Vol. 20: #43 • Tidbits Spends Some Time Talking MONEY • (10-20-2024) Tidbits of Coachella Valley
Little Paper Ever Read"
by Kathy Wolfe
In todayʼs troubling time of rising inflation and financial instability, our money and the increasing ways we have to part with it has become a hot topic. While Tidbits isn't offering advice on how to remedy the drain on your dollars, we thought an academic look at the general concept of money itself and the terms used to describe it would be an interesting read. So follow along for free and see what we found -- Tidbits wonʼt even charge you a cent!
• There are several words that designate the notion of money. The first and oldest possession of money was ownership of livestock, which was used as bartering units of exchange. Each head of cattle, sheep, goats and camels, was called a “caput,” which is Latin for “head.” Someone with lots of livestock had an abundance of “caput,” which evolved into “capital.”
• Because the Romans used salt as a form of currency, the word “salary” developed from “sal,” which translates to “salt” in Latin. In ancient Rome, coins were produced in the temple of Juno Moneta. Our
TRIVIA NEWSFRONT
(Answers on page 16)
1. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is a group of walking penguins called?
2. MOVIES: What was the first movie to be adapted from one of Stephen King’s novels?
3. GEOGRAPHY: How many time zones does Australia have?
4. LITERATURE: Which country is featured in Sir Walter Scott’s historical novels?
5. HISTORY: How many essays are in The Federalist Papers?
6. SCIENCE: Who created the Periodic Table?
7. TELEVISION: What is the reality series “The Deadliest Catch” about?
8. PSYCHOLOGY: What irrational fear is represented in the condition called pogonophobia?
9. U.S. STATES: What is the only state with a one-syllable name?
10. MUSIC: Which branch of the U.S. military did Elvis Presley serve in?
your body
What makes a person intelligent – heredity, education, an aptitude for learning? This week, Tidbits probes the factors that influence a person’s “brainpower.”
• The word “intelligence” has its roots in the Latin language, with the word “intelligere” translating “to comprehend or perceive.”
• What is intelligence? A simple definition is “the ability to acquire and apply knowledge and skills.” It’s the capacity for reasoning, planning, and critical thinking. But it also encompasses learning from experience, making sense of things, and figuring out what to do.
• In 1905, psychologist Alfred Binet and physician Theodore Simon developed the IQ (intelligence quotient) test, not as a measure of intelligence, but rather for the purpose of identifying children in need of extra educational assistance. Their test focused on attention, memory, and problemsolving skills, and their scale became the basis for IQ tests still used today. IQ tests are useful in identifying learning disabilities such as dyslexia and ADHD.
• There’s much more to intelligence than “book smarts.” While genetics have some bearing on intelligence, it is also influenced by social skills, practical skills, perseverance, emotions, and creativity, all of which contribute considerably to a person’s development and well-being.
• While testing supplies an estimate of cognitive abilities, such as logical reasoning, verbal comprehension, spatial reasoning, problemsolving, and mathematical aptitude, an IQ test does not measure emotional intelligence. It cannot interpret an individual’s ability to manage their emotions or empathize with those of another.
• The average IQ score is about 100, with most people falling into that range. Those above
130 are deemed highly gifted, while those scores below 70 indicating an impairment or developmental delay. Scores are calculated by comparing a person’s performance with those within the same age category.
• How a person performs on a test is not necessarily an indication of their intelligence. Many people have test anxiety and experience a high level of stress during an exam that negatively impacts their performance, keeping them from achieving their best result.
• IQ is linked with positive life outcomes, such as health, job performance, and income. Those with higher IQs seem to cope with traumatic events more easily, and are less likely to develop PTSD.
• Can you improve your intelligence score? Indeed, you can! IQ is not fixed. It can be developed and improved through education, training, and stimulating life experiences. Cognitive abilities can be expanded by learning new skills, reading, and engaging in problem-solving exercises. Research indicates that exercise, especially moderate to vigorous cardiovascular exercise, can help improve cognition in the areas of memory, reasoning, and processing.
• Does a larger brain contribute to greater intelligence? If Albert Einstein’s brain is any indication, the answer is no. When the genius died in 1955, in Princeton, New Jersey, his brain was removed, photographed, measured, studied, and preserved.
• The size of his brain was at the low end of average at 1,230 grams, but the parietal lobes (those associated with mathematical, visual, and spatial cognition) were 15% wider than normal. These lobes are normally separated by a deep groove that divides the parietal cortex. There was no such groove seen in Einstein’s brain, which suggests that this anomaly contributed to increased connectivity between the lobes, creating extraordinary mathematical and spatial abilities.
currency undergo training for nearly 15 years. It takes this long for them to gain the precision necessary for creating the detailed lines, dots, and dashes, and to gain the ability needed to illustrate and cut the image into the plate -- backwards.
THE CHANGING BILL
5% zinc, in place until 1982, when the penny became a copper-plated zinc coin, with just 2.5% copper and 97.5% zinc. Since the U.S. Mint began producing pennies, more than 300 billion pennies have been minted. It now costs 2.41 cents to make a penny today.
• Although today’s U.S. Secret Service is tasked words “money” and “mint” take their name from this goddess of women and marriage. The Portuguese called their coins “caixa,” pronounced “cash-a,” where we derive our word “cash.” The word “cent” has its origins in the Latin, “centum,” translating “hundredth part.”
• In addition to livestock, the ancients used cocoa beans, grain, animal skins, feathers, tobacco, bird claws, and bear teeth as forms of currency.
COINS & CURRENCY
• Paper money is printed by the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing at two locations: Washington, D.C. and Fort Worth, Texas. These two facilities combined use an extraordinary 9.7 tons of ink every day. The ink’s ingredients are top secret as a measure to prevent counterfeiting. About 37 million banknotes are printed every day, about half of these being $1 bills.
• The life expectancy of a $1 bill is about 18 months. A $5 bill lasts two years, a $10 bill three years, and a $20 bill four years. The less-used $50 and $100 bills usually last nine years. Worn bills are shredded and recycled. The shingles on your roof quite possibly contain shredded currency as do the fireplace logs you use to start a fire. About 95% of the bills printed each day are to replace worn bills already in circulation.
