Vol 21: #17 • Guitars • (4-20-2025) Tidbits of Coachella Valley by Tidbits of Coachella Valley

TIDBITS GETS PICKY ABOUT

GUITARS

by Kathy Wolfe

It’s not the most popular instrument in the world –that honor belongs to the piano – but the guitar comes in solidly in second place. April is National Guitar Month, and this week Tidbits gives you some facts about the most popular musical instrument of all time thatʼs played by more than 75 million people worldwide.

GUITAR HISTORY

• Many historians believe that our English word “guitar” has its origins in the Spanish word “guitarra,” thought to have been adjusted from the ancient Greek word “kithara,” usually translated into English as “harp.”

• The tomb of ancient Egyptian Queen Hatshepsut, first discovered in 1917, contained what historians believe is the oldest recorded guitar-like instrument. The three-stringed instrument was found buried next to a performer of the royal court of the queen, who reigned from 1473 to 1458 B.C.

TRIVIA NEWSFRONT

(Answers on page 16)

1. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What do you call a person who has lived to the age of 100 years?

2. HISTORY: When were cigarette commercials banned from American television?

3. MOVIES: Whose life is depicted in the movie “Raging Bull”?

4. U.S. STATES: In which state are the Catskill Mountains located?

5. TELEVISION: Which long-running TV drama was set in Cabot Cove, Maine?

6. MEASUREMENTS: How long is the ancient measurement called a cubit?

7. FOOD & DRINK: What is a dish called Cullen Skink?

8. CHEMISTRY: A diamond is composed of which single element?

9. GEOGRAPHY: What country is home to the Baffin, Victoria and Ellesmere islands?

10. ANATOMY: What is another name for the condition called “piloerection”?

When most of us hear the word steeplechase, we think of a sport associated with horseback riding. Although that was its original method, steeplechase has now evolved into a popular track and field event. Follow along as Tidbits explores this centuries-old tradition.

• Steeplechase started out with a hunt – riders turned loose a pack of dogs to pursue their prey, with the riders chasing the dogs, dashing across fields, leaping over fences, gates, and ditches, splashing through streams, and galloping through the woods until the prey was captured. However, sometimes there was no fox or hare to be found. Not wanting to squander the outing, the riders would turn the hunt into a sport known as steeple hunting. It was described as “horsemen riding helter-skelter towards the first church steeple that catches their eye, and he that is inside first is the best man.”

• The riders enjoyed the alternative activity so much, they adopted it as a specific sport, believed to have begun in Ireland. The sport of “steeple race” had traveled to England by the late 1700s with their first official race offering 100 guineas to the winner. The winner finished the nine-mile course in 26 minutes.

• While the original sport involved jumping horses over natural obstacles in the wild, the modern steeplechase is a track and field event in which athletes run a 3,000-meter (1.86-mile) race on foot, leaping over hurdles and splashing through water. It takes place on a track rather than in the woods, covering 7 ½ laps. There are 28 barriers/hurdles and seven water jumps over the course of the race, with each lap containing four barriers and one water jump.

• The hurdles differ from a typical hurdle race in which the hurdles can break apart. Steeplechase

barriers are sturdy and solid, and athletes are allowed to step on them and push themselves off. Missing even one barrier results in disqualification.

• Competitive track and field steeplechase originated at Oxford University in the mid1800s. In 1900, the race was included in the Paris Olympics, a competition that included two races, one of 2,500 meters and another of 4,000 meters the following day, a race comprised of a water jump, hurdles, and stone fences. At the 1920 Games, the course was standardized to 3,000 meters with five barriers measuring 36 inches (91.4 cm) high along with the water pit.

• Steeplechase has been an official Olympic sport for men since those 1920 Games in Antwerp, Belgium. It wasn’t added to the Olympics for women until the Beijing Games in 2008. The height of women’s hurdles is 30 inches (76.2 cm).

• The water jump is 3.66 meters (about 12 feet) long and includes a 12-ft.-wide pit filled with 28 inches of water. There’s a hurdle in front of the pit that must first be navigated before the runners splash into the water. Athletes aim to land close to the barrier to minimize time spent in the water.

• Athletes from Kenya dominate this sport, winning all but three Olympic golds in the steeplechase since 1968. An Ethiopian male runner set a new record in 2023 with a time 7:52.11.

• Although steeplechase mainly refers to the track and field event, there are still horse races in which jump fences and ditch obstacles are included. 

3. Jake LaMotta (played by Robert

Guitars: (from page one)

• G.D. Beauchamp and Adolph Rickenbacker are credited with the invention of the first electrically amplified guitar to be mass-produced and marketed commercially. They called the instrument the “frying pan” because its long neck and circular body resembled that cooking utensil. Its official name was the Rickenbacker A-22, a six-stringed solid-bodied instrument made entirely of aluminum. The frying pan featured wound pickups, devices that convert the vibrations of metal guitar strings into electrical signals by creating a magnetic field. The impulses are then sent to an amplifier.

• Beauchamp and Rickenbacker invented their frying pan in 1931 and began selling it in 1932, but the patent was not awarded until 1937.

FENDER GUITARS

• The first Fender guitar was built in 1949. Leo Fender, the company founder, started out playing piano and saxophone in his youth. He ventured away from those instruments around age 14, shifting his interest to electronics after studying a radio his uncle had built from spare parts. Shortly afterward, Fender opened up a small radio repair shop in his parents’ home.

