Vol. 22: #16 • Snails • (4-12-2026) Tidbits of Coachella Valley

SNAILS

by Janet Spencer

If you're like most folks you don't give much thought to snails, and might even consider them simply some sort of garden insect with an attached shell. But you might be surprised to know that snails are actually air-breathing mollusks related to squids and octopuses, not bugs. Follow along to learn more about these amazing creatures that are found all over the world, inhabiting both land and sea!

FAST FACTS

• Snails are members of the class of animals called gastropods, meaning literally “stomach-foot” because the foot is located directly underneath the stomach.

• Fossil records show that snails are among the most ancient animals on earth. It’s also been estimated that there are between 35,000 and 40,000 different species.

• They are an incredibly widespread creature, found on land, in fresh water, and in the ocean. They survive in deserts by hibernating during droughts, and in cold climates, they hibernate during winter

TRIV

(Answers on page 16)

SUPER SOAKER

• Lonnie Johnson attended all-black schools in his hometown of Mobile, Alabama, because that was the only option. In 1968, he was the only black student to enter the statewide science fair. This was just five years after Alabama’s Governor Wallace tried and ultimately failed to block integrated schools. Lonnie’s project, a waist-tall robot that ran on compressed air, a reel-to-reel tape recorder, and a walkie-talkie, won the grand prize.

• Lonnie entered Tuskegee University in 1969, earning double degrees in mechanical engineering and in nuclear engineering. Right out of college, he joined the U.S. Air Force and worked on the stealth bomber program. By 1979, he was employed by NASA at the Jet Propulsion Laboratory, where he designed the nuclear power source for the Galileo mission to Jupiter. He contributed to Mars missions and other spacecraft that toured the solar system.

• In 1982, Lonnie was working to develop a new type of refrigeration system that would use water instead of damaging CFCs like Freon. At home, he attached a nozzle to a tube that hooked up to his bathroom faucet. It accidentally sprang a leak and shot a stream of water halfway across the house. This caused his imagination to take a different turn. “This would be great fun if it was a squirt gun,” he thought.

1. GEOGRAPHY: The famous Hanging Gardens of Babylon, one of the Seven Wonders of the World, are believed to have been in what modern-day country?

2. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What is the name of the six-point blue star on emergency medical vehicles?

3. MOVIES: What is the nickname of the “vicious” dog in “The Sandlot”?

4. HISTORY: What was the name of the United States’ first space shuttle?

5. LITERATURE: In what language was “The Odyssey” originally written?

6. TELEVISION: Where is the 1990s sitcom “Northern Exposure” set?

7. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is a group of kangaroos called?

8. SCIENCE: What is the process called when a lizard loses and regenerates a tail?

9. U.S. STATES: Which state borders two oceans?

10. MUSIC: What was Taylor Swift’s first song to make Billboard’s Hot 100?

• He continued to tinker with the idea of a megasquirt gun until he had devised a working model. He gave it to his 7-year-old daughter to test out and watched her blast away at all the neighborhood children. He took it to a company picnic, where it caused a ruckus, and every kid there wanted one.

• Producing and selling the toy on his own was problematic, so one day in 1989, Lonnie attended

the world’s largest toy fair in New York City. There he met the vice president of Larami Toys, who expressed interest and invited him to come to his headquarters to demonstrate it to the board of directors.

• Lonnie created a prototype out of Plexiglas, PVC piping, O-rings, and a 2-liter soda bottle. When he showed up at Larami’s headquarters, he shot a stream of water through an open window at the other side of the conference room. It was capable of blasting 13 yards, or about 40 feet with fair accuracy. Board members were impressed.

• By 1990, the “Power Drencher” hit the toy shops and sold well in spite of a complete lack of advertising. The following year, now rebranded as the Super Soaker and heavily advertised, 20 million sold. It was the world’s top-selling toy.

• Next, Lonnie revamped the design and came out with a series of high-power Nerf guns that shot rapid-fire Nerf projectiles. It, too, became a sellout.

• Larami was absorbed by Hasbro in 1995. Hasbro failed to pay Lonnie his fair share of the royalties, so he sued. In 2013, the court awarded him an astonishing $73 million in damages. By then, the Super Soaker had brought in over $1 billion in profits.

• Lonnie Johnson now holds over 250 patents. Over 170 Super Soaker models have been launched.

• The Super Soaker was inducted into the National Toy Hall of Fame in 2015. In 2022, he was inducted into the National Inventors Hall of Fame. He now heads three technology companies focused on building better energy systems and improved batteries.

