Vol. 20: #39 • Tires and Rubber • (9-22-2024) Tidbits of Coachella Valley
by Kathy Wolfe
In our modern day of motorized highway travel we probably don't give much thought to the compressed cushions of air below us that allow such a smooth ride. But it certainly wasnʼt always this way. This week Tidbits gives us a look back at the history of tires, and how the rubber met the road!
• Primitive wooden wheels were devised thousands of years ago, with leather bands wrapped around the wheel, which were later replaced with more durable metal bands.
• In 1839, American chemist Charles Goodyear accidentally discovered the vulcanization process when he unintentionally dropped a piece of sulfurcoated rubber onto the surface of a hot stove. After scraping it off he noticed that contact with the stove’s high heat had somehow changed the rubberʼs properties. He then experimented with adding sulfur to the rubber, which he found made the rubber somewhat pliable, waterproof, and to his delight -- moldable. Goodyear called his heating
TRIVIA NEWSFRONT
(Answers on page 16)
1. GEOGRAPHY: Mount Vesuvius overlooks which modern Italian city?
2. MYTHOLOGY: What kind of creature is half bird and half woman with an alluring song?
3. SCIENCE: What is a common name for iron oxide?
4. FOOD & DRINK: What kind of pastry is used to make baklava?
5. MOVIES: What is the name of Elle’s chihuahua in “Legally Blonde”?
6. MEDICAL: What is a common name for bruxism?
7. LITERATURE: Prospero is a character in which of Shakespeare’s plays?
8. ASTRONOMY: How many stars make up the Big Dipper?
9. U.S. STATES: Which state’s nickname is The Sunflower State?
10. ANIMAL KINGDOM: Which is the only continent without bees? Answers
your body
Tidbits invites you to put on your thinking cap and focus on these interesting facts about the human brain.
• The adult brain weighs about three pounds, of which 60% is made up of fat. In fact, the brain is the fattiest organ in the body. Because of this, a diet rich in omega-3 fatty acids is essential to keep the brain from shrinking.
• Men’s brains are generally 10% bigger than women’s, but this doesn’t necessarily mean men will think more or be more intelligent. In fact, Albert Einstein’s brain weight was just 2.71 pounds, ten percent smaller than the average. However, the neuron density of his brain was above average. The hippocampus is the part of the brain most strongly linked to memory, and this area is usually larger in women.
• Because much of the brain is water, just two percent dehydration can begin to negatively affect your attention span, memory, and other cognitive skills.
• We’ve probably all heard that we use only ten percent of our brains. However, neurologists have concluded that this is a total myth, with brain scans clearly indicating that we use most of our brain most of the time. The brain is always active, even when we’re sleeping.
• Researchers believe that the brain contains between 85 and 100 billion neurons, the nerve cells that send and receive signals from the brain and send to the body. Each neuron forms connections called synapses to other neurons that can combine and increase storage capacity. Information can pass through neurons at a speed of up to 250 mph.
• One billion synapses and 100,000 neurons are contained in a tiny piece of brain tissue the size of a grain of sand. If synapses become damaged or stop working, memory is affected, such as
with Alzheimer’s Disease.
• Think about this! Neurologists estimate that the brain generates about 49 thoughts a minute, about 70,000 a day.
• If you’ve ever eaten ice cream and had what we call “brain freeze,” you’ve experienced sphenopalatine ganglioneuralgia, the medical term for this condition. The cold ice cream chills the blood vessels and arteries in the back of the throat, including the ones that take blood to your brain. When the cold hits the outer covering of the brain, it causes a contraction of arteries, followed quickly by a dilation of those arteries, triggering a pain in the forehead. The brain itself doesn’t feel pain because it has no pain receptors. Rather it interprets the pain signals sent to it, which we in turn perceive.
• During the first year of life, the brain will grow three times its size, but it won’t be fully formed until about age 25.
• Development starts at the back of the brain, working its way to the frontal lobes, those which control reasoning. They are the last to mature and strengthen. Unfortunately, the brain begins to lose some of its memory abilities and cognitive skills as early as the late 20s. After middle age, the brain begins to get smaller.
• The brain uses 20 percent of the oxygen and blood in the body, and every minute enough blood to fill a liter-size soda bottle flows through the brain.
Week of September 22, 2024
Tires & Rubber: (from page one)
process “vulcanization” after the Roman god of fire, Vulcan.
• Goodyear received a U.S. patent for his invention which would ultimately revolutionize the tire industry. But for the next several years he was plagued with court battles to defend his patent, all while trying to set up factories in Europe. Legal technicalities led to him losing patent rights in England and France, and as his patents were constantly being infringed upon in the U.S., he piled up enormous debts. In 1860, at the age of 59, the brilliant inventor died nearly broke.
• After Goodyear’s invention, tires for several years were made of solid rubber. In 1845, everything changed with the debut of pneumatic, inflatable tires, invented by Scottish engineer Robert Thomson. However, he was unable to make them affordable, and it wasn’t until 1888 that another Scotsman, John Boyd Dunlop, created the first commercially practical pneumatic tire. However, they were only durable enough for bicycles. In 1911, another inventor, Philip Strauss, came up with a combination tire and air-filled inner tube that was successful on automobiles.
GOODYEAR TIRES
• Although the company bears his name, Charles Goodyear had nothing to do with the Goodyear Tire & Rubber Co. The company was founded 38 years after his death by two Akron, Ohio, brothers, Frank and Charles Seiberling, who had borrowed $3,500 from a relative to put a down payment on an abandoned factory. The factory opened in 1898, named in honor of the inventor of the rubber vulcanization process.
• The Goodyear company opened a branch office
in Detroit in 1907, the same year that Henry Ford purchased 1,200 sets of tires from them for use on his Model T. The Akron factory began operating 24 hours a day in 1911. Every car in the 1914 Indianapolis 500 used Goodyear tires.