• In his late 20s, Fender borrowed $600 (about $13,000 toda y) to establish Fender Radio Service, which included building and repairing public address systems and amplifiers for stringed instruments.

• He began selling his electric guitar, dubbed the Esquire, in 1950, with its bolt-on neck, thin solid body, and single pickup. The following year brought a double-pickup guitar that Fender called the Broadcaster. That name didn’t stick for long when Fender had a trademark conflict with another manufacturer, Gretsch, who already had a Broadkaster. This led to a new name for Fender – the Telecaster. That year also marked the introduction of the Fender Precision Bass,

capable of producing rich low-end sounds, an alternative to the bulky acoustic double bass that couldn’t match the volume of electric guitars.

• Ironically, Fender himself didn’t even know how to play or even tune a guitar. Instead, he hired musicians to come in and test the prototypes of all of his designs.

Fender

• In 1953, Fender, assisted by a draftsman, began designing what would come to be known as the Stratocaster, the first Fender to boast three pickup heads and a contoured body shape. The company’s head of marketing who had an interest in aviation suggested the name Stratocaster, stating that guitarists who felt the power produced from the strings would make them feel like they had been “put into the stratosphere.”

• Both the Telecaster and Stratocaster have been in continuous production since their introduction.

LES PAUL

• Legendary jazz, country, and blues guitarist Les Paul first approached the Gibson Guitar Corporation in 1941 with his innovative idea for a solid-body electric guitar he called “The Log,” because of the solid chunk of pine that ran through the body. Gibson wasn’t interested. That is, until 1950 when Fender introduced the Esquire and Broadcaster, and Gibson decided it was time to jump on the bandwagon.

• Les Paul had drawings of his idea, and Gibson’s Ted McCarty became the chief designer of what became the Gibson Les Paul introduced in 1952. Les Paul was brought in as a consultant and spokesman in exchange for royalties on sales. The guitar made its debut played by Les Paul himself at New York City’s Paramount Theater.

• The first Gibson Les Paul had a mahogany body and neck and a rosewood fretboard. It had an opaque gold finish leading to the name “Les Paul Goldtop.” It sold for $210, which might seem affordable now, but in 1952 it was equivalent to about an average month’s salary.

• Sales of this Les Paul model were disappointing, and Gibson halted production in 1961. In its place, they introduced the Les Paul SG, with a double-cutaway shape. Les Paul himself didn’t care for that body shape with its two pointed horns, and wasn’t happy with the use of his

name on the “new and improved” model. In 1968, Gibson restarted the production of the older version, and its manufacture has continued non-stop ever since.

• As a side note, Universal Pictures made a booboo when they featured actor Michael J. Fox as Marty McFly playing a Gibson ES-345 during his time travel to 1955 in the film “Back to the Future.” But that Gibson model wasn’t introduced until 1959!

PILFERED PRIZES

• Jimmy Page used a 1960 Gibson Les Paul Custom for recording Led Zeppelin’s first album, a guitar he had bought on layaway in

1. What singer/sonwriter used a Gibson Les Paul to record his hit, "The Thrill is Gone"?

2. What guitar is Bruce Springsteen's instrument of choice?

By Lucie Winborne

* Every unborn baby grows a mustache in the womb, which then spreads to cover the entire body. The baby then consumes this fine hair, called lanugo, and excretes it after birth with its first bowel movement, which is a substance called meconium.

* Your brain sees the world upside down. When the rods and cones of your retina send an image to the brain -- say, you’re looking at a tree -- the image that gets transmitted to the brain is upside down. The brain automatically rotates the image in its visual cortex.

* Researchers at Oregon State University patented a strain of seaweed that’s not only rich in protein, but tastes remarkably like bacon when cooked.

* The term “pipe dream” is a reference to the crazy dreams people have while smoking opium.

* Death rates in boxing exploded after the introduction of the boxing glove. Almost nobody ever died bare knuckle boxing because head punches often resulted in broken hands, so nobody used them.

* A typical piano has about 12,000 parts, 10,000 of which are moving.

* The shooting of JFK assassin Lee Harvey Oswald was the first known human killing seen on live television.

* Studies show that 88% of women wear shoes that are too small for their feet.

* After Korean soccer player Ahn Junghwan scored the goal that eliminated Italy from the 2002 World Cup, the Italian club where he played canceled his contract for “ruining Italian soccer.”

* In 2013, “Star Wars” was dubbed in Navajo, making it the first major motion picture to be dubbed in a Native American language. ***

NO. 2: PAY OFF A DEBT

CHEAPSKATE®

by Mary Hunt

Use Your Tax Refund to Make Your Life Better

If you have your emergency fund established, consider using that refund to pay off a debt like the balance on a credit card account or student loan bill. Just do it before you think of a dozen ways to fritter away that refund money.

NO. 3: OPEN AN IRA

Everyday CHEAPSKATE®

Discovering that you’ll be getting a tax refund is certainly not the worst news you’ve had in your life. In fact, it’s easy to see a tax refund as some kind of gift from heaven. You might even be feeling kinda proud of your forced savings account, to which you knowingly contribute every payday while living from paycheck to paycheck and relying on credit to make ends meet.

by Mary Hunt

But here’s the truth: A tax refund isn’t a gift. It’s part of every paycheck that you should have been getting all along. It’s not a saver’s reward. You overpaid your taxes. Plan now for how you’ll manage that check, or your tax refund could evaporate into thin air.