• Despite their name, the bills aren’t paper at all, but rather 25% linen and 75% cotton, since paper would wear quickly and fall apart easily. Red and blue synthetic fibers of different lengths are randomly scattered in the bills to make counterfeiting more difficult. The “paper” for the bills has been produced by a Massachusetts company, Crane Currency, for more than 145 years. It’s illegal for anyone besides the Bureau to possess this paper.
• The engravers who meticulously etch the images on metal printing plates for producing paper
• Why do we call paper currency “greenbacks”? Prior to the Civil War, America’s official currency was gold and silver coins. Privatelyowned banks issued their own paper banknotes, redeemable only at their facility. If a bank failed, the banknote was worthless. As a result of the war, the United States was suffering extreme financial strain, and Congress approved printing paper money to pay for the war efforts. “Demand Notes” were printed with green ink on the back to distinguish them from the private issues. The green ink also made the bills nearly impossible to counterfeit. The term “greenback” was used to set the government-issued money apart.
While
• The size of paper currency changed in 1929. Prior to that year, bills measured 7.38 x 3.13 inches (18.7 x 7.95 cm) but were reduced in size to the current 6.14 x 2.61 inches (15.6 x 6.6 cm).
• The phrase “In God We Trust” first appeared on US currency in 1864 on the two-cent coin. It was gradually adopted by Americans and became more widely used in the 1950s. The first time the words appeared on paper currency was on the 1957 $1 Silver Certificates. Federal Reserve notes followed in 1963.
• The $10,000 bill was the largest ever in circulation. The last printing of this denomination was in 1945. Although a $100,000 bill was printed, it was never in circulation, and was only used for official government work within the Department of the Treasury. The only bills currently in production are $1, $2, $5, $10, $20, $50, and $100.
THE U.S. MINT
• America’s first mint was established in 1792 in Philadelphia, then the nation’s capital, on the site of an abandoned whiskey distillery. The mint produced its first coins the following March. Today, in its fourth location, the Philadelphia mint, now the largest mint in the world, has the ability to produce upwards of 1.8 million coins per hour, 32 million coins a day, 13.5 billion coins every year. The facility also produces military and government medals and awards.
NUGGETS OF KNOWLEDGE
Money isn't the only thing that's been printed by the U.S. Bureau of Engraving and Printing. In 1894 this agency competed among several private companies to print stamps as well. In their first year with this task, the BEP printed upwards of 2.1 billion stamps. In 2005, after 111 years, the U.S. Postal Service was given exclusive responsibility for printing all U.S. stamps.
• From 1793 to 1837, pennies were made from pure copper. That changed to 95% copper and 5% tin and zinc, which remained until 1857. Zinc content was increased when copper was needed for various war efforts. Tin was removed in 1962, making the content 95% copper and
1. Whose image appeared on the now-defunct $500 bill?
2. What term is used for the study of money?
By Lucie Winborne
* According to 19th-century Welsh tradition, any infant whose nails are cut before the age of 6 months will become a thief.
* In 1974, the Journal of Applied Behavior Analysis published a paper titled “The Unsuccessful Self-Treatment of a Case of ‘Writer’s Block.’” It contained a total of zero words.
* Every second, a large hurricane releases the energy of 10 atomic bombs.
* Female kangaroos can stop the development of their joeys in a process called embryonic diapause, which allows them to give birth when conditions are right, or wait until another joey has left their pouch.
* The Subway restaurant chain uses 16 acres of lettuce per day.
* In parts of Europe, people believe that if you light a cigarette from a candle, a sailor will die.
* Researchers at the University of Arizona discovered that the ability to see the color red comes from a gene attached to the X chromosome. Since women have two of those chromosomes, they perceive the red-orange spectrum better than men.
* Bubble gum was originally pink because that was the only food dye available in the factory where it was made.
* The term “sabotage” originated from French textile workers throwing their wooden clogs, known as “sabots,” into machinery to protest industrialization and automation in the 19th century.
* All newspapers in the British Library were ironed by hand to ensure a clear image before they were microfilmed.
* The 1967 Outer Space Treaty forbids any nation from trying to own the moon.
* During WWI, German measles were called “liberty measles” and dachshunds became “liberty hounds.” ***
Thought for the Day: “Sometimes people try to turn back their odometers. Not me, I want people to know why I look this way. I’ve traveled a long way and some of the roads weren’t paved.”
-- Will Rogers
Everyday CHEAPSKATE®
by Mary Hunt
Beyond
Dishes: Surprising Uses for Your Dishwasher You Never Knew
water to remove a year’s worth of horse sweat and grunge. I removed the harness before the heat cycle. I would not do it frequently, or use this method with leather tack, but it’s worth it before a show when I am pooped from all the other preparations! -- Marty, Hawaii
Flip-Flops and Shower Shoes:
Instead of scrubbing them by hand, toss your plastic or rubber flip-flops in the top rack of the dishwasher. They’ll come out fresh and clean, ready for another round at the pool or beach. Just avoid putting leather or fabric shoes in there -- stick to all-plastic shoes.
Everyday CHEAPSKATE®
by Mary Hunt
Today I have surprising uses for the dishwasher as recommended by my awesome readers, plus a few tips for making sure that machine does its official job well.
Safe from the Storm:
Here in hurricane country, it is recommended that you stick all your important papers into freezer bags and put them in the dishwasher when a storm is approaching. The home appliance is heavy, attached to the house and waterproof, which makes it easy to find after the storm. -- Mark H., Florida
Baseball Caps:
Instead of ruining your favorite cap in the washing machine, try washing it in the dishwasher! Place it on the top rack, making sure it’s secure so it won’t get bent out of shape. Run it through a complete cycle with your regular detergent, making sure you remove it before the drying cycle. It’ll come out looking as good as new, sweat stains and all. It’s always a good idea to do a test run with an old cap you don’t care about. (I know this tip works for me, but it may depend on our individual circumstances!)
-- Teresa, Pennsylvania
Pet Collars and Leashes:
Your furry friend’s accessories can get pretty grimy, but a quick run in the dishwasher will have them sparkling clean again. Make sure to avoid leather, though -- stick to nylon or rubber materials for best results.