• By 1916, Goodyear was the world’s largest tire company, using the ad slogan, “More people ride on Goodyear tires than on any other kind.” The company acquired its first rubber tree plantation in Sumatra and opened a second factory. By 1919, they had 30,000 employees.
B.F. GOODRICH
• Benjamin Franklin Goodrich founded his company in 1870, manufacturing rubberized hoses sold mainly as fire hoses, and serpentine belts. He expanded to pneumatic bicycle tires, and finally to automobile tires in 1896. Goodrich was the first to produce pneumatic auto tires, and in 1903, Henry Ford chose Goodrich tires for the new Model A Ford.
• In 1910, B.F. Goodrich began adding carbon black to the rubber, creating longer-life tires, improving tensile strength which made the tires more resistant to road wear, along with improving road grip. Carbon black blocks harmful UV rays that cause rubber to become brittle and crack. Tires that weren’t treated with carbon black could be driven 5,000 miles, but the new process increased that number up to 50,000 miles.
• Prior to this procedure, tires were white since the natural color of rubber was a milky white. Goodrich purchased the carbon black from Binney & Smith, the makers of Crayola crayons. The year 1946 brought the first tubeless automobile tire, patented by Goodrich, eliminating the need for an inner tube, improving performance, safety, and creating a more comfortable ride.
If asked to name the world's largest tire producer the answer would likely surprise you. The correct answer is the Lego toy company! Each year this manufacturer of toy vehicles produces over 700 million tiny rubber wheels for their miniature cars, easily outpacing the output of major tire manufacturers like Goodyear and Michelin.
MICHELIN TIRES
• The Michelin brothers, Andre and Edouard, founded their tire company in 1889 in ClermontFerrand, France, where they’d been operating a farm implement business. When a cyclist wheeled in a pneumatic tire in need of repair, it took the brothers over three hours to remove and repair the tire, due to its being glued to the rim. This led to their creation of a tire design that didn’t need to be glued to the rim, and a patent for a removable pneumatic tire. In 1946, Michelin was the first to patent a radial tire, one in which the cord plies
were arranged at 90 degrees, radially from the center of the tire, providing better handling and improved fuel efficiency.
FIRESTONE
• Harvey S. Firestone opened his tire and rubber factory in Akron in 1902 with 12 men. He debuted the first practical automobile tires, featuring a combination of rubber and fabric layers for improved strength and traction. Six years later, annual sales surpassed $1 million. In 1908, Firestone became the first to sell tires with non-skid tread patterns for enhanced traction.
• In 1926, the company purchased one of the world’s largest rubber plantations, over one million acres, in Liberia, West Africa. Disaster struck in 1941 when a fire at Firestone’s Fall River, Massachusetts facility destroyed five out of its eight buildings, wiping out 15,000 tons of rubber. Damages were $12 million (over $190 million in today’s dollars.)
• Tires today are made from far more materials
1. What does a "P" on the side of a tire indicate?
2. Why were studded winter tires banned in some states?
We think of the Goodyear blimp as the provider of aerial footage of our favorite football game, but their history is much more colorful. Goodyear built the first blimp in 1917 for the purpose of military patrolling during World War I. During WWII, Goodyear manufactured 167 blimps for U.S. Navy patrols. It wasn't until 1955 that the blimp was used for entertainment purposes, when it provided aerial coverage for the Parade of Roses.
By Lucie Winborne
* Beethoven went out of his way to ensure his morning coffee was made with exactly 60 beans per cup.
* In the hit film “Back to the Future,” the time machine was originally an old fridge. According to HuffPost, “Ultimately, it was determined that it probably was not a good idea to use a refrigerator in such a manner as kids might want to reenact the scene.”
* Up until the beginning of the 19th century, models were not used to showcase clothes. Fashion companies would use dolls instead.
* Pentheraphobia is the intense and disproportionate fear of your mother-inlaw.
* To ensure Queen Elizabeth II received her food on time, clocks in the royal kitchen at Windsor Castle were set five minutes ahead.
* While they might look the same, Jenga blocks have subtle differences in dimensions to make their construction less stable. Each brick is a different size and weight, so no two games are alike.
* As a souvenir from his trip to the Middle East, French author Gustave Flaubert brought home a mummy’s foot and kept it on his working desk.
* Herrings communicate through farts.
* In 1916, Adeline and Augusta Van Buren became the first women to travel across the country on two solo motorcycles. They made it despite frequently being arrested for the “crime” of wearing pants.
* Galileo’s middle finger is on display at the Museo Galileo in Florence, Italy.
* In 2009, a team of scientists searched Scotland’s Loch Ness for evidence of Nessie. While the fabled monster remained elusive, they at least recovered more than 100,000 golf balls.
***
Thought for the Day: “Nobody grows old merely by living a number of years. We grow old by deserting our ideals. Years may wrinkle the skin, but to give up enthusiasm wrinkles the soul.”
Tell them you saw their ad in Tidbits! patronize advertisers,
-- Samuel Ullman
(c) 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.
Everyday CHEAPSKATE®
by Mary Hunt
How to Build a Reasonable Grocery Stockpile Without Losing Your Mind
allow for containers underneath. Some even come with wheels for easy access.
6. DON’T FORGET TO USE YOUR STOCKPILE
Sounds obvious, but it’s easy to get so caught up in the thrill of the acquisition that you forget to actually use what you’ve stockpiled. Make a habit of going through your deep pantry (that’s what I call our stockpile) at least once a month to use what you can, keeping track of what needs to be restocked the next time the price hits rock bottom and before you’re in crisis mode.
Everyday CHEAPSKATE®
by Mary Hunt
Stockpiling groceries sounds like something only the most dedicated coupon clippers would do. But the truth is, it’s a smart way to stretch your grocery dollars without needing a doctorate in bargain hunting. Think of it as building a little fortress of savings in your pantry -- one that protects you from outrageous prices and unforeseen food shortages, and keeps your family fed without breaking the bank.