Get smart. Change your withholding (use an online calculator to determine the amount you should be having withheld, along with instructions on how to change it). Your goal is to neither owe nor be owed at the end of the year. A big tax refund is not a good thing! If you can come within $100 of that goal, you’re golden.

But wait, you’re not done. Lock eyeballs with the additional amount you see in your next paycheck -- the amount you will not be sending to the IRS to hold onto for you. Do what good money managers do: Create an automatic deposit authorization at your bank or credit union for that amount to be automatically transferred into your savings account. Out of sight, out of mind. If you leave it in your checking account, I promise it will simply evaporate in your routine spending. Now is your opportunity to act responsibly.

As for this tax refund, you have options. The decision you make for what to do with that check could either make things worse or make your life so much better. Choose well.

NO. 1: CREATE AN EMERGENCY FUND

It’s easy. Take the check to your bank, and use it to open a savings account. Then walk away and leave it alone, knowing that you have a fallback if something serious and unexpected happens that you absolutely cannot cover with your regular income. You might lose your job and need to keep food on the table and the bills paid for a few weeks while you make the transition. You may lose a friend or relative five states away and the trip is more than you can handle without going into debt.

Using the refund to improve an existing retirement account or to start a new one could be the smartest thing you can possibly do with that refund. Once you’ve done that, it will sit there and earn a solid return each and every year, with the balance compounding and growing until you reach retirement age.

NO. 4: ANTICIPATE WHAT’S

COMING

How emergency-prepared are you with a supply of nonperishable food and water? Do you have a solar generator in the event of a power outage? Or are you ready to replace a major item like a car whose imminent demise is looming large? Use this tax refund to get ready for it. Putting money aside in anticipation of a specific need is really smart. That’s what money managers do. They see the big picture and plan accordingly.

NO. 5: INVEST IN YOUR FUTURE

If this tax refund is money you will not need for at least 10 years, put it to work in the stock market. Take the plunge; trust your decision; and don’t look back.

Because you are investing for the long haul -- not jumping in and out of the market -- you can rest and relax knowing that you are making your financial future better, no matter what happens. You will be in better shape than you would have been had you spent that tax refund check wastefully. That means less money stress and fewer worries to keep you up at night.

Don’t know how to get started? I commend to you Mike Piper, certified public accountant, author and investor. First, read his book, “Investing Made Simple.” It’s simple, easy-tounderstand and fewer than 100 pages for those of us with the attention span of a gnat.

* * *

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.”

They’re low maintenance, that’s for sure! This week Tidbits examines this craze of the 1970s that made one man a millionaire in just a few months. Hereʼs the story:

• It was guys’ night out in April 1975, and freelance advertising copywriter Gary Dahl was out with friends, listening to them complain about all the work involved in caring for a pet. Gary was the odd man out – he didn’t have a pet. To join in the discussion Gary told them he had no problem because his housepet was a rock. His joke got a good laugh, but afterward Dahl's creative juices began flowing. He suddenly realized his cute remark may actually have real commercial possibilities -- and being able to own a rock as a pet was no longer just a joke.

• Figuring that no one would buy an ordinary rock, Gary settled on the smooth rocks of Rosarito Beach in Baja California, Mexico. To make it legal, he first got permission from local authorities who charged him a penny per rock.

• Packaging was the next challenge, so he designed a custom cardboard box with ventilation holes, straw bedding and a handle mimicking a pet carrier. He printed stenciled lettering on the side stating, “This box contains one genuine pedigreed pet rock.”

• Dahl then set to work on a 34-page owner’s booklet, “The Care and Training of Your Pet Rock.” It included instructions for teaching the rock to stay, sit, and play dead, and touted the rocks “long life span” as a faithful companion. It would not need to be fed, walked, bathed, or groomed, and would never become sick or be disobedient.

• Gary Dahl debuted his creation at a San Francisco gift show in August of 1975, and within two months was selling 10,000 a day at $3.95 each. Using his advertising experience, he launched a major campaign, featuring himself surrounded by the Pet Rocks. After expenses for promotion, packaging and other costs, he was clearing over

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a dollar per rock. As its popularity increased he added Pet Rock T-shirts and shampoo to his line to capitalize on the upcoming holiday season. People were lining up to buy them as gag gifts.

• Neiman-Marcus ordered 1,000 packages, and Bloomingdale’s also carried the rocks. Dahl became somewhat of a celebrity, appearing on “The Tonight Show” twice, giving multiple television interviews, and being written up in “Newsweek” magazine. Over the 1975 holiday season, Dahl estimated he was selling nearly 100,000 Pet rocks a day.

• Although Dahl obtained a trademark for the name “Pet Rock,” he really couldn’t patent a rock, which enabled ambitious competitors to sell their own versions. But the copycat versions were not nearly as popular as Dahlʼs.

• In February 1976, the Pet Rocks had hit their peak and were being discounted due to lower sales, but Dahl was still grinning all the way to the bank. What had started out as a casual joke in a bar resulted in sales of nearly 1.5 million rocks, making Dahl a millionaire in a matter of months (a profit of more than $5 million in today's dollars). He wasn’t concerned about all the rocks that later didn’t sell, saying he would use them to repave his driveway.

• Dahl used his profits to purchase a bar in Los

Gatos, California, as well as embarking on other marketing ventures. He tried another fad selling “Sand Breeding Kits” and “Red China Dirt,” but they didn’t catch much public interest.