-- Craig, New Mexico
Refrigerator Shelves and Drawers:
Those sticky spills and stains in your fridge? No need to wrestle with them by hand. Pull out the plastic shelves and drawers, and load them into your dishwasher. It’s a timesaver and gets everything way cleaner than a quick wipe-down would. -- Maci, California
Silicone Oven Mitts:
These kitchen lifesavers can be hard to clean by hand, but the dishwasher can handle it! Just throw them in with the rest of your load and let the hot water work its magic on any stubborn food residue or grease. -- Jewel, Oregon
Hope for the Honey:
If your jar of honey has crystallized, make sure the lid is screwed on tightly, then run it through a normal dishwasher cycle, and it will easily return the honey to its normal state. It is so much easier than soaking it in hot water, which never worked for me. -- Elizabeth L., Iowa
Extreme Cleaning:
I once saw a dishwasher soap advertisement with the image of a crystal chandelier in the dishwasher. That’s what prompted me to try washing my synthetic horse harness that way. It worked! I did not add detergent. All it took was
-- Cecily, Georgia
Kids’ Plastic Toys:
If you’ve got a house full of little ones (or grandkids visiting), their toys can be a breeding ground for germs. Small plastic toys, like LEGO bricks or action figures, can go on the top rack (or in a mesh laundry bag) to get a good clean without much effort. Just avoid toys with batteries or any soft, plush pieces. -- Cyrus, Nevada
Appliance Collab:
I put the lint trap for my dryer on the top shelf of my dishwasher to get the dryer sheet residue off. It works really well!
-- Barbara, Colorado
Filter Favor:
My husband is an appliance repairman. He recommends cleaning out all filters and drains in your dishwasher thoroughly and regularly. Many of the calls he makes are for appliance repairs that could have been avoided if only the filters had been cleaned out. -- Lisa G., email
Run a Vinegar Rinse:
To keep your dishwasher fresh and free from soap scum or mineral buildup, place a cup of white vinegar in a dishwasher-safe container on the top rack and run a hot cycle (no dishes, no detergent, just the vinegar). This little trick, done once a month, helps to eliminate odors and buildup, keeping your dishwasher working at its best. -- Bernard, California
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Mary invites you to visit her at EverydayCheapskate.com, where this column is archived. 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.”
The Dollar Bill
This week Tidbits checks out the facts on the most common U.S. paper currency with the oldest design, the $1 bill.
• George Washington’s likeness on the dollar bill is taken from a 1796 portrait painted by Gilbert Stuart. Although his picture first appeared on the dollar bill in 1869, he was not the first person to be featured on U.S. currency. America’s first paper legal tender was issued during the administration of Abraham Lincoln in 1862.
OCT.
• At the time, the Secretary of the Treasury was Salmon P. Chase, who had the responsibility of designing the notes. A man of high political ambitions, Chase put his own face on the currency, likely in an attempt to increase the public’s recognition of him.
• Chase had been a U.S. Senator and governor of Ohio before his treasury assignment, and went on to serve as chief justice of the Supreme Court. Washington’s portrait first appeared in 1869, centered on the bill, with a small vignette of Christopher Columbus.
20 & 27, 2024 Vol. 20 - No. 43 & 44
• Only one woman’s likeness has ever appeared on U.S. currency. George Washington’s wife Martha was placed on the front of the $1 silver certificate in 1886 and 1891, and on the back of the note in 1896 along with her husband.
• Martha had never voted or held an elected office and had died in 1802, but was highly esteemed at this time in American history. Today, an 1886 $1 bill with her likeness on the front can be worth over $1,000 to collectors. The 1896 bill in excellent condition is worth upwards of $2,500.
• Make a stack of $1 bills a mile high and you’d have $14.5 million. If you had one million $1 bills, it would weigh 2,040.8 lbs. (925 kg). Contrast this with $1 million in $100 bills, which would weigh just 20.4 lbs. (9.07 kg). The number of $1 bills in circulation on any given day ranges between 7.5 billion and 9 billion.
• Take a look at the current $1 bill and you’ll see several interesting designs that are tied to the number 13, referring to America’s original 13 colonies. The pyramid on the back of the bill has 13 steps. The eagle has 13 stars above it and there are 13 horizontal stripes on top of the shield underneath the eagle, as well as 13 vertical stripes below it. The olive branch in one of the eagle’s talons contains 13 leaves and berries, while the other holds 13 arrows. On the bill’s front side, on the Department of Treasury seal, there are 13 stars above the key.
• Atop the pyramid on the back of the $1 bill is the “all-seeing eye,” the symbol of divine guidance and providence, the watchful eye of God over humanity. The symbol dates back to ancient Egypt, and also had an association with Freemasonry.
• The triangle in which it is positioned symbolizes the threefold nature of God and the Trinity. Above it, the Latin phrase “Annuit Coeptis” is featured, which translates “He has favored our undertaking.”
• At the base of the pyramid is the Roman numeral MDCCLXXVI, which denotes 1776, the year
“All I ask is the chance to prove that money canʼt make me happy.” - Spike Mulligan
the United States declared independence from Great Britain.
• The Latin phrase below “Novus Ordo Seclorum” means “a new order of the ages,” referring to the beginning of the “American Era.”
• Above the eagle’s head the words “e pluribus unum” appear, from the Latin for “one for many,” a reference to many inhabitants from many areas uniting as one nation despite their differences.
by Dana Jackson
Q: When is the new “NCIS” spin-off happening that centers around Mark Harmon’s character when he was younger? I hope they’re still going through with it. -- D.D.
A: ”NCIS: Origins” is a prequel series that takes place in 1991, when Leroy Jethro Gibbs (Mark Harmon’s character in the original “NCIS” series) is a newly minted special agent at Camp Pendleton.
The series is produced by Harmon and his son, Sean. Sean actually played a young Gibbs in flashback scenes on “NCIS,” but he won’t be reprising the role in the new series. Instead, Austin Stowell (“Catch-22”) will star as Gibbs when the show premieres on Oct. 14 with a two-hour special event.
Q: I was a big fan of the show “Castle” and the great chemistry between the two stars. I’ve been watching Nathan Fillion on “The Rookie” ever since, but what happened to Stana Katic, who starred opposite him in “Castle”? -- H.S.
