picture of a young woman and the words “Notice the hole in the head.” There are metal hinges and lock and the box is approximately 8 inches by 6 inches and 2 1/2 inches high. The Corina logos are stamped on the outside of the box.
It is in perfect condition. I have kept my embroidery thread in it for years. When I heard some cigar boxes are worth money, I emptied it out and stored it away for safekeeping. Can you tell me how much it is worth?
Q: This mark is on the bottom of a porcelain figurine that I have. There is a woman sitting on a bench and there is a man standing next to her. They are both wearing 18thcentury clothes. The height is 8 inches and includes the base.
What can you tell me about the maker, age and value of my figurine?
A: Kranichfeld Porcelain Manufactory made your figurine. They were located in Saxony, Germany, and were in business around 1903 for just a short time. They specialized in porcelain figurines and a variety of decorative porcelain. Your figurine would probably be worth $175 to $275.
Kranichfeld Porcelain Manufactory was located in Germany.
Q: I have the book “The Complete Poetical Works of Henry Wadsworth Longfellow”. It is a hard cover book with gilded edges and has numerous illustrations. It was published by Houghton, Mifflin, and Company, The Riverside Press, Cambridge, in 1881. On the inside is a note with the words, “This is a Christmas present from an Aunt in the year 1883.”
Is there any value to this book?
* On Aug. 26, 1791, John Fitch and James Rumsey were each granted a federal patent for the steamboat. The men were rivals who devised different systems for, and battled over claims to, the invention.
* On Aug. 27, 1976, the United States Tennis Association barred transgender athlete Renee Richards (born Richard Raskind) from competing in the U.S. Open as a woman, stating she needed to pass a chromosomal test. Richards failed the test, sued the USTA, and a year later was granted the right to compete following a New York Supreme Court ruling in her favor.
* On Aug. 28, 2003, pop singers Britney Spears and Madonna shared a kiss at the MTV Video Music Awards, delighting some viewers and offending others. MTV received hate mail “from the older generation,” according to network president Van Toffler, who said: “I think the beauty of the VMAs was the combustibility. You wanted to make it fun and semi-chaotic. That’s what we did.”
A: Cigar boxes are indeed collectible. Their history goes back to the 1864 Revenue Act that required cigars to be packed in boxes. They have been made from just about every medium that includes wood, glass, tin, aluminum and china. Many of the boxes are made with Spanish cedar. Some were elaborately carved and made from fine wood. During the Depression, boxes were made to be used later for jewelry. They also were constructed in the shapes of motor vehicles, and log cabins. Cigar box labels are also very collectible.
Circa 1950 cigar boxes similar to yours are in the $20 to $50 range.
A: Your book often sells in antique books shops in the range of $50 to $70.
* * *
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 COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS.COM
* On Aug. 29, 1982, Swedish-born actress and three-time Academy Award winner Ingrid Bergman died of cancer on her 67th birthday. Bergman was best known for her role as Ilsa Lund in “Casablanca” alongside Humphrey Bogart, as well as the international scandal she sparked in 1950 when she had a son with Italian director Roberto Rossellini, to whom she was not married at the time.
* On Aug. 30, 1859, Edwin L. Drake successfully drilled the first oil well near Titusville, Pennsylvania, ushering in the modern petroleum industry. His discovery of an efficient way to extract oil from the ground revolutionized energy production and would help transform the global economy.
* On Aug. 31, 1989, England’s Princess Anne, the only daughter of Queen Elizabeth II, publicly announced her separation from her husband, Mark Phillips, but the couple stated they were not intending to divorce.
* On Sept. 1, 1928, groups of Boy Scouts placed approximately 2,400 concrete markers at sites along the Lincoln Highway to officially mark and dedicate it to the memory of President Abraham Lincoln.
(c) 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.
When someone affirms that a certain letter is indeed not a consonant, is that a vowel avowal?.
"Well chief, how did the staff take the news that you're giving yourself another raise?"
Labor Day: from page 3 chops and 8,000 pork patties.
• States across the nation team up every year to observe the Drive Sober or Get Pulled Over campaign, launched by the U.S. Department of Transportation’s National Highway Traffic Safety Administration. The campaign begins in mid-August every year and runs through Labor Day weekend and is an effort to decrease impaired driving nationwide. In 2021, 13,384 people were killed in alcohol-impaired driving crashes; 31% of all that year’s traffic fatalities; one person every 39 minutes. 531 of these fatalities occurred during Labor Day weekend, with 216 of those involving a drunk driver.
• Singer Buddy Holly, who recorded “That’ll Be the Day” and “Peggy Sue” was born on Labor Day, September 7, 1936. Other celebrities whose birthday occasionally falls on a Labor Day holiday include Keanu Reeves (Sept. 2), Charlie Sheen (Sept. 3), Beyonce (Sept. 4), and Michael Keaton (Sept. 5).
by Jason Jenkins
We’ve all had that experience of getting into a deep greenside bunker, only to spend two to three swings before finally expelling the ball onto the green. It usually starts with a poor lie, or sometimes stems from an uncertainty of the texture of the sand.
For many seasonal golfers who play northern courses in the summer, this may be especially true. But a lot of amateurs simply hit too far behind the ball where all of the clubhead speed is absorbed by the extra sand. They think they’re hitting two inches behind the ball, but unfortunately are entering more like four to five inches instead.
Many times I’ve coached golfers to try to feel like they are going to hit right behind the ball on a downward blow. Their eyes should pick a spot perhaps even at the back end of the ball. The reality is that even though they’re trying to hit that visual spot, the club really enters the sand one to two inches behind the ball.
In practice, make a mark near the ball’s position in the sand and compare where your club really hit relative to that mark. When you can consistently hit two to three inches behind the mark, you’re bunker game will dramatically improve!
Linda Thistle