• When interviewed, Lonnie Johnson said, “In spite of the things that have been perpetrated on my race - holding us in bondage under slavery, then making it illegal to educate us, and then subjecting us to long-term discrimination and criticism - we succeed anyway, to a very large extent. We just need to realize what we’re capable of.”

Snails (from page one)

and are even found in Antarctic waters.

• Three factors contribute to their longevity as a species. First is their adaptability, which allows them to to fill whatever environmental niche is available. Second is their ability to hibernate until conditions improve. Third is their ability to survive on very little food.

• Many snail species are hermaphrodites, with both male and female organs, and therefore able to mate with either a male or female partner. However, they still require a mate and cannot reproduce on their own.

• Land snails tend to be herbivores, eating only plants, though they generally feed on dead organic matter. Marine species tend to be carnivorous, eating worms, slugs, insects, larvae, and other snails.

• They don’t have an ordinary sort of “mouth” but instead their tongue is covered with up to 25,000 tiny teeth that act like a rasp, shredding their food before ingesting it.

• Snails travel about half an inch per second, making them the slowest mobile creatures on earth. They can move about 50 yards (45 m) in an hour. This also qualifies them as the world’s slowest pollinators, as they carry pollen from flower to flower. By contrast, the three-toed sloth’s top speed is 800 feet per hour (241 m). The only creature that might be slower than the typical snail is a banana slug.

SNAIL ANATOMY

• Most snails have a double pair of tentacles. Their primitive eyes are at the end of one set, and their olfactory organs, serving as a nose, are at the end of the other. They don’t have ears and can’t hear, but sense vibrations.

• Snails are surprisingly strong and can vertically

lift ten times their body weight.

• The largest species of land snail is the giant African land snail. The largest on record was 15 inches (38 cm) long and weighed 2 lb (1 kg). The smallest land snails, including one aptly named the dot snail, can fit through the eye of a needle.

• The largest marine snail, the Australian trumpet, looks very much like its cousin, the whelk, and has a shell that can grow up to 35 inches (90 cm) long and weigh up to 40 pounds (18 kg). These shells are highly prized by collectors.

• Land snails breathe through a single lung, while marine snails have gills. However, a few species with gills can be found on land, and several species with lungs can be found in freshwater. A few species have both gills and lungs.

In 1846 a desert snail was sent from Egypt to England, where it was glued to a card and exhibited in the British Museum. In 1850 a museum staffer immersed the snail in warm water to clean the shell, whereupon the snail suddenly revived. It had spent four years in dormancy before it was discovered that it was still alive.

USEFUL MUCUS

• The mucus trail they leave behind as they move actually serves many purposes. It lubricates the path, reducing friction, but also serves as glue, allowing them to travel upside-down. The mucus also repairs damage to the shell and seals breaks, preventing the snail from drying out. It is also used as a form of communication by sending chemical messages to other snails.

• A layer of dried mucus acts as a “door” to close the snail shell shut when threatened or when hibernating. When one snail follows another snail’s mucus trail, they gain traction and a bit of a speed boost.

• Snail slime is a non-Newtonian liquid which means that when a slow pressure is applied, it acts as a liquid, but when a sharp, quick pressure is applied, it acts as a solid.

• Some species of land snails turn their mucus into a bubbly, frothy slime to fend off predators. The violet sea snail creates a raft of mucus bubbles and uses it to float long distances on the surface of the ocean.

• The sea snail’s mucus is a natural and important adhesive that glues the snail to rocks. Its stickyness prevents them from being swept away by ocean currents.

• One type of marine snail feeds by trailing long

filaments of sticky mucus in the water, which traps floating debris, while also keeping the creature buoyant. The snail reels in the strands of mucus and has a meal.

• Another type floats at the surface, allowing a blob of mucus to bob around where it is exposed to the air. When a fly lands on the mucus

1. Which has the thicker shells, snails in dry climates or in wet climates?

2. Does a snail have a heart?

Many types of cone snails live in shallow tropical ocean waters, and their shells are prized for their beauty. However, several species of the cone snail carry a paralyzing toxin that they inject into the bodies of prey using a dart. When humans are stung with this toxin, it's fatal. The cone snail is the most venomous variety, and, in fact, one of the most venomous creatures in the world!

By Lucie Winborne

* Australia is wider than the moon.

* The Cowardly Lion’s costume in 1939’s “The Wizard of Oz” was made from actual lion skins and fur, and weighed roughly 60 pounds.

* Nobody knows who invented the fire hydrant -- its patent was lost in a fire!

* When 300,000 people walked across San Francisco’s Golden Gate Bridge in observance of its 50th anniversary on May 24, 1987, the iconic structure sagged seven feet.

* A single orange tree can have over 60,000 flowers, but less than 1% will turn into fruit.