So you’re already using coupons, price matching, perhaps even ultra-disciplined by paying with cash. But you still feel like there’s more you could be doing to save money. Enter grocery stockpiling -- a trick that involves snagging items at their rock-bottom prices and stashing them away like you’re preparing for a minor apocalypse (or a weekend with teenage boys).
Here’s the scoop on how to get started without turning your garage into a canned goods museum.
1. START WITH A LIST OF YOUR FAMILY’S GO-TO ITEMS
It’s not about buying just anything (or everything) that’s on sale; it’s about getting the things you actually use, on sale. Keep track of what you’re paying now. Save your receipts for a month or create a price book or keep track. This way, when the price drops, you’ll know it’s time to pounce.
2. LEARN THE MAGIC OF THE 12-WEEK SALE CYCLE
Modern supermarkets and grocery stores operate on a 12-week cycle, meaning something in every department or category in that store will go on sale approximately once every 12 weeks. By understanding this cycle, you can plan your shopping around these predictable sales. For example, your family goes through a bottle of ketchup a month, buy a few bottles when they’re on sale -- just enough to last until the next sale comes around.
3. DON’T TURN YOUR HOUSE INTO A WAREHOUSE
Remember: You read it in tidbits!
DON’T FORGET!
Tell the advertisers you saw their ad in Tidbits!
Remember to TELL OUR ADVERTISERS YOU SAW THEIR AD IN TIDBITS!
It’s easy to get carried away, and I tell you this from personal experience! Do you really need 36 cans of kidney beans? Probably not. Focus on what you’ll realistically use before it expires.
4. MAKE SURE YOUR FAMILY ACTUALLY LIKES IT
7. ROTATE YOUR ITEMS TO PREVENT WASTE
Your stockpile should never become static. By that I mean just sitting there for months -- verily, years -- for some catastrophic event. Instead, “shop” from your stockpile as you plan and prepare meals. When you put away new groceries, slide the older items to the front so they get used first. A little organization now will save you from discovering something unidentifiable lurking in the back of the pantry years from now.
On a tight budget? Ease slowly into stockpiling. If you spot a great sale, swap out a couple of nonessentials from your grocery list that week to free up some cash. Or try a crisis challenge -- where you live for one month as if a crisis has hit, the grocery store shelves are bare and you must use what you have to survive. Now, take the cash you would have spent on groceries during the month to build your stockpiles.
Here’s the bottom line: Grocery stockpiling doesn’t have to be overwhelming. With a little strategy and some clever storage ideas, you can save big without feeling like you need to turn your house into a Costco annex. Here’s to smarter shopping, fuller pantries and a little more cash in your pocket! * *
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
Let’s say dried pinto beans are on sale for 75% off. Wow! Time to load up? Well, not if no one in the family actually enjoys dishes made with pinto beans. Never allow zealous frugality to overtake common sense.
(You wouldn’t have Tidbits without them)
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5. FIND STORAGE SPACE IN UNLIKELY PLACES
Got a little extra room behind a door or under the bed? Perfect! Add a narrow shelf above a door or raise your bed a few inches to
Tidbits has a sweet treat for readers this week as we pass on these facts about one of our favorite collectible confections.
• In 1927, Austrian confectioner Edward Haas III sought a way to help people cut down on smoking, while freshening the breath at the same time. The result was a small round candy sold in a tin and named PEZ Drops. Haas devised the name from the German word for “peppermint,” “Pfefferminz,” taking the P from the first letter, E from the middle, and Z from the last. Shortly afterward, the shape of PEZ was changed into the brick shape we know today.
• Peppermint oil at the time was an expensive commodity, used mainly in pharmacies. Production of peppermint-flavored products required boiling the components, resulting in a
large waste of the oil as much of it evaporated in the heat. To combat this waste, the Haas chemists invented a method that employed a cold manufacturing process.
• Because customers wanted a way to grab a mint with one hand or to share with a friend without touching all the candies in the tin, in 1949, the company devised a small mechanical box for holding and dispensing 12 tablets that would fit easily in a pocket.
• PEZ was introduced to the United States in 1952, although all of the product was produced in Europe and exported to America.
• By 1955, interest in PEZ as an aid to quit smoking had waned, and the company expanded to fruit-flavored varieties and began marketing to children, adding a Santa Claus and robot head to its dispensers. In 1957, the familiar PEZ dispensers with character heads became the norm, with a Halloween witch making its debut in the Fall of that year. The company expanded into licensed characters in 1958, with the introduction of a Popeye dispenser.
• Sales were increasing so rapidly in the United States that in 1973, construction began on a new warehouse and manufacturing facility in Orange, Connecticut.
• As more and more character heads were added, PEZ collecting became popular, and in 1991 the first PEZ collector convention was held. Those folks who collect the dispensers can determine the vintage by examining the bottom. In 1984, small tabs were added to the base, enabling it to stand upright. These “feet,” as collectors call them, aid in identifying the older ones.
• During the 1970s, PEZ dispensers with fruit heads were sold, designs that are now worth about $1,000 for pears and $3,000 for pineapples.
A Looney Tunes Foghorn Leghorn from 1980 fetched $7,000 in 2021. There are only a scant few 1961 PEZ dispensers of a political donkey, one of which sold for nearly $13,000 in 2013. Another one is on display at the company’s European corporate office.
• As a gift to President John F. Kennedy, the PEZ Candy Company gave him both an elephant and donkey dispenser in honor of America's prevailing two-party system. While these dispensers won't be going to auction anytime soon, they have a combined estimated value of between $20,000 and $25,000.
• There have been about 1,400 different PEZ character heads over the years. Some can be found in the Smithsonian’s Museum of American History, including a complete set of the Muppets
dispensers.