A: It’s hard to believe that it’s been eight years since the humorous crime procedural drama “Castle” finished its run on ABC. Nathan Fillion
struck gold with another hit series on the same network, “The Rookie,” while Stana Katic starred on the Amazon original series “Abstentia” for three seasons.
Most recently, Katic landed a guest-starring role in the new Fox series “Murder in a Small Town,” starring Rossif Sutherland (“Plan B”) and Kristin Kreuk (“Smallville”).
According to her character’s description, Katic plays Zoe Strachan, a woman whose cool exterior hides a personality that can explode in sudden fits of temper. It’s possible that she could recur in more than one episode of the series.
One may wonder why Katic hasn’t gueststarred opposite her old castmate on an episode of “The Rookie.” During the filming of “Castle,” it was rumored that Fillion and Katic did not get along on set and that the network even made them go to counseling together, so it’s doubtful that we’ll see an onscreen reunion anytime soon.
***
Q: I saw a commercial for a new sitcom with Reba McEntire, called “Happy’s Place.” I thought her old show “Reba” was coming back. Is this the same show? -- A.K.
A: ”Happy’s Place” is a new multi-cameraformat NBC sitcom starring country music legend and actress Reba McEntire. No, this isn’t a spin-off or a reboot of her hit sitcom “Reba,” which ran from 2001-2007 on the WB network.
In “Happy’s Place,” McEntire plays Bobbie, a woman who inherits her father’s restaurant and must work alongside her newly discovered, younger half-sister, played by Belissa Escobedo (“Hocus Pocus 2”).
One reason you may have thought this was a spin-off is because Melissa Peterman, who played Barbra Jean on “Reba,” is also in this show. Fans of “Young Sheldon” will recognize Peterman from her role as neighbor Brenda. McEntire had a recurring role as a hairdresser on “Sheldon,” too.
“Happy’s Place” airs on Fridays at 8 p.m. ET on NBC.
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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
Austin Stowell plays Leroy Jethro Gibbs in “NCIS: Origins.” Courtesy of CBS
Quinoa Bowl With Sausage and Broccoli
Skip chicken tonight and try roasted Italian sausage instead.
4 large Italian sausages
1 teaspoon olive oil, plus 1 tablespoon oil
1 large broccoli crown (about 1 pound, cut into florets)
Kosher salt
Pepper
1 cup red quinoa
1 cup plain yogurt
1 scallion, finely chopped
1/2 cup fresh mint, finely chopped
1 teaspoon finely grated lemon zest
2 tablespoon lemon juice
1. Place large rimmed baking sheet in oven; heat oven to 425 F.
2. Prick sausages all over with knife. Toss with 1 teaspoon olive oil, place on heated baking sheet and roast for 5 minutes.
3. Add broccoli tossed with 1 tablespoon oil, salt and pepper. Roast, turning occasionally until sausages are golden brown and cooked through and broccoli is lightly charred, 20 to 25 minutes. Transfer sausages to board and slice.
4. Meanwhile, cook quinoa per package directions.
5. In small bowl, combine yogurt with scallion, mint, lemon zest and juice. Spoon qui noa into bowls, top with sausages and broccoli and dollop with yogurt sauce. Makes 4 servings.
This classic New Orleans beans and rice dish garners flavor from celery, Canadian bacon and dried herbs. Leftover baked ham makes a great substitute for bacon if you still have some from Easter.
1 cup regular long-grain white rice
1 tablespoon vegetable oil
2 medium celery stalks, with leaves, sliced
2 cloves garlic, minced
1 medium red onion, coarsely chopped
1/2 teaspoon dried thyme leaves
1 bay leaf
2 cans (15 ounces each) red kidney beans, add more if needed, rinsed and drained
1 package (6-ounce) sliced Canadian bacon, cut into thin strips
1 cup reduced-sodium chicken broth
1 teaspoon Worcestershire sauce
Hot pepper sauce
1/3 cups minced fresh parsley leaves
1. Prepare rice as label directs, keep warm.
2. Meanwhile, in 4-quart saucepan, heat oil over medium heat until hot. Add celery, garlic, onion, thyme and bay leaf, and cook until veg-
etables are tender and lightly browned, about 10 minutes, stirring occasionally.
3. Stir in beans, Canadian bacon, chicken broth, Worcestershire, 1/8 to 1/4 teaspoon hot pepper sauce and all but 1 tablespoon parsley and cook, stirring occasionally, until heated through. Discard bay leaf.
4. To serve, spoon cooked rice then bean mixture into 4 large soup bowls. Sprinkle with remaining parsley. Serve with additional hot pepper sauce if you like. Serves 4.
Each serving: About 505 calories, 8g total fat (2g saturated), 25mg cholesterol, 990mg sodium, 82g total carbohydrate, 29g protein.
1.ErnieK-Doe
1.ErnieK-Doe
2.necessity
3.Loretta 4.DannyDeVito
5.CandyLightner
By John Allen
DIAMOND LIL
by Brett Koth
BBACKFIRES ACKFIRES
10/20 Air Traffic Controllers Day
10/21 Pharmacy Tech Appreciation Day
10/22 Medical Assistants Day
10/23 Swallows Leave Capistrano Day
10/24 Accountants Appreciation Day
10/25 Make a Difference Day
10/26 Mother-In-Law Day TIDBITS CHUCKLES AT SOME
Dog Talk with Uncle Matty
By Matthew Margolis
Dogs Chase, Fences Protect
You can’t see me, but I’m shaking my head.
I’m just off a call with a woman who’s having some trouble with her 3-year-old Labrador. Her family resides on seven beautiful acres, and their dog chases birds and squirrels with the joyful zeal we would expect from a Lab. She wants him to respect the property boundaries.
Did I mention she refuses to put up a fence?
“Can’t you just train him to stop chasing birds and squirrels,” she asked me.
“Impossible,” I said.
“Why not,” she demanded.
“What’s his last name? … Retriever?”
She wasn’t impressed. At that point she told me that her previous dog had the same habit of “ignoring” the property boundaries, and he eventually was hit and killed by a car.