• Dahl produced thousands of television and radio commercials through Gary Dahl Creative Services, and in 2000 won the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest. In 2001, Dahl published “Advertising for Dummies, “a business guide for producing effective ads, reaching the target audience, evaluating the competition, and other marketing strategies.”

• Gary Dahl passed away in 2015 at age 78 .

by Dana Jackson

Q: Is it true that Woody Harrelson was supposed to play Walton Goggins’ role in “The White Lotus”? -- A.S.

A: Yes, the Emmy-winning actor Woody Harrelson (“Cheers”) was set to play Rick in the third season of HBO’s “The White Lotus” but had to turn it down when their filming schedule shifted. He was later asked to play the smaller role of Rick’s friend Frank, but this didn’t come to fruition either and went to Sam Rockwell instead.

While Harrelson likely regrets the chance of adding another Emmy to his shelf, he’s excited about his upcoming comedy series on Apple TV+ with his buddy Matthew McConaughey. “Brother From Another Mother” is still in development, but judging by their hilarious Salesforce commercials, the show will likely be a hit.

Q: When will the new spin-off with the sons of “The Neighborhood” begin airing? Does this mean that the original series is ending soon, like “Young Sheldon”? -- A.T.

A: The hit CBS sitcom “The Neighborhood,” starring Cedric the Entertainer, will begin airing its eighth and final season in the fall, with its current season’s finale set for May 5. During this episode, oldest son Malcolm will move from the south of Los Angeles to Venice Beach, California, which is the setting of the proposed spin-off.

If the pilot gets picked up by the network as it’s expected to be, both Sheaun McKinney and Marcel Spears will reprise their roles as Malcolm and Marty Butler. Cedric the Entertainer, who plays their dad, will continue on “The Neighborhood” for its last season. Rounding out the cast are Angelique Cabral and Hunter King from “Life in Pieces,” Justin Long (“Goosebumps”), and Kara Royster (“Dynasty”).

However, this isn’t the only “Neighborhood” offshoot in development. You might remember Tracy Morgan’s (“30 Rock”) appearance as Cedric’s rich younger brother, Calvin, in season four. Well, he won’t be playing Calvin in the proposed spin-off that is expected to stream on Paramount+ but instead a cousin named Crutch. No official word on when this series will begin airing.

Q: Who plays Doug in the Liberty Mutual commercials? Has he acted in anything else? I don’t think I’d recognize him without his mustache and sunglasses. -- N.I.

A: Actor David Hoffman has starred in Liberty Mutual’s LiMu Emu & Doug ad campaign since 2019. In an interview published in the New

York Post in 2021, Hoffman said that he’s never once been recognized on the street as Doug. When he was offered the role, he told his agent that he didn’t want to look like himself in the ads for fear of being pigeonholed as “the guy in the commercial.” Smart move! The commercials pay the bills, and he can do other projects like voiceover work and guest-starring on sitcoms such as “Modern Family” and films like “Bridesmaids.”

Stephanie Courtney, who stars as Progressive Insurance’s pitchwoman in their campaign, has a similar resume to Hoffman’s. Both are alumni of The Groundlings, the improv comedy school that has served as the launching pad for many “Saturday Night Live” cast members, including Kristen Wiig and Will Forte.

* * *

Woody Harrelson

Good Recipes from

Spring Stir-Fry

Make dinner for your family in a flash.

2 tablespoons vegetable oil

12 ounces skinless, boneless chickenbreast halves, cut on the diagonal into 1/8-inchthick slices

2 cloves garlic, thinly sliced

2 teaspoons grated peeled fresh ginger

1 pound asparagus, trimmed and cut on the diagonal into 3-inch pieces

1/2 teaspoon salt

1/8 teaspoon ground black pepper

1 package (8-ounce) sliced mushrooms

1 bunch green onions, thinly sliced

1 lime, cut into wedges

1. In nonstick 12-inch skillet, heat 1 tablespoon oil over medium-high heat until hot. Add chicken, garlic and 1 1/2 teaspoons ginger, and cook 2 to 3 minutes, until chicken loses its pink color throughout, stirring constantly. Transfer chicken to bowl.

2. To same skillet, add asparagus, salt, pepper, remaining 1 tablespoon oil and 2 tablespoons water, and cook 3 minutes or until tender-crisp, stirring frequently. Add mushrooms and cook 1 minute. Return chicken to skillet; add green onions and remaining ginger and cook 1 minute. Serve with lime wedges. Serves 4.

TIP: To trim asparagus, bend the stalk; it will break off at the spot where it becomes too tough to eat.

 Each serving: About 195 calories, 9g total fat (1g saturated), 49mg cholesterol, 360mg sodium, 6g total carbohydrate, 2g dietary fiber, 24g protein.

Garlic Parmesan Roasted Shrimp

The easiest roasted shrimp cocktail ever made with just 5 minutes prep. Yes, it’s just that easy!

1 pound medium shrimp, peeled and deveined

2 tablespoons olive oil

4 cloves garlic, minced

1/2 teaspoon dried oregano

1/2 teaspoon dried basil

1/4 cup freshly grated Parmesan Kosher salt and freshly ground black pepper, to taste

Juice of 1 lemon

2 tablespoons chopped parsley leaves, for garnish

1. Heat oven to 400 F. Lightly oil a baking sheet or coat with nonstick spray.

2. Place shrimp in a single layer onto the prepared baking sheet. Add olive oil, garlic, oregano, basil and Parmesan; season with salt and pepper, to taste. Gently toss to combine.