• In 2011, the Orange, Connecticut factory opened the PEZ Visitor Center, a 4,000-squarefoot space devoted to the history of the fruity tablets, containing the world’s largest collection of dispensers, and containing a glass wall that allows visitors to view the production floor. All of the candies for the U.S. and Canada are manufactured there, to the tune of about 12 million tablets a day, five days a week.
by Dana Jackson
Q: Who plays Eddie on “9-1-1,” and when will there be new episodes of the show again? -- K.L.
A: Ryan Guzman is a former MMA fighter -- now actor -- who plays firefighter Eddie Diaz on the hit ABC series “9-1-1.” Showrunner Tim Minnear told TVLine that Eddie will be back in the upcoming season sporting a mustache and dealing with some emotional trauma leftover from last season.
Guzman’s first professional acting role was starring in the 2012 dance film “Step Up Revolution.” He followed that with a recurring role on the teen drama series
“Pretty Little Liars” and later another show, “Notorious,” opposite Piper Perabo and Daniel Sunjata. He’ll be back when “9-1-1” returns to ABC for its eighth season on Thursday, Sept. 26, at 8 p.m. ET.
Q: What is Sarah Michelle Gellar doing lately? I haven’t seen her in anything new in quite a while. -- N.F.
A: Sarah Michelle Gellar started out as a child actress, doing Burger King commercials as a young tyke. Daytime soap fans will remember her as conniving teenager Kendall on “All My Chil-
dren,” before landing the role of a lifetime as Buffy on the iconic series “Buffy the Vampire Slayer.” She also had a successful film career with movies like “Cruel Intentions” and “The Grudge.”
She returned to television in 2012 with a new series, called “Ringer,” but it was canceled after just one season. She has worked steadily over the past decade and has one of the few successful long marriages in Hollywood, with her husband, actor Freddie Prinze Jr.
Her next project, “Dexter: Original Sin,” is her most promising one in years. It’s about future avenging serial killer Dexter Morgan’s origin story. Michael C. Hall will narrate the series, while Patrick Gibson (“Shadow and Bone”) plays a young Dexter. Christian Slater (“Dr. Death”) portrays his father, Harry, and Molly Brown (“Evil”) plays his sister, Debra. Gellar will play a CSI chief, and another early 2000s superstar, Patrick Dempsey (“Grey’s Anatomy”), will play the head of homicide in Miami.
Expect “Dexter: Original Sin” to premiere on Showtime this coming December. ***
Q: Is it true that “Blue Bloods” was canceled? Are there not going to be anymore new episodes? -- S.S.
A: Yes, “Blue Bloods” is ending its run, but not until December. The show returns for an abbreviated 14th season on CBS, beginning Friday, Oct. 18, at 10 p.m. ET. Tom Selleck will be back as the head of the tight-knit Reagan family.
What viewers love about the family, in addition to enforcing the law, are their weekly dinners at home at the big table. According to TV Insider, this was inspired by Norman Rockwell’s 1943 Thanksgiving magazine illustration “Freedom from Want.”
Look for your favorites to return for the show’s final eight episodes. In addition to Selleck, Donnie Wahlberg, Bridget Moynahan, Will Estes, Marisa Ramirez, Vanessa Ray and Len Cariou will all be back to wrap up the
Send me your questions at NewCelebrityExtra@gmail.com, or write me at KFWS,
Ryan Guzman (“9-1-1”)
Courtesy of ABC
Pulled-Chicken Sandwiches
Transform rotisserie chicken into a tangy, barbecue-sauced sandwich filling in just minutes.
1 small (2 to 2 1/2 pounds) rotisserie chicken
1 cup barbecue sauce
1/2 cup water
1/4 cup red wine vinegar
6 Kaiser rolls, split
1/2 pound deli coleslaw
Carrot and celery sticks
1. Remove skin and bones from chicken; coarsely shred meat.
2. In 2-quart saucepan, combine chicken, barbecue sauce, water and vinegar. Cook over medium heat 5 minutes or until hot, stirring frequently.
3. Spoon chicken mixture onto bottom halves of rolls and top with coleslaw and top halves of roll. Serve with carrot and celery sticks. Makes 6 servings.
Each serving: About 405 calories, 11g total fat (3g saturated), 87mg cholesterol, 870 mg sodium, 40g carb., 2g fiber, 34g protein.
Sweet ‘N’ Tangy Pasta Salad
Amp up your BBQ with this next-level pasta salad.
For the Creamy Balsamic Dressing:
1 cup mayo
1/2 cup balsamic vinegar
1/4 cup olive oil
2 cloves garlic, pressed
Kosher salt
Black pepper
For the Salad:
Rotini, cooked, slightly cooled
Celery, thinly sliced
Carrots, shredded
Red pepper, chopped
Arugula
Cannellini beans, rinsed and drained
1. Make the Creamy Balsamic Dressing:
Shake mayo, balsamic vinegar, olive oil, garlic, salt and pepper.
2. Make the Salad: Toss balsamic dressing with rotini, celery, carrots, red pepper, arugula and cannellini beans.
Each 1 tablespoon dressing: About 90 calories, 10g fat (1g saturated). 1g carbs., 85mg sodium.
Blueberry-Mango Compote
A summery duo that can’t be beat.
1 tablespoon dark Jamaican rum
1 tablespoon fresh lime juice
1 tablespoon sugar
2 large mangoes, peeled and cut into 3/4inch pieces
1 pint blueberries
In medium bowl, combine rum, lime juice and sugar. Add mangoes and blueberries; toss to coat. Cover and refrigerate if not serving right away. Makes 6 servings.
Each serving: About 97 calories, 1g protein, 24g carbohydrate, 0g total fat (0g saturated), 0mg cholesterol, 5mg sodium.
For thousands of triple-tested recipes, visit our website at www.goodhousekeeping.com/food-recipes/.