* Japanese runner Shizo Kanakuri “finished” the 1912 Olympic marathon in 1967 with an unforgettable end time of 54 years, 8 months, 6 days, 5 hours, 32 minutes and 20.3 seconds.

* After the story of a California prison inmate who gave his paycheck of $17.74 for more than 130 hours of labor to relief work in Gaza went viral, donors raised over $100,000 for him.

* Cicadas have been known to confuse the roar of power tools for mating calls and sometimes even swarm people using lawn mowers.

* Hay-on-Wye in Wales is home to the famous Honesty Bookshop, an outdoor book market with a collection box instead of a cashier.

* Marshmallows are about 50% air.

by Mary Hunt

The 10-Year Bar of Soap, Plus More Great Reader Tips

stove, the steam will get in the bottle and harden the contents. A better way is to measure all spices in a bowl away from the hot pot to keep from contaminating the contents of the seasonings. -- Karen G.

COFFEE THERMOS CLEANER

Everyday CHEAPSKATE

In the cupboard right above my washing machine, there’s a bar of Fels-Naptha laundry soap standing in a coffee mug. I’m sure it’s five years old, and it appears that it will be good for at least another five. When I come across a stain, I grab the soap, dip the end into water and use it to scrub the stain -- almost as if it were a big eraser -- before dropping the item into the wash. Fels-Naptha is good for many other stains as well. But acrylic paint spills on carpet? Read on for what one reader discovered.

by Mary Hunt

CARPET STAIN REMOVER

I broke a bottle of acrylic paint on the carpet. After trying commercial cleaners, I remembered Mary said Fels-Naptha was superior to many other stain removers. I had picked up a bar in the supermarket laundry aisle. So I grabbed that Fels-Naptha bar and a bucket of hot water, got the soap and carpet wet and rubbed the carpet with the bar and then my fingertips. The paint came out perfectly. Even better, there was no stain ring after I rinsed the area with water! (Make sure to check the carpet’s color fastness in an inconspicuous place before using.)

-- Sue D.

WINDOW MEASUREMENTS

Measure each window’s length and height and record the information on an index card. Keep a copy in your wallet and one at home. When you find a sale on window treatments, you’ll know which size blinds or draperies will fit.

-- Amy O.

CABINET TRICK

ADVERTISING PROOF

I had kitchen cabinet doors that didn’t stay tightly closed, so I cut some Velcro adhesive-backed strips to size and applied them in the appropriate spots. Now, my cabinet doors stay closed without that annoying gap. -- Krista E.

Earl’s Air Conditioning pg H 4-C 13x March 29, 2026 Vol. 22 - No. 14 MON., MARCH 23

Denture tablets work great to clean coffee stains out of thermos-type coffee mugs, as well as traditional glass coffee pots. Just fill the container with water, drop in a tablet and allow it to sit for a few hours or overnight. Empty and rinse it in the morning, and the container will be sparkling clean. -- Lori M.

CLIP IT CLOSED

I use clothespins instead of chip clips on cereal bags, Bisquick, bags of rice and, of course, chip bags. They are less expensive than chip clips and work better. -- Bonnie L.

ICE CREAM STORAGE

To prevent freezer burn on ice cream, place the container upside down in the freezer. It works! -- Carol G.

HANGING CURTAINS

My dad needed curtains in the living room of his beautiful new apartment, but the thought of drilling holes for brackets did not appeal to him. So I took an adjustable shower curtain rod and fit it in the window space inside the frame. I hung the curtains on the rod, and it worked wonderfully. This would work for students in dorm rooms, as well, because often they are not allowed to put nails or brackets in the walls. -- Laura M.

FROST-FREE WINDSHIELD

Here’s a great use for an empty dish soap plastic bottle: Rinse it out thoroughly and fill it up with windshield washer fluid. Keep it in your car in case your washer fluid runs out. This is really helpful in the wintertime because you can just squirt it on your windshield if your fluid tank is frozen. -- Janet R.

* * *

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.”

SLICING OLIVES

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* Prisoners are more likely to be granted parole if their hearing is held first thing in the morning rather than at the end of the day. ***

Thought for the Day: “The beautiful thing about setbacks is they introduce us to our strengths.” -- Robin Sharma

To cut up whole olives, try using an egg slicer. Throw in four or five olives at a time, close the slicer, and you have perfectly sliced olives. -- Darla S

GARLIC POWDER

I have found that if you sprinkle garlic or onion powder directly over a pot cooking on the

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• Born in Michigan in 1925, Bill Haley grew up loving music. He became good enough at the guitar to entertain audiences, billing himself as the Ramblin’ Yodeler, or Silver Yodelin’ Bill. He worked for a while as a DJ for a Pennsylvania radio station, and joined other bands whenever possible.