It was my turn not to be impressed. A dog ignoring boundaries he doesn’t know exist is understandable. A woman ignoring danger of which she’s acutely aware is not.
I get that it costs a lot of money to securely fence seven acres of land. How about a dog run or some other fenced-in area within the property? She shot down that idea, saying a dog run is “cruel.”
Cruel?
Cruel is willfully ignoring a dangerous situation and essentially going for two for two dead dogs.
“You don’t know what you’re talking about,” she said. On many things, I would agree with her, but not on this.
More than one million dogs are killed by cars on American roads every year, and most of them were chasing something -- a ball, a squirrel, a cat. A dog’s drive to chase is natural, as natural as breathing. It’s an instinct, and it’s virtually impossible to train away instincts. It’s like calling a dog trainer and asking him to train your dog to stop sniffing.
Part of responsible dog ownership is training. With commitment, perseverance and know-how, we
Have you made your Medicare decisions yet for 2025? The period for open enrollment runs from Oct. 15 to Dec. 7, and by now you should have received your 2025 handbook “Medicare & You”. If you’re already signed up. Between Oct. 15 and Dec. 7 you can make any changes to your existing plans, such as a different Part D drug plan or a new Medicare Advantage plan.
Here are some things to keep in mind about Medicare:
If you have a Medicare Advantage plan and make changes, they will take effect on Jan. 1, 2025.
If you have a Medicare Advantage plan, you cannot also have a supplemental plan.
Deciding between the original Medicare, an Advantage plan and a supplemental can be one of the toughest decisions about being on Medicare, and your answer will be determined by your own health status and your expectations about the coming year.
Advantage plans can give you lots of
by Joseph Publillones
Interior Close-Up
Like the work of the novelist, setting up a house involves telling a story. The space you inhabit is an extension of who you are. In order to get to know you better, there are interior designers who need three or four interviews with their clients to get to the heart of the project. What are you expecting from your designer? Usually, we want to create space with certain characteristics that make a statement.
Although many consider interior design frivolous, the truth of the matter is that your home is usually one of your greatest investments, creating the backdrop for most activities in your life. Making mistakes is not a way to start a project as important as this one. That’s why I advise you to be realistic with your goals. Each room is like a chapter in a book, and every selection offers a nuance and gesture of your story. Here are some suggestions to make your story a best-seller:
benefits you won’t get from original Medicare, such as vision and dental -- but a supplemental plan will help with medical costs and pick up what Medicare doesn’t.
An Advantage plan will cover everything original Medicare covers, but each plan is different and you’ll be limited to a network.
Supplemental plans also vary, but often pick up the 20% of the costs that original Medicare doesn’t, as well as the co-pays or deductibles, and you can choose your own doctor. A plan might cost you several hundred dollars per month, and you’re required to have original Medicare as well.
Confused? You’re not alone. If you need help deciding between the original Medicare, a Medicare Advantage plan or a supplemental plan with original Medicare, do your homework and consider asking for advice.
You can call Medicare (800-633-4227), or you can call the State Health Insurance Assistance Program (www.shiphelp.org) in your area.
Finding the best plan for you may take a bit of studying up and comparing, but it will prove worthwhile in the long run when you've finally found the right one.
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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.
of your project in several lights to know if it is the ideal selection. Think, for example, of when you see a house by day and then by night it changes completely. Sometimes the tones of the nearby hills change and appear to be different. It is important to check the colors with natural light or with overhead light.
● Are your materials hot? Have you ever had the experience of entering a room and sensing a cozy feeling? Everything is in the warmth of the materials. Surely the first thing that comes to mind is wood. Well, you’re not wrong. Psychologically, earthy materials such as woods and stones are grounding and have a subliminal way of making us feel relaxed and warm. Of course, textiles also play a role in making a room, such as warming wools for winter or linen for when temperatures start to rise.
● Zero mileage decor: No matter what style you want to apply to your home, you can always use local materials. Using local ingredients provides a reflection of where you are; if you live in Paris, then let it be known that you are in Paris! After all, there’s no place like home!
Cody’s Corner (from page 9)
can train our dogs to respond every time to commands like “sit” and “stay” and “here.” That would help in situations like this one, as long as we’re physically present and giving the dog our full attention.
But what about when we aren’t around? What about when we’re off running errands or washing dishes in the kitchen or running to answering a phone call or taking a quick shower?
The other part of responsible dog ownership is prevention. This is the area of leashes and fences and securing the dog in the house.
The combination of training and prevention is powerful. It’ll keep our dogs safe and sound under most circumstances. Absent real and thorough training, prevention becomes absolutely vital -- it’s all that stands between our dogs and disaster. Without either, we’re just playing the odds.
Woof!
● Do your homework. Find some shelter magazines and try to find the design of your dreams. Make notes on what you like in an image. Take your time to plan properly; rushed decisions make for bad execution, and although your instincts can guide you, your ideas can be polished throughout the process of design. Thus, the result will be a perfect mix between what you wanted and what you have learned during the long journey.
● Bright close-up: Look at all the materials
● Fine finishes: Selecting your materials and finishes is not like ordering fast food. The finishes have the ability to change the perception of materials and create a sense of place. In a city setting, for example, polished marble feel apropos and has a certain air of elegance. The finishing touch has the ability to tie the whole home together. * * *
Joseph Pubillones is the owner of Joseph Pubillones Interiors, an award-winning interior design firm based in Palm Beach, Fla. To find out more about Joseph Pubillones, or to read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www. creators.com.
* * *
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.
The Art of DESIGN
YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY
by Tom Margenau
A Widow Doesn’t Have
To ‘Live in Sin’ To Get Social Security
Q: My mother told me she remembers a time when women had to “live in sin” (those are her words) to avoid losing Social Security benefits. She couldn’t elaborate, but she thinks some senior women still have to do that today. Do you know what she is talking about?
A: Yes, I know exactly what she is talking about. It has to do with the payment of Social Security widow’s benefits. And it makes a good story about how Social Security and politics can make strange bedfellows!
I have to start out by explaining the thinking behind widow’s benefits. They, along with other payments available to wives (and to a much lesser extent, husbands) and minor children, fall under the broad category of what the law calls “auxiliary and survivor benefits.” These are benefits payable to the dependents of someone getting a Social Security retirement or disability check or to the survivors of a worker who has died.