(c) 2024 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved
2.Accordingtotheproverb,whatis“the
NEXT WEEK in TIDBITS COLORS
WITH
9/22 Autumnal Equinox (fall begins)
9/23 World Day of Sign Languages
9/24 Punctuation Day
9/25 World Pharmacists Day
9/26 Johnny Appleseed Day
9/27 National Day of Forgiveness
9/28 National Good Neighbor Day
Dog Talk with Uncle Matty
By Matthew Margolis
Good Don’ts and the Five P’s for Dog Training
I heard some simple words for dog owners to live by on the radio recently, and they are paraphrased here:
Don’t ask: “What did you do?” He’ll never answer you.
Don’t say his name with the word “no.” He’ll never come to you.
Don’t point your finger at him. He’ll never trust your hands.
Don’t say “no” over and over and over again. It’s only a word.
Don’t tell him he’s a bad dog. Why is he a bad dog? Maybe it’s you!
“Don’ts” are often thought of as negative speak, especially on the West Coast. But these are the good don’ts, the important ones, the ones that will keep your relationship with your dog strong and healthy as the two of you navigate the challenges of interspecies communication.
With the right approach to training, canine behavior can be modified from as early on as 8 weeks to as late in life as 12 to 14 years. The “right” approach is determined by the dog -- or, rather, his personality or temperament. For example, a hardheaded dog will require a firm voice and technique; whereas, a timid dog would only be made more fearful by the same treatment.
Bottom line: In order to train your dog, you have to know your dog. And part of knowing your dog is knowing dogs in general and what to expect.
Dogs bark. They chew. They jump, dig, nip, teethe, whine, wiggle and bark some more. None of this is bad -- it’s just dogs being dogs. But some of these behaviors may not align with your expectations.
Consider yourself warned: Expect these behaviors. When your expectations are realistic, you can prepare.
Ever heard of the Five P’s? Purpose, Preparation, Planning, Practice and Performance. They serve as good guidance in the business world, and they apply to dog training, too.
The recent listeria outbreak in a certain brand of deli meat was most disturbing because it now makes some of us hesitant to purchase any brands.
Listeria can, and has, caused illnesses so severe that people have died. At this writing, the number continues to grow.
Where the mistrust comes in is at the deli counter itself. If the slicing machines were previously used on the listeria-contaminated meats, and if those slicers weren’t sanitized of every tiny listeria molecule, those germs can be transmitted by cross-contamination to another type of meat being sliced. Scary.
And when it comes to trust, who would suspect cinnamon of being a problem? But apparently it is, with several recalls due to excess lead in the product.
Then there was the real heartbreaker to read about: Beloved frozen chicken nuggets
were found to have foreign matter in them, specifically little particles of metal.
Foods aren’t the only items making the recall lists. Lithium batteries have been making headlines, especially when they cause fires. A portable power station, for charging electronic devices and other gadgets, has caused four fires. Another brand of power station has caused over 170 cases of the batteries swelling and overheating. Even a camera brand had problems with the lithium batteries overheating.
Even candles aren’t left off the recall list. One lovely tangerine scented candle was recalled because of a fire hazard.
A single-serve coffee maker can shoot hot water out of the top of the machine, burning anyone nearby. A lawnmower was recalled because if water gets into the handle, the mower will fail to shut off. Or how about the bicycle that loses its steering?
Check online before you buy, especially consumer products. See www.recalls.gov for a wide selection of product types, and foodsafety. gov for recalled foods -- or sign up for alerts.
And be especially wary of that cute retrolook Italian-made refrigerator that’s dangerous because the heavy door can suddenly fall off when opened..
* * *
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.
Let’s apply the five P’s to the No. 1 headache for dog owners: housebreaking. Ironically, housebreaking is also one of the easiest problems to prevent or solve. It’s all in the approach and those five P’s.
Purpose: You want to housebreak your dog.
Prepare: Determine your dog’s personality (via temperament testing), and educate yourself on housebreaking techniques or solicit the services of a reputable dog trainer, one whose philosophy on the care and treatment of dogs aligns with yours.
Plan: Establishing a Feed-Water-Walk schedule that accommodates your dog’s digestive cycle and your lifestyle. One of the biggest misconceptions out there is that you have to first paper train your dog, and then housebreak him. Those are two separate and mutually exclusive goals, or purposes. Paper training teaches your dog to go inside. Housebreaking teaches him to go outside.
Practice: Live by the schedule you set up. Be diligent and faithful. Do not stray.
Perform: If you do all of the above, you will have performed beautifully and your pooch will follow suit.
Apply the five P’s to any behavior your dog engages in that you wish to eliminate or modify, keeping in mind the good “don’ts,” and you’ll be amazed at the results. For detailed instructions on temperament testing, the Feed-Water-Walk schedule and housebreaking your dog, check out “I Just Got a Puppy. What Do I Do?” or visit www.unclematty.com. Woof! Cody’s Corner (from page 9)
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
YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY
by Tom Margenau
Foreign Pensions and Social Security
I’ve commented many times before that Social Security is a global phenomenon. Almost every country on the planet has a Social Security system in place for its citizens. (And many countries had social insurance plans long before we got around to implementing our program in 1935.)
In our global economy, it is not uncommon for people to have lived and worked in two or more countries, and thus potentially qualify for Social Security benefits from different countries. How a foreign pension may interact with U.S. Social Security benefits is the subject of today’s column.
Q: I have lived and worked in the United States for the past 15 years. But I was born in Great Britain and worked there for about 30 years before moving to the states.
I am 67 years old and about to retire. I get a British Social Security pension and just applied for my American Social Security benefits. Before I did so, the estimates the Social Security Administration mailed me said I would get about $900 per month. But when I filed my claim, I learned I would only get about $450. A Social Security Administration phone rep I talked to said this is because I was double-dipping, and the law didn’t allow me to do this.
I think this is totally unfair. I paid into both social insurance systems and think I should get full benefits from both programs. I plan to appeal. Can you help me?
A: You can appeal if you want. But you are not going to win your case. The SSA phone rep misled you by using the term “double-dipping.” That is not why your U.S. Social Security benefit will be reduced. It will be reduced because, without the reduction, you would be getting an unintended windfall in retirement benefits. And the law that applies to you is called the “windfall elimination provision,” or WEP.