3. Place into oven and roast just until pink, firm and cooked through, about 6-8 minutes. Stir in lemon juice.

4. Serve immediately, garnished with parsley, if desired. Makes 4 servings.

 Each serving: About 203 calories, 10g

By John Allen

DIAMOND LIL

by Brett Koth

Donald Duck by Walt

NEXT WEEK IN INVENTIONS

Holidays & Observances This Week

4/20 Easter Sunday

4/21 White House Easter Egg Roll

4/22 In God We Trust Day

4/23 English Muffin Day

4/24 World Meningitis Day

4/25 Arbor Day

4/26 National Audubon Day

Dog Talk with Uncle Matty

By Matthew Margolis

Just the Facts, Ma’am

“There is nothing so deceptive as an obvious fact.” -- Sir Arthur Conan Doyle

People always give themselves away. In my many years as a dog trainer, I’ve learned to look and listen for the clues. These little nuggets of truth are dropped in letters or in conversation or even in body language. Thinking about them after, a brow will often rise. They are that shot of pepper spray with green dye that lights up the perpetrator for identification purposes. In this case, the dye spells “denial.”

“My 3-year-old Lab-Chow mix, “Scooter,” attended puppy obedience class when he was younger -- and was kicked out for being unruly. Since then, two trainers have labeled him a hopeless case. I am very patient with him. I take him for 30-minute walks or runs every day. He is great off-leash and knows all the basic commands -- stay, OK, sit, down, here, leave it, back up, your bed, off. He also plays well with other dogs and adores humans.

“The problem started with food aggression. He began growling if we walked by him or looked at him while he was eating. I have broken him of this habit. Scooter now will wait for my command to eat and will back up if I ask him to, although he still gets tense.

“At this point, his mood swings are the biggest problem. My boyfriend and I know the signs -ears back, refusal to make eye contact, head down -- and leave him alone. If he growls at us, we grab the fur on the back of his neck and hold him until he lies down with one of us directly on top of him. He shakes and growls for about 10 minutes and then submits into a good mood again. He has responded well to our training.

“The one thing we cannot break him of is how he is around other people. He has bitten my mom, my boyfriend’s mom, two friends and my boyfriend. All of these attacks were in times of stress: Twice he was turned over on his back and someone reached down to pet him; once was when he was barking at another dog and someone touched his rear; once was when my friends

(CryptoQuip Solution on page 12)

SENIOR NEWS LINE

by Matilda Charles © King Features Synd., Inc.

A New Internet Scam

I’d thought I could quickly identify an internet scam when it showed up, but there’s a new one out now that you need to be aware of. It’s slick and potentially dangerous if you fall for it.

It’s called the CAPTCHA scam, the acronym for “completely automated public turing test to tell computers and humans apart.” They are those annoying interruptions that pop up onscreen when you’re trying to access or browse a webpage.

You typically have to click a box to prove you’re not a robot. Then you have to type in the skewed letters on the screen and click all the parts of the streetlight, or car or bus or whatever the image is. All this before it allows you to access to the page you’re trying to see.

The newest scam is that these CAPTCHAs are spreading malware in your computer with every click you make.

This is a sneaky scam because we’ve been lulled into complacency about those CAPT-

Why Are You Hiring An Interior Designer?

Selecting a shirt and a pair of pants can be an arduous task for those who lack imagination.

Where to start? Colors? Fabrics? Style of clothing? Designing an interior space is no less difficult -- not to mention the fact that every member of the household is likely to have their own vision of what to do. Usually this is where I advocate the hiring of a professional to do designing and also the handholding, refereeing and in effect, act as therapist and mediator.

Who to hire? I say, professional interior designers, and not the kind you find at retail stores helping you pair a sofa, a matching chair and a piece of “art”, but the kind that are trained, and have years of experience and an ample portfolio to demonstrate their capabilities and design style.

CHA verification tests, and we might tend to follow the clicks just to get through it. Things are different now. If you come across a CAPTCHA, check the address of the webpage by looking for “https” to be sure that little “s” is present. If the "s" is not shown, it's not a secure site.

Here’s how these sneaky scams work: You might be instructed to download a file or to press certain keys. Or, after completing the first step, you might end up on a fake webpage that looks a lot like the one you were trying to open. Once you get through the steps, their malware is now installed on your computer without you knowing. Its job is to scan through all your files for personal information kept on your hard drive.

If you suddenly get a CAPTCHA popping up when you don’t expect it, immediately back out of that page. Don’t bite!.

Even if you think you’re safe, don’t download anything that a CAPTCHA page directs you to. Their only purpose is to steal what you can't afford to lose! Don't be fooled!

And as always, keep good and reliable virus protection on your computer!

* * *

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.

sional also considers the aesthetics of each item and forecasts their appeal to the client, based on the clients requests, design meetings and magazines. Clients then have the prerogative of approving or requesting a re-selection of certain items. This is but one advantage of hiring an interior designer. A knowledgeable designer will always give you the best version of your design vision or description.

When hiring an interior designer, you are hiring them for their knowledge, experience and vision or style. Trusting them is part of the yin and yang of a client-designer relationship. A client has to vocalize enough of their likes and dislikes to give the designer insight into their lifestyle, and the designer has the know-how in processing that information. This is what they have been trained to do.