The concept of “dependency” is a key qualifying factor. In other words, a potential auxiliary or survivor beneficiary must prove that she or he was financially dependent on the primary spouse or parent.
To keep people from having to present all kinds of personal and financial records as part of the application process, the law provides shortcuts to help prove dependency. For example, with only a few exceptions, children are deemed to be dependent on a parent with whom they are living.
And in the case of a spouse, the law assumes the person with the lower Social Security benefit was probably financially dependent on the person with the higher Social Security benefit.
For example, let’s say Tom is 66 and getting $2,800 per month from Social Security. His 62-yearold wife, Becky, is due $700 in her own monthly retirement benefits. Because Becky has the lower Social Security benefit, she is presumed to be financially dependent on Tom and thus qualifies for spousal benefits on his record. On the other hand, Tom, with the much higher Social Security retirement check, could not be considered financially dependent on Becky.
Having established the ground rule of “dependency” as a qualifying factor for spousal benefits, let’s get to the fun part of this column -- the sinning part!
We need to go back in time to about 50 years ago. Millions of women were collecting widow’s benefits on their deceased husband’s Social Security accounts. And some of those women, once a suitable mourning period had elapsed, might eventually start batting their eyes at a handsome bachelor or widower they met at the bingo parlor, or senior center or across the produce aisle at their local supermarket. (This was long before online dating became a way to find a potential mate.) And sometimes, sparks would fly and the sweet, lovely elderly couple would decide to get married. All was happiness and bliss until the
woman realized this: If she got married, she would lose the widow’s benefits she was collecting on her first husband’s Social Security record!
How could this be? Well, it all has to do with that concept of “dependency” as a qualifying factor for her widow’s benefits. To repeat, she was getting those benefits because she was deemed to be financially dependent on her first husband. But if she married husband number two, then the law would consider her to be this new guy’s dependent spouse. That meant she could no longer be deemed dependent on her first husband. Therefore, she would no longer qualify for widow’s benefits on his Social Security record.
So how did she get around this law? Well, that’s where the “sinning” came in. If the couple merely lived together, as opposed to legally tying the knot, she could keep collecting her widow’s benefits from her first husband.
Eventually, the media picked up on this trend to transgress. And they had a field day with it. Headlines in newspapers around the country went something like this: “Widow must live in sin to avoid losing Social Security check.” Television news reports featured interviews with women in disguise who reported, “I am ashamed to say I am living in sin to avoid losing my government benefits.” Whatever the report, the phase “living in sin” was always the common thread.
It became a national embarrassment that a federal law was requiring these sweet little old grandmas to live outsides the bonds of marriage. Eventually, the pressure just got too much for redfaced members of Congress. They couldn’t act quickly enough to change the law. In 1977, they changed the law to say that a woman who remarried after age 60 could continue to receive widow’s benefits from her first husband’s Social Security account. (The law went into effect a couple years later.)
And that law still stands today. But of course, today, the whole concept of “living in sin” as a social taboo is almost laughable. For example, just in my
own neighborhood, there are several couples who have been living together -- unmarried -- for years. It’s come to be no big deal.
On the other hand, there also are many senior citizen lovebirds who want to make everything legal and get married. And if the woman is getting a Social Security widow’s check, she has absolutely no fear of losing those benefits from husband number one if she decides to walk down the aisle with husband number two.
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.
1. The book of Leviticus is found in the a) Old testament b) New testament c) Neither
2. Who found an Ethiopian eunuch stitting in a chariot reading the words of Isaiah? a) Saul b) Philip c) Jotham d) Uzziah
3. In John 3, what does Jesus say that everyone practicing evil hates? a) Believers b) Truth c) The light d) The Lord
4. From Joshua 2, where did Rahab hide Israelite spies? a) In a tunnel b) On a roof c) In a stable d) Under a blanket
5. What did Jesus send into a herd of swine? a) A madman b) Mighty wind c) Unclean spirits d) Angel of death
6. Who was the father of Solomon? a) Jesse b) Jonathan c) Mephibosheth d) David
Find expanded trivia online with Wilson Casey at www.patreon.com/triviaguy. FREE TRIAL.
(Answers on page 16) For comments or more Bible Trivia go to www.TriviaGuy.com
Endometrial Biopsy
Indicated for Woman With Blood in Urine
DEAR DR. ROACH: About three months ago, I bled a bit while urinating. This was the first (and only) time in over 30 years that this happened since I went through menopause. An ultrasound was performed, and they found a mildly thickened endometrium (6.1 mm) with scattered cystic change and without focal lesion.
My gynecologist is suggesting an endometrial biopsy. I am concerned because I have no symptoms other than kidney stones. I’m due to see a urologist, but even with my kidney stones, I have no symptoms. I am 80 and concerned about anesthesia. Should I go ahead with the biopsy? -- L.O.
ANSWER: A thickened endometrium is concerning for uterine cancer. The most common symptom of uterine cancer is abnormal uterine bleeding. This usually takes the form of red, pink or brown spotting. However, it sounds like you had blood in your urine, which is more concerning for kidney stones than uterine bleeding.
Your ultrasound is abnormal; 5 mm is the maximum thickness for a normal endometrium. Getting a biopsy is clearly the recommended procedure, as it gives guidance on the next steps. Still, your risk of uterine cancer is small. You do not have to proceed with the biopsy if you do not want to.
An endometrial biopsy is an in-office procedure with minimal risk. My textbooks say there is minimal pain, but my patients tell me this isn’t always the case. You don’t have to receive anesthesia; you can take pain medication (such as naproxen), get a local anesthetic, or do both. I’ve had several patients who’ve requested a nerve block and were very happy with their decision. If the biopsy shows cancer of the endometrium, surgery is the preferred treatment, but radiation is also a possibility for some people. ***
DEAR DR. ROACH: I have always been a runner, but foot pain has kept me from running in the past few years. Now I have severe pain, even when walking.
An MRI showed nothing wrong. The foot and ankle specialist I saw did X-rays and found a large bone spur. He said that surgery to remove the bone spur could get me to walk and run again.