To understand the reasoning behind the law, I’ve got to explain something about our Social Security retirement system. There are social goals that have been built into that system since the program began in 1935. One of those goals is to help raise the standard of living for poorer people when they retire. And the way that is done is with a retirement benefit formula skewed in their favor. That formula gives poorer people a better deal -- or more specifically, a higher rate of return -- than is paid to wealthier people. When I am talking about a “rate of return,” I am talking about comparing their Social Security benefit to their average preretirement income.
This formula can best be expressed in terms of percentages. A poor person could potentially get a Social Security benefit that represents up to 90% of his or her average preretirement wage. A well-to-do person will get significantly less -- maybe in the 25% range. The rich person is still going to get a much higher Social Security benefit, because 25% of his or her income is way more than 90% of the poor person’s income. But still, the poor person gets a better deal out of Social Security.
The return rate payable to the average person, a typical middle-class worker, is in the 40% range: He or she can expect to get a Social Security retirement check that represents about 40% of his or her preretirement income.
Now, let’s discuss the “windfall” that you are getting. All Social Security retirement benefits are based on a 35-year base of earnings. You said you worked in this country for only 15 years. That means there are 20 years of “zero” earnings on your Social Security record. The SSA’s computers thought you were poor because of all those zero earning years. So they initially gave you a preretirement estimate intended for a poor person, with something close to the 90% return rate.
Those computers didn’t know that you are not really poor. They didn’t know that you spent all those years working in another country and earning a retirement pension from that country. But once you actually filed for benefits and told the Social Security people that you spent all those years working in England and earning a British retirement pension, they then used the windfall elimination provision formula to refigure your benefit.
In other words, that $900 monthly benefit rate you were quoted in the letters was based on the 90% rate of return. But again, you are not poor. You are a middle-class person and should get the same rate of return that all middle-class people in this country get. So that $450 monthly benefit you will receive was based on the WEP formula that gives you the same 40% return rate that all average Americans get.
Q: I am a Canadian citizen who moved to the United States in 2010. About two years ago, I married a woman who is a U.S. citizen. We are both age 66. She just filed for her Social Security and will get $2,800 per month. My Canadian Social Security pension is $3,200 per month. Am I able to claim husband’s benefits on my wife’s U.S. Social Security record?
1. The book of Malachi is found in the a) Old testament b) New testament c) Neither
2. What just and devout man held the baby Jesus when Mary and Joseph presented him at the temple? a) Cyrenias b) Simeon c) Ham d) Zara
3. Which of these books comes before the other three in the Old Testament? a) Daniel b) Ecclesiastes c) Lamentations d) Job
4. What sign sealed God's promise not to destroy the earth ever again by a flood? a) Solar eclipse b) Blood moon c) Rainbow d) Earthquake
5. From Proverbs 29, what does the fear of man bring? a) A snare b) Weakness c) Defeat d) Temptation
6. Who's daughter found the infant Moses in the river? a) Agabus b) Pharaoh c) Gatekeeper d) Chief of eunichs
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
When my wife filed for her Social Security, the representative she talked to said no. But I know of other Canadians living here who do get spousal benefits from Social Security.
A: Obviously, I don’t know all the facts about your case. So there may be something I am missing. But based on what you told me, the Social Security agent misinformed you. You should be able to collect $1,400 per month in husband’s benefits on your wife’s Social Security record. Having said that, I will make this point. I think our Social Security laws on this issue are wrong and need to be changed. I’ll use some examples to explain why.
Bill is a U.S. citizen who spent his life paying into Social Security and now collects $2,600 per month in retirement benefits. His wife, Ann, gets her own Social Security check amounting to $1,800 per month. Bill can’t get any husband’s benefits on Ann’s Social Security record because his own retirement benefit offsets any spousal benefits. And for that matter, Ann can’t get any of Bill’s Social Security (at least before he dies) because her retirement benefit offsets any spousal benefits she would be due.
There is something called the “government pension offset” law that usually prevents someone who is getting a non-Social Security retirement pension from getting Social Security dependent benefits from a spouse. But for some reason that I can’t explain, there is a loophole in that offset law for foreign pensions. You are going to be able to get your Canadian retirement pension and a full dependent husband’s benefit from the U.S. Social Security system. So go ahead and jump through that big loophole. But I just don’t think it’s right.
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. COPYRIGHT 2024 CREATORS.COM
Having Surgery for a Hernia Could Be Riskier Than Living With It
DEAR DR. ROACH: I’m an 85-year-old man. I’m in good health, and I exercise and swim at the gym for 3 hours every other day. I am not overweight, and the only prescription I have is a nose spray. I do have mild idiopathic neuropathy, but I’m still quite agile and mobile.
I have a hernia in my lower abdomen. I had one just like it on the right side that was repaired 35 years ago.
My family doctor seems to think that having surgery at my age could be riskier than living with the hernia. The pain isn’t terrible, but it is frequently uncomfortable. Should I consider surgery? --
C.E.K.
ANSWER: You should consider it to the point where you consult a surgeon. The operative risk is relatively small, and despite your age, it sounds like you are in good shape. However, after consulting with a surgeon, you may decide against surgery. The most important factor is how much the pain from the hernia bothers you. In general, we recommend surgical repair for symptomatic hernias, as the pain tends to gradually increase over years.
No surgery comes without a risk, and your family doctor is right that it is riskier to have the surgery than it would be to live with the pain. But the risk is not enormous, so if the pain is to the point where the hernia is bothering you a lot, it is certainly worth discussing the risks and benefits of surgery with an expert surgeon. ***
DEAR DR. ROACH: I saw a post somewhere saying that we should throw away all vitamins or supplements with magnesium stearate, titanium dioxide or microcrystalline cellulose. This means I would need to discard vitamins, antacids, and even my glucose tabs that I occasionally need for reactive hypoglycemia. Do you have any guidance on this? -- L.D.