Yes, interior design is about pulling furniture together, but more importantly, it is about marrying the architectural space and the objects you are choosing to place in them.

In the media, and especially in television shows, the design process is made to seem easy. In reality, nothing can be farther from their presentation. There is nothing wrong with those that believe they can go DIY route, but there is a vast difference entering a space that has been handled by a weekend warrior and one where professional designers have been involved. Marketers, producers and home stores want to make everyone feel they can tackle projects on their own

In each decision, an interior design professional studies each item, their color, texture, dimensions and their proportions in relation to the space around them. Of course, then the profes-

Clients sometimes do not realize that they can be their own worse enemies when trust is not placed in the hands of the designers. They are there not to nod their heads to all your requests, or listen about your spouse’s infidelities. They are there to lend their savvy insights and guide you through a process for the best possible design. Of course, it is your client’s home, but it is also a projection of their work.

Allow them to do their best work. Yes, you can also share the family history, dysfunctions, and any personal problems, but foremost is the execution of a great design.

Remember that each project is a business card for the interior designer.

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

Cody’s Corner (from page 9)

stopped by when I was not home and came inside; once was when someone picked up food out of his bowl as he was eating. Please advise.”

The obvious fact: Scooter is an aggressive dog who requires professional training. His unpredictable nature makes him a danger to others.

Where the facts don’t add up: Scooter doesn’t adore humans, at least not consistently. He is mistrustful of their intentions; he is fearful; he is overly territorial. Indeed, he will bite the hand that feeds him.

Further, Scooter has not responded well to their training. And it’s hard to blame him. Lying on top of a dog is an act of dominance, not training. Personally, I consider it animal abuse. But whatever you call it, it isn’t helping, and Scooter isn’t responding. He’s biting people.

Scooter has a serious problem with aggression. I would never advise a dog owner to attempt to tackle a problem like this without hands-on professional guidance. This isn’t something that can be cured in a letter. Someone (else) could get hurt.

Woof!

Dog trainer Matthew “Uncle Matty” Margolis is the co-author of 18 books about dogs, a behaviorist, a popular radio and television guest, and the host of the PBS series “WOOF! It’s a Dog’s Life!” Read all of Uncle Matty’s columns at www.creators.com, and visit him at www.unclematty.com.

YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY

by Tom Margenau

Most Common Social Security Questions

I recently did a couple of media interviews. One was a podcast and the other was a radio show. The hosts of both media outlets asked me essentially the same thing: “What are the most common questions people ask about Social Security?” As long as it’s fresh in my mind, I thought I’d turn those questions (and the answers, of course) into a column.

Many of the questions I’ve been getting recently have to do with the political side of Social Security -- all the stuff going on in Washington. But I’ve written more than a few columns about those issues recently. So today I’m sticking with the much simpler and less volatile program or practical side of Social Security. Here are some of those common practical questions.

Q: When should I take my Social Security?

A: This is by far the most common question I am asked. And I usually start out my answer this way: “Tell me when you are going to die, and I will tell you when to start your Social Security benefits.”

Of course, because no one really knows the answer to that question, no one really knows the absolute best time to start their Social Security benefits. So, there is no magic or secret answer to that question. All you can do is gather all the facts, think through your personal situation and just make the best choice you can.

I can tell you that most financial planners will suggest it is best to wait to file for Social Security until your full retirement age when you would get your full retirement benefit.

But if you are trying to maximize the future survivor benefit that would be paid to your spouse after you die, then it might make sense to wait until age 70 when you (and your potential surviving spouse) would get about 130% of your full retirement rate.

On the other hand, if you have other sources of retirement income, or if you don’t expect to live a very long life, then taking your benefits (at a reduced rate) at age 62 might make the most sense.

Q: I’m 62. My husband is 67 and getting Social Security. Can I file for spousal benefits on his record now and save my own until I’m 70?

A: No, you can’t do that. You always must file for your own benefits first. Only after you do that can you look at your husband’s record to see if you can get any additional spousal benefits.

Q: I am 60 and not working. My husband recently died. Can I file for widow’s benefits now and save my own until I am 70?

A: Yes, you can do that. A widow does not have the same restrictions as a spouse with a living husband (as explained in the prior Q and A). You can file for widow’s benefits now and then switch to 100% of your own at full retirement age or wait until 70 and get about 130%. Or, depending on the

amount of money involved, you might be able to file for retirement benefits at age 62 (the earliest you can do that), and then at full retirement age, switch to 100% widow’s benefits.

Q: If I die, what will my wife get?

A: The answer depends on several factors. But assuming you die well after your full retirement age, and assuming your wife is over her full retirement age when you die, then as a general rule, she will get what you were getting at the time of death. Quick example: You are 85 and getting $1,800 per month. Your wife is 82 and getting $1,200 per month. When you die, she will keep getting her $1,200, and then she will get an additional $600 in widow’s benefits.

Q: I’m already getting my Social Security, but I’m still working. Will my additional income and the taxes I’m paying increase my Social Security check?

A: It depends. Your original benefit was based on your average monthly wage using your highest 35 years of inflation-adjusted earnings. If the earnings you have now are higher than the lowest inflation-adjusted year used in your original computation, the SSA will drop out that lower year, add in the new higher year, and adjust your benefit accordingly. But don’t expect a windfall. Your benefit might go up by maybe $10 to $30 per month if you had a year of good earnings. The actual increase you might get depends entirely on what your past earnings were.