I’m 70 and unanxious to have surgery, and the surgeon says he does many of these surgeries with a good outcome. What do you think? -- E.W.
ANSWER: Insertional Achilles tendinopathy is a cause of foot pain where the Achilles tendon is inserted into the calcaneus, the heel bone. This problem frequently occurs with runners, especially those with tight calf muscles. The damage done to the tendon sometimes causes a reaction in the bone, causing an osteophyte (a bone spur).
Conservative management includes rest,
ice and physical therapy to help with strength and flexibility. Anti-inflammatory medicines may be helpful. Splinting at nighttime, orthotics, or special shoes are also helpful for some people. Prior to considering surgery, experts will consider shockwave treatment, although it’s not clear how effective this is.
If surgery is considered, there are several different techniques, and your surgeon will pick what they think is best for you and what they have the most expertise in. Patient satisfaction rates are reported to be between 86%-95% with surgery.
Given the fact that your life has already been affected, and the likelihood that your pain and decreased ability to exercise is likely to worsen, you should seek more aggressive treatment. If physical therapy and other nonoperative treatments have failed, I recommend you strongly consider surgery.
* *
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
VETERANS POST
by Freddie Groves
Get Ready For 2025 Adaptive Sports and Arts
Over 15,000 veterans will be able to take advantage of the Department of Veterans Affairs’ Adaptive Sports Program courtesy of nearly $16 million in grants that have been handed to 91 organizations across the country. The current program runs until September 2025, and disabled veterans will be able to participate not only in adaptive sports, but in therapeutic arts as well.
The national, regional and community grant recipients host a wide variety of programs, ranging from SCUBA to wheelchair basketball to archery to skiing to equine therapy and so much more.
by Freddie Groves
Check out department.va.gov/veteransports for the highlights of some of the sports, clinics and games that will be offered. For even more info, click on the Fact Sheet link. Whether it’s Golden Age games (for those over age 55, May 31 - June 5, 2025) or sports clinics, if you see something you’re interested in, don’t wait. Contact those who sponsor the events and find out about how to participate. If you’re hesitant to explore the possibilities for next year, keep in mind that in many cases, the clinics and training are ongoing! For competition next year, you need to start now! If you’re training and participating at a high level, in some cases there are stipends and monthly training allowances if you qualify.
Take a look at Move United (moveunitedsport.org) and click on Warfighters. Their goal is to provide adaptive sports opportunities to severely wounded warriors. At this point, over 19,000 veterans have participated in the group’s 65-year history. Over 70 sports are offered: adaptive badminton, football, fishing, rock climbing and more. Whether the disability is from brain injury, burns, spinal cord or visual impairment, it doesn’t matter if the disability was due to combat. If you have questions, you can give them a call at 301-217-0960.
And then there are the volunteers. You’re needed. Apply now. The events and training can’t take place without you. Call the organization that you’re interested in supporting and get started now.
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.
M.D.
-- by Jim Miller
How to Find a Cheaper Medicare Prescription Drug Plan
DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: What’s the easiest way to compare Medicare Part D prescription drug plans? My Part D premium is increasing again in 2025, so I would like to use the fall open enrollment to find and sign up for a cheaper plan. -- Shopping Around
Dear Shopping: I’m happy to hear you’re comparing your Medicare coverage options this fall! Research shows that many Medicare beneficiaries with Part D coverage can lower their prescription drug costs by shopping among plans each year during the open enrollment season, which runs Oct. 15 to Dec. 7.
There could be another Part D plan in your area that covers the drugs you take with fewer restrictions or with lower costs. You never know until you look.
You’ll also be happy to know that thanks to the Inflation Reduction Act, in 2025 annual out-of-pocket costs will be capped at $2,000 for all Medicare Part D beneficiaries.
Here are some tips and tools to help you shop and compare Part D plans.
Plan Finder Tool
If you have internet access and are comfortable using a computer, you can easily shop for and compare all Medicare drug plans in your area and enroll in a new plan online, and it only takes a few minutes.
Just go to Medicare’s Plan Finder Tool at Medicare.gov/find-a-plan. You can do a general search on the right side of the page, under the title “Continue without logging in.” If you wish to save your drugs and pharmacy information, you can log into or create your Medicare account on the left side of the page.
Next, type in your ZIP code and choose the type of coverage you’re looking for, enter the drugs you take, choose the pharmacies you use, and indicate whether you are interested in a mail order option.
The plan finder will then display results for plans in your area. Be aware that a plan may not cover all the drugs you take, but it may cover alternatives. It will also tell you if the plan has a deductible and how much the monthly premium is.
Initially, the plans will be sorted by “lowest drug + premium costs.” This is the closest estimate to what you may pay out of pocket for your Part D coverage for the year. You can select “plan details” to find out more specifics about coverage, including any coverage restrictions that might apply to your drugs.
Verification
Before enrolling it's a good idea to call the plan directly to confirm any information you read on plan finder, as information may not be completely up to date.
If you need help, you can call Medicare at 800-633-4227 and they can do this for you over the phone. Or contact your State Health Insurance Assistance Program (SHIP), which provides free unbiased Medicare counseling. To find a local SHIP counselor call 877-839-2675 or see ShipHelp. org
Any changes to coverage you make will take effect Jan. 1, 2025. If you take no action during open enrollment, your current coverage will simiply roll over and continue next year.
Extra Help
if you’re lower-income and having a hard time paying your medication costs, you may be eligible for Medicare’s “Extra Help” program. This is a federal low-income subsidy that helps pay Part D premiums, deductibles and copayments.
To be eligible, your annual income must be under $22,590 or $30,660 for married couples living together, and your assets (not counting your home, personal possessions, vehicles, life insurance policies or burial expenses) must be below $17,220 or $34,360 for married couples. For more in-
ANTIQUE
by Anne McCollam Creators News Service
Family Heirloom Is Put on Pedestal
Q: The pedestal bowl in this photo belonged to my mother. She used it as a fruit bowl and I do, too. Because the design isn’t blurry enough, I don’t think it would be considered an example of authentic flow blue.
It is in perfect condition and stands about 7 inches tall. Marked on the bottom are a crown and the words “Regala -- Semi Porcelain -- Thomas Hughes & Sons -- England.”