ANSWER: In 1538, a Swiss physician with the pseudonym “Paracelsus” articulated the basic premise of toxicology: The dose makes the poison. This remains critical today.
Magnesium stearate is commonly used in food, cosmetics and medicines. It is generally regarded as safe at doses below 175 grams for an average-sized adult. A typical supplement might contain as much as 20 mg. It would take well over 8,000 doses at once for a person to reach a dangerous level.
Titanium dioxide is used as a food coloring, in sunscreen, and in medications like styptic pencils. It has long been considered safe in the United States and Canada. But its status in Europe has recently been changed, so it is no longer recommended as a food additive.
The tiny doses of it in medications and dietary supplements are very unlikely to cause harm, but many manufacturers in the U.S. are beginning to stop using it, more due to percep-
tion than proven harm (for which there is no evidence).
Microcrystalline cellulose is simply an indigestible fiber source made from wood pulp. It is not absorbed. It is used in many foods and as a filler in tablets and capsules. You can also buy it as a supplement or use it as a thickener in cooking.
ADVERTISING PROOF
I don’t have any concerns with magnesium stearate or microcrystalline cellulose at the kinds of doses used in pharmaceuticals and supplements. I also don’t have any concern with food-grade titanium dioxide as a coloring agent in food or supplements.
MONDAY
VETERANS POST
by Freddie Groves
Do You Trust the VA?
Two recent surveys ranked health care at the Department of Veterans Affairs as better than civilian care in two specific areas.
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Tom Hernandez
(PSA)
Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer 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
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
drivers needed. Call Tom Hernandez: 760-324-5670
The star rating of the Centers for Medicare & Medicaid Services Hospital Consumer Assessment of Healthcare Providers and Systems (CMS) gave four or five stars to 58% of VA facilities for hospital quality. Civilian facilities only saw 40% in that star range.
In a patient satisfaction survey, that same CMS star system saw 79% of VA facilities receiving four or five stars, while only 40% of civilian facilities reached that rating.
A recent medical journal article looked at 26 studies that ranked VA hospitals in areas such as patient experience, safety, quality and access, and determined that non-surgical care was rated better in 15 of the studies. With surgical care, the report showed that 11 out of 13 studies ranked VA care as comparable or better.
A stroll around the internet, checking in on sites where veterans praise/condemn the VA for their care, reveals a wide range of responses. Yes, you have to be careful about believing what you read on the internet, but many of these comments and notes are so heartfelt it’s difficult to imagine they aren’t true.
Some say the VA saved their life. Some say the best thing that ever happened was getting approved for Community Care and finding a civilian doctor. Some who have moved to different areas of the country claim there are huge differences from one facility to another.
If you’re one of the hundreds of thousands of veterans who are sent a “trust” survey in an email after you have an appointment, fill it out and send it back. They really do get carefully read and evaluated. Your input is needed to keep the numbers accurate in their quarterly reports.
The survey will come from the Veterans Signals (VSignals) program in the Veterans Experience Office. They’ll use your data to recognize possible problem areas and make needed adjustments so your VA experiences are smooth and easy.
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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.
(c) 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.
-- by Jim Miller
How to Assess What You Need in a Walker
DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: My elderly father is having some balance issues when walking due to worsening arthritis in his hips and knees. He needs more stability than his cane gives him, so I want to get him a walker to help him stay steady on his feet. I need some guidance in choosing the right kind and I'm hoping you can give me some tips on what to look for. --
Wobbly in Wisconsin
Dear Wobbly: There are several styles and options to consider when it comes to choosing an appropriate walker for your father, but selecting the best one will depend on his particular needs as well as where he’ll be using it. Here are some tips that can help you make your choice:
There are three basic types of walkers on the market today. To help you choose the right kind, consider how much support he’ll need in terms of weight. Pay a visit to a medical equipment store or pharmacy (see Medicare.gov/medical-equipment-suppliers) that sells walkers so he can test-walk a few for comfort and mobility. Here are the different types he’ll have to choose from.
Standard walker:
This is the most basic style of walker that has four legs with rubber-based feet (no wheels), is very lightweight (5 to 6 pounds) and typically costs between $30 and $100. This type of walker must be picked up and moved forward as you walk, so it’s best suited for people who need significant weight bearing support and are walking only very short distances.
Two-wheeled walker:
This has the same four-leg style as the standard walker except it has wheels on the two front legs that allow you to easily push the walker forward without lifting, while the back legs glide across the floor providing support while you step forward. These are best for people with balance issues and are priced at around $50 to $150.
Rollator:
This is a rolling walker that has wheels on all (three or four) legs. Four-wheel rollators typically come with a built-in seat, basket and hand-breaks and are best suited for people who need assistance with balance or endurance inside or outside the home. Some rollators even come with pushdown brakes that engage with downward pressure and will lock if you sit on the seat. Or, if you dad needs to navigate tight spaces at home,
three-wheel rollators, which don’t have a seat, are a nice option. Rollators typically run between $60 and $250.
Other Tips
After deciding on the type of walker, there a few additional things you need to know to ensure it meets your dad’s needs.
First, be sure the walker’s height is adjusted appropriately. To do this, have your dad stand with his arms relaxed at his sides. The handgrips of the walker should line up with the crease on the inside of his wrist.
If your dad is a large person, make sure that the walker’s weight capacity will support him. And if he chooses a four-wheel rollator, assure that his body will fit comfortably between the handgrips when he is seated. Heavy duty (bariatric) rollators with higher weight capacities, bigger wheels and wider seats are also an option.
Your dad also needs to test the handgrips to make sure they’re comfortable and be sure to purchase a walker that folds up (most do) for easier storage and transport.
There are also walker accessories that can be added for convenience such as food tray attachments, tote bags for carrying personal items, oxygen tank holders, and tennis ball walker glides that go over the feet of a standard walker to help it slide more easily across the floor.