Q: When my father died, why did we have to return his last check?

A: Several rules come into play here. First, Social Security benefits have never been prorated. Second, benefits are always paid one month behind. And third, the law says you must live an entire month to be due a Social Security check for that month.

1. The book of Malachi is found in the a) Old Testament b) New Testament c) Neither

2. Which Gospel is the only one that mentions Christ's tomb being sealed? a) Matthew b) Mark c) Luke d) John

3. Who rolled back the stone from the door to Jesus' tomb? a) Roman guard b) Peter c) An angel d) Unknown

4. When Mary Magdalene and "the other Mary" met the risen Jesus, who did He ask them to inform? a) Priests b) Disciples c) Pharases d) No one

5. Who is known as the "doubting disciple"? a) Thomas b) Peter c) James d) John

6. How long did Jesus remain after his resurrection before he ascended into heaven? a) 7 days b) 21 days c) 27 days d) 40 days

(Answers on page 16)

Here is a quick example. John dies on April 24. The Social Security check that comes in May (the payment for April) must be returned. That’s the downside to the lack of proration. But there are two upsides. One: Let’s say John started his benefits when he was 66 and that he turned 66 on June 22. He would get a check for the whole month of June even though he was 66 for only eight days of the month. Two: If John left a widow, she would get widow’s benefits for the whole month of April even though she was a widow for only six days of the month.

* * *

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.

Being Insistent About a Scan Saves Cancer Patient's Life

DEAR DR. ROACH: About 12 years ago, I had a scan done to look for the cause of a problem that I was having for many months: pain in my abdomen and vomiting. (It turned out to be Barrett’s esophagus, which was found with a scope.) Fortunately for me, I read the report from the scan. The report said there was a spot on my kidney that ought to be checked in a year. I was very busy at the time, and my doctor retired, so I had to find another doctor.

Five years went by, and one day during a routine visit with my doctor, I remembered the report and asked my new doctor for another scan. She said she couldn’t order a scan without a reason. I then told her about the report from five years ago, but she did a cursory look at my papers and said she could not find it. I asked her to keep looking. She looked again, found it, then ordered a scan.

Feeling quite confident that I was wellprotected, I was shocked when I was diagnosed with a very painful case of shingles in September 2021, followed by post-herpetic neuralgia that lasted for six months. I have heard that shingles can recur, sometimes more than once.

My question is, should I get Zostavax again in the hope that it will maybe protect me this time around? -- B.K.

ANSWER: You did everything right to prevent shingles but still got the infection and its complication, which doesn’t seem fair. Fortunately, this is a rare situation. Recurrent shingles happens more commonly in people with immune deficiency, women, and older adults. Anyone at risk for HIV should consider getting an HIV test if they get shingles or recurrent shingles.

The live Zostavax vaccine is no longer available in the United States, even though it is available in many other countries. Still, I don’t recommend it as the protection from the vaccine is not long-lived.

VETERANS POST  

by Freddie Groves

Finding Other Veterans

The Veteran Buddy Link, created by Together We Served, has over 2.4 million veterans listed in its directory. And you’re invited to join them.

The Buddy Link’s purpose is clear right on the front page: “Veterans take care of each other, and no veteran should ever feel alone.” And once you join you’ll be able to hook up with other veterans in your area.

To register you only need to add your name, email address and branch of service. Then, if you like, you can add a little info about why you want to connect with other veterans in your area. Once you do that, an email will go out to the veterans around you in the same ZIP code.

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Take a look at the site at togetherweserved.com/buddylink

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This move saved my life. The scan showed something larger than before. I went to Johns Hopkins Hospital and met a very good doctor who told me there was an 80% chance that I had cancer, and we should forgo a biopsy and just remove it. He did this, and the cancer was fully contained. I didn’t have to do chemotherapy.

It has now been five years with yearly scans and no problems in my kidney. Please encourage people to read their reports. -- F.B

ANSWER: Although doctors should read these carefully and act on them appropriately, important findings can be overlooked sometimes. You are absolutely right that you are your own best health advocate, and you did the right thing by bringing the finding up to your new doctor. ***

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 79-year-old woman who received the original Zostavax vaccine around 2010. Then, when the newer, improved Shingrix vaccine became available, I was given the two-shot series in 2019.

There are no strong data in getting another dose (or more) of the Shingrix vaccine in your situation, but you could discuss it with your doctor. Another option is having an available supply of antiviral medicine such as valacyclovir (Valtrex) to use as soon as another recurrence happens.

* * *

From the main menu you can find the unit directory (158,000 units included so far), military photos, places to honor and remember veterans and, best of all, the veteran locator.

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.

Arthur Law Firm 12th pg 4C 13x

Estate Planning Attorney

● Wills

● Trusts

● Power of Attorney

● Healthcare Directives and Living Wills

● New to California? Update your existing Estate Planning Documents!

“Don’t die without it!”

If you want to get an idea of the site before you sign up, take a look at the Facebook page (www.facebook.com/togetherweserved) or the Instagram page (www.instagram.com/togetherweserved), which is broken down by branch of service.

From the very beginning (2003), Together We Served’s goal has been to help veterans reconnect with other veterans they’ve served with and to post photos (937,000 so far) and memories for others to see. Especially appreciated is the service recognition plaque that you can create with your badges, insignia and ribbon rack on a printable graphic that you can frame.