Anything you can tell me about my pedestal bowl would be greatly appreciated.
A: Your pedestal bowl is an example of flow blue. It was made sometime between 1896 and 1910 by Thomas Hughes & Sons, which was located in Staffordshire, England. “Regala” is the name of the pattern.
It is less blurry than earlier pieces and typical of later flow blue dishes made around 1900.
It would probably fetch around $125 to $175 in an antiques shop.
Q: This mark is on the bottom of a silver-plated candelabra that belonged to my grandmother. It stands about 8 inches tall and is in excellent condition. It has four arms with
candlestick holders. My grandmother always used it for the holidays and I will pass it down to my daughter.
I would like to know if it is an antique, when it was made and what it is worth.
A: There are varied opinions on the definition of an antique. The United States government declares an imported object must be 100 years old to be considered an antique and therefore, dutyfree. Some antique authorities agree that if something is 50 years old, it is an antique. Most people would accept an item to be an antique if it is 75 to 80 years old.
The word “candelabra” is plural. If you have only one, officially the word is “candelabrum.” Truth be known, most people use the word “candelabra” even when referring to just one.
Homan Manufacturing Co. was a wellknown maker of silver-plated pieces. It was founded in the mid 1800s and was located in Cincinnati, Ohio. “Quadruple Plate” was a term used for highquality silver-plated objects.
Your candelabrum was made around 1930, and based on the 75-80 rule, it is an antique.
The value would probably be $175 to $225.
* * *
Antiques expert and columnist Anne McCollam has since retired and no longer receives inquiries nor answers reader letters. Due to the popularity of her column, this publication will continue to reprint previous columns of interest to our readers.
To find out more about Anne McCollam and read features by other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com
* On Oct. 21, 1861, Union troops suffered a crushing defeat at the Battle of Ball’s Bluff in Virginia, the second major engagement of the Civil War, which produced the conflict’s first martyr and led to the creation of a Congressional committee to monitor the conduct of the war.
* On Oct. 22, 1797, the first parachute jump of note was made by Andre-Jacques Garnerin from a hydrogen balloon 3,200 feet above Paris.
* On Oct. 23, 1998, Dr. Barnett Slepian was shot to death inside his home in Amherst, New York, by anti-abortion radical James Charles Kopp. His killing marked the fifth straight year that an abortion-providing doctor in upstate New York and Canada became the victim of a sniper attack. Kopp, whose defense argued that he only intended to wound Slepian, was convicted of second-degree murder in 2003.
* On Oct. 24, 1969, movie star Richard Burton dazzled his wife, actress Elizabeth Taylor, with a 69-carat Cartier diamond ring costing a cool $1.5 million after she responded to his allegation that her hands were large and ugly by saying that he’d better buy her the ring to make them look smaller and more attractive. In 1979, the now-divorced Taylor put the ring up for auction and it sold for $3 million.
* On Oct. 25, 1980, AC/DC earned their first pop Top 40 hit with “You Shook Me All Night Long.” It remains their most popular single.
* On Oct. 26, 1921, President Warren G. Harding delivered a speech in Birmingham, Alabama, condemning lynchings, committed mainly by white supremacists against Black Americans in the Deep South and elsewhere. The previous year, the NAACP had reported that such crimes claimed, on average, the lives of two African Americans each week.
* On Oct. 27, 1659, William Robinson and Marmaduke Stevenson, two Quakers who’d emigrated from England in 1656 to escape religious persecution, were executed in the Massachusetts Bay Colony for their religious beliefs. The men had violated a law passed by the Massachusetts General Court the year before that banned Quakers from the colony under penalty of death.
What could you call the overhead money needed to maintain a moving stairway? Escalating costs.
"You need to check your emails more often, Thompson. I fired you over a week ago."
(c) 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.
Flow blue bowl was made by Thomas Hughes & Sons in England.
Homan Manufacturing was located in Cincinnati, Ohio.
Money: from page 3
with protecting the President, when it was first created in 1865, its purpose was to fight counterfeiting, which was a significant problem during the Civil War. Between one-third and one-half of all U.S. paper currency circulating at that time was counterfeit.
• Why are there ridges on the edge of quarters and dimes? Decades ago, when coins were created from precious metals, the ridges were added to prevent people from scraping off the edges and selling the valuable metal. A quarter has 119 grooves around its edge, while a dime has 118.
• It is a federal law that no living person can appear on U.S. currency. The law has been in place since 1866, when Congress stated that it was improper and unpatriotic for the likeness of living people to be placed on money. If a President is to be considered for inclusion on currency, he/she must be dead for at least two years.
• A little over half the total gold held by the U.S. Government is stored in Fort Knox, Kentucky at the U.S. Bullion Depository. Fort Knox itself is an army post located next door to the depository. This fortified vault building was built in 1936 and has a torch and drill resistant door that is 21 inches (53 cm) thick, and weighs 28 tons. The door is set on a 100-hour time lock, which can only be opened by members of the staff who dial separate combinations. The depository is home to about 147 million ounces (4,580 tons) of gold bullion. Fort Knox and the Federal Reserve Bank of New York hold 7.5% of all gold ever refined. The New York Fed holds 7,000 tons of gold, about 507,000 gold bars.
by Jason Jenkins
Lag putting is an essential part of the game that can either add or subtract strokes from your score each round. Controlling the speed on long putts can be more important than how accurate your read or aim of the putt had been. Hitting the first putt inside a makeable range should be the goal for most golfers when the putt is outside thirty feet.
One of the common mistakes seen in the long putting game is a belief that that backstroke is short or the same length for all putts. This restricted backstroke leads to an attempt to overly “accelerate” the putterhead through impact to create proper speed. This can be a very inconsistent and difficult way to control long putts.
Top players strive to achieve balance in the backstroke and follow through for any putt, especially the longer ones. Therefore, the longer the putt, potentially the longer the backstroke and follow through.
By creating a more pendulum like swinging of the putter, speed is created easier through momentum and keeping a brisk tempo to each putt. Allow the wrists to give a little with long strokes so that the putter can swing freely without a rigid looking arm movement.
Every
a golfer makes a birdie, he must subsequently make two triple bogeys to restore