For more tips on how to choose and use a walker, visit Mayoclinic.org/healthylifestyle/healthy-aging/in-depth/walker/art-
20546805. It’s also a smart idea to work with your dad’s doctor or a physical therapist, and be sure to get a written prescription, as Medicare will cover 80 percent of the cost.
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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.
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ANTIQUE
JUNQUE
by Anne McCollam Creators News Service
Secretary Multi-Tasks
Q: Enclosed is a photo of an antique piece of furniture that was purchased from my great aunt’s estate in 1978. She died at age 80, and this was a wedding present given to her probably around 1920.
The curved-glass door, the beveled mirror, the finish, and all the hardware are original. The desktop drops down for writing and it has shelves and a drawer. The overall measurements are 70 inches tall, 40 inches wide and 15 inches deep. It is in excellent condition. I have been told the wood is tiger oak.
Can you give me any information about its style, period and value?
A: You have a desk/cabinet combination, also called a side-by-side or a secretary. It was made in the golden oak period of furniture that began in 1890 and lasted to around 1920.
Tiger oak is quarter-sawn oak, and the distinctive grain of the wood can be recognized by the pattern that is similar to tiger stripes.
Your side-by-side was made in the early 1900s and would probably be worth $1,200 to $1,800.
Q: This mark is on the bottom of a cup and saucer that I have. The words “Romantic -- Flow Blue -- England” are also included with the mark. The dishes are decorated with a blue scene of a boy and girl.
I would appreciate anything you can tell me about my cup and saucer.
A: Blakeney Pottery Ltd. made your cup and saucer. They made earthenware in Stoke, Staffordshire, England, from 1968 to 2000.
Blakeney Pottery made flow-blue pieces around 1970 and should not be confused with the flow-blue ware made in the 1800s and early 1900s. Original flow-blue pieces were not marked with the words “Flow Blue.”
Blakeney’s “Romantic” pattern was inspired by an early flow-blue pattern by the name of “Watteau.” There was a renewed interest in flow-blue dishes from around the 1960s to the 1980s. As a result, there were a handful of factories that produced new pieces.
Your cup and saucer are circa 1970, and the set would probably be worth $15 to $25.
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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
Some lions built a drinking tavern and gave it the tagline "Where everybody knows your mane."
* On Sept. 23, 1944, President Franklin D. Roosevelt defended his beloved dog Fala’s honor while dining with the International Brotherhood of Teamsters union. The canine had recently been the butt of a Republican political attack, and the president remarked that while he and his family had been the object of “malicious falsehoods” in the past, he asserted the right to “object to libelous statements about my dog.”
On Sept. 24, 2016, the National Museum of African American History and Culture opened on the National Mall. President Barack Obama led the ceremony and rang the Freedom Bell, a bell from an African American Baptist church founded in 1776.
On Sept. 25, 1970, the hit series “The Partridge Family,” about a musical clan that was inspired by the real-life singing Cowsills, made its debut on ABC. Though most of the fictional family was portrayed by nonmusical actors, the show did propel lead singer David Cassidy onto the path of teen idol stardom.
On Sept. 26, 1820, frontiersman Daniel Boone -- who, incidentally, never wore a coonskin cap, preferring one of beaver instead -- died in his sleep at his son’s home near present-day Defiance, Missouri, at the age of 86.
On Sept. 27, 1989, Hollywood actress and socialite Zsa Zsa Gabor, while standing trial for slapping a police officer, stormed out of the courtroom in the middle of the district attorney’s closing remarks. Later that day, she was convicted and given a sentence of 72 hours in jail, 120 hours of community service, and $13,000 in fines and restitution.
On Sept. 28, 1918, a Liberty Loan parade in Philadelphia launched a severe outbreak of Spanish flu in the city that turned into a pandemic. By the time it ended, an estimated 2050 million people around the world had died
On Sept. 29, 1988, Stacy Allison of Portland, Oregon, became the first American woman to reach the summit of Mount Everest, which at 29,035 feet above sea level is Earth’s highest point. She was later part of a team that marked the first successful allwomen ascent of Ama Dablam, a mountain of 22,495 feet, in Nepal.
(c) 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.
"l'm looking for an eager workaholic who feels the stellar performance he's providing is compensation enough."
Golden oak side-by-side was made in early 1900s.
Blakeney Pottery made reproductions of flowblue ware.
Tires & Rubber: from page 3 than rubber, in fact, a typical tire might contain upwards of 200 different materials, including cobalt, titanium, steel, fiberglass, and Kevlar.
• Tires do have an expiration date. After five years, tires begin to experience a chemical reaction that can affect their safety. To check the manufacture date of your tires, look at the final four digits of the code on the tire. The first two digits show the week of the year, and the final two digits indicate the year of manufacture.
• If you purchase a brand new car, you may not receive a spare tire with the deal. Nearly 30% of new cars no longer include a spare with the purchase. You might receive a patch kit to temporarily fill the hole.
• In 1988, the Goodrich Corporation was sold to Michelin and the Bridgestone Corporation purchased Firestone. Michelin is now the world’s largest tire manufacturer, followed by Bridgestone, with Goodyear in third place.
Game Changers
by Jason Jenkins
It can be quite difficult to make breaking putts where you have to aim more than a foot to the left or the right of the hole. It’s partly a guess on the line to take and then how hard to hit it on that intention. While many golfers will say that speed is everything, you’ll need a proper mix of line and speed to make those putts.
When practicing larger breaking putts, try laying down a half dozen balls in a pattern illustrated below. Start with the actual ball to be hit, but then place balls progressively from the hole backwards. You’ll focus on how the ball enters the hole, how much it may curve at the end of the putt, and visualize how the entire putt would look before you hit it. This illustration will give you a better understanding of line and speed that you need to guess on for that putt. There is no perfect combination, but keep in mind “higher and softer” usually results in less three putts from short range.