We won’t have another official Buddy Check until October, but there’s no need to wait until then to hook up with veterans around you. And if you’ll want to participate in the Buddy Check in October, don’t wait until the last minute. You’ll need to do a bit of peer-to-peer training (watching a 34-minute video) before then. At that point, your mission will be to reach out to 10 other veterans and be sure they’re doing OK.

ADVERTISING PROOF

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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.

Joshua Arthur, Esq. Attorney at Law 

-- by Jim Miller

How to Protect Yourself from Identity Theft Scams

DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: With all the talk about the new administration taking bold steps to stop all the government waste, I am very concerned about them getting access to my Social Security account and other personal information. Can this lead to identity theft? What can I personally do to help protect myself from this? -- Concerned Senior

Dear Concerned: I’ve been hearing from a number of older readers that are troubled by the news that the Department of Government Efficiency (DOGE) has been granted access to millions of Americans’ Social Security records, even though it's for the sole purpose of exposing fraudulent claims and correcting possible internal errors.

The major concern among data pri vacy experts is what could happen if your Social Security number, bank account infor mation or tax records somehow gets leaked or breeched. If your information should get in the wrong hands it could lead to identity theft, giving scammers access to your per sonal information, causing you a multitude of financial woes.

If you’re concerned about a possible loss of privacy of your personal information, the best way to protect yourself is to put a “fraud alert,” or better yet a “credit freeze” on your credit file.

A fraud alert is a notification placed on your credit report that signals to potential creditors to take extra steps to verify your identity before extending credit in your name. A credit freeze completely restricts access to your credit report, essentially preventing anyone from opening new accounts in your name without your explicit authorization.

A credit freeze provides much stronger protection than a fraud alert, but there is a drawback. When you freeze your credit, even you won’t be able to open new credit cards or get a new loan while the freeze is in place. It does not, however, prevent you from using the credit cards you already have active.

If you do need to get a new credit card or some type of loan, you can always lift the freeze on your account until you get the card or loan approved, and then refreeze it.

You’ll also be happy to know that a credit freeze is completely free to put in place and lift, as are fraud alerts. And neither action will affect your credit score.

Fraud Alert Set-Up

To set up a fraud alert, you’ll need to contact one of the three major credit reporting bureaus – Equifax, Experian and TransUnion – either by phone, online or by mail. You only need to contact one of these agencies, and they will notify the other two. Here for your reference is the phone and website contact information for each of the three bureaus.

Equifax: 800-685-1111 or Equifax.

But remember, before you apply for new credit card or loan, you’ll need to temporarily lift the security freeze by following the procedures from each of the credit reporting bureaus where you placed the freeze.

If, however, you don’t want to set up a fraud alert or credit freeze, you can still keep an eye on your credit file by reviewing your credit report regularly.

You can get a free credit report each week from Equifax, Experian and TransUnion by going to AnnualCreditReport. com.

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.

London when he was 18. In 1970, his “Black Beauty” was stolen from the Minneapolis-St. Paul Airport. It remained missing for 45 years until it was discovered by the guitar repairman in a Twin Cities music store, who recognized the instrument and managed to have it returned to Page.

• Things didn’t end as happily for Eric Clapton, whose 1960 Les Paul Beano was used for recording the 1966 album “Bluesbreakers.” Clapton’s guitar was stolen from a church hall practice room shortly afterward and hasn’t been seen since.

MUSICAL HIGHLIGHTS

• The most expensive guitar ever sold to date is a Martin 1959 D-18 acoustic. This instrument sold for $6 million at a June 2020 auction. Why the astronomical price tag? It had been owned by Nirvana’s frontman Kurt Cobain.

• A tribute to legendary guitarist Jimi Hendrix set the record for the most people to simultaneously play guitar. The “Thanks Jimi” Festival is held every year in Wroclaw, Poland, and in 2019, 7,423 guitarists joined together to play Hendrix’s hit “Hey Joe.” The event was first held in 2003 with 588 guitarists showing up in the community’s market square. Hendrix, a Seattle native, died in 1970 at the early age of 27.

• In 2011, Irishman Dave Browne set out to set a record for the longest time playing a guitar non-stop. He accomplished the challenge at Dublin’s famous Temple Bar pub, where he played for 114 hours, 20 minutes. Browne was allowed a 30-second break between songs and a 40-minute break every 8 hours. During his gig, he played 1,372 different pieces of music, with a requirement of at least two minutes each, about 12 songs every hour. For a few hours, Browne was privileged to play a rare signed limited edition Stevie Ray Vaughan Fender Stratocaster, loaned by a patron. It was the first time the guitar had been played in 20 years. 

Game Changers

by Jason Jenkins

Left, Left, Left

Many short shots around the green can fall under the same body motion and principle of “start left, stay left, and finish left.” The bane of many amateurs is the improper weight distribution through these pitching and chipping shots.

1. Start left by narrowing your stance and adjusting the weight to be 70-80% on the left leg. Your knees can kick inward slightly to press the weight forward.

2. Stay left in the backstroke by using the arm swing without attempting to shift the weight onto the right side. The hip and shoulder will turn but not allow weight shift in the feet or hips.

3. Finish left by rotating the body part way toward the target and supporting slightly more weight on the left side than address. The right knee can kick inward toward the target, dragging the right foot heel first.

Linda Thistle