• Then he decided to form his own band, and called it Bill Haley and the Saddlemen. When someone pointed out the similarity between his name and Halley’s Comet, he decided to capitalize on the name, and from then on billed himself as Bill Haley & His Comets.

• In 1952, Max Freedman and James Myers wrote a song called “Rock Around the Clock.” A band called Sonny Dae and His Knights recorded it in 1954 but it did not get much attention. Meantime, Bill Haley had his first million-seller, “Shake, Rattle and Roll.” Riding on this success, he switched labels, jumping from Essex Records to Decca.

• The entire band was on the way to a recording session in New York City when their ferry got stuck on a sandbar, making them two hours late. They had only paid for a short recording session, and most of it was spent recording the A-side of their first Decca single, “Thirteen Women (and Only One Man in Town).” With only 30 minutes left on the clock, it was panic time. They decided to record “Rock Around the Clock” for the B-side of the single. They had only enough time to record it twice before their session ended.

• On hand that day was Danny Cedrone, a session

guitarist, who was not a member of the band. There’s a segment of the song dedicated to an electric guitar solo, and Bill Haley’s instructions to Cedrone were basically, “Go wild, man!” Thus was born one of the most instantly recognizable rip-roaring riffs in rock and roll history. Cedrone was paid $31 for his work that evening.

• “Rock Around the Clock” sold a respectable 75,000 copies, with the A-side getting most of the attention. But all that changed when Glenn Ford was chosen to star in the 1955 film, “Blackboard Jungle.” The story, adapted from the best-selling novel, centered on rebellious juvenile delinquents at an urban high school. Glenn Ford’s young son suggested that “Rock Around the Clock” would be the perfect song to play during the opening credits. Director Richard Brooks agreed because he felt it captured the wild, loud, enthusiastic energy of young people.

• When the movie was released, the song sold a million copies in just two months, well on its way to eventually selling 25 million. It became the first rock and roll single to reach No. 1 on the Billboard pop charts and it stayed there for eight consecutive weeks.

• Bill Haley & His Comets was the first rock and roll band to gain worldwide attention. “Rock Around the Clock” was the first international #1 rock and roll hit. Haley opened the door for modern pop, and the song heralded a social and cultural revolution: the beginning of the rock and roll era, and the end of the crooners’ era. Even today, Billboard separates its statistical

tabulations into 1890–1954 and 1955–present.

• Yet, Haley was soon overshadowed by even bigger rock and roll legends: Elvis, Chuck Berry, Fats Domino, Buddy Holly.

• Danny Cedrone died suddenly in a fall shortly after the record was released and he never knew the impact his solo had.

• Bill Haley moved to Texas and gradually faded into obscurity. When the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame opened in 1986, Haley didn’t even make the list. After struggling with health problems, mental health issues, and alcoholism, he died in 1981 at the age of 55. Only 75 people attended the funeral.

• He was inducted into the Rock & Roll Hall of Fame as a solo artist a year later, in 1987. The Comets were inducted separately in 2012. 

by Dana Jackson

Q: I never watched “ER” when it was on, but I started watching it on HBO Max. I read that the actor who plays Dr. Abbot on “The Pitt” was also on an episode of “ER.” Which season was it? -- W.P.

A: Spanning 15 seasons long, “ER” was such a long-running show that there are actually several actors who’ve appeared on both shows. Shawn Hatosy, who has already won an Emmy for playing Dr. Jack Abbot on “The Pitt,” guest-starred on “ER” 20 years ago. You can see him in episode 7 of season 13 playing a young man with a dissociative identity disorder.

The episode, which was directed by John Wells, one of the executive producers of “The Pitt,” led to future collaborations between the two. Hatosy told TVLine, “That one role ... changed everything,” leading to parts on other Wells’ productions like “Animal Kingdom” and “Southland.” He adds, “When you’re doing a guest [spot], you just don’t know

1. Project Hail Mary (PG-13) Ryan Gosling, Sandra Hüller

2. Hoppers (PG) Piper Curda, Bobby Moynihan

3. They Will Kill You (R) Zazie Beetz, Myha’la

4. Reminders of Him (PG-13) Maika Monroe, Tyriq Withers

5. Dhurandhar The Revenge (NR) Ranveer Singh, Akshaye Khanna

6. Ready or Not 2: Here I Come (R) Samara Weaving, Kathryn Newton

7. Scream 7 (R) Neve Campbell, Courteney Cox

8. GOAT (PG) Caleb McLaughlin, Gabrielle Union

9. Undertone (R) Nina Kiri, Adam DiMarco 10. Forbidden Fruits (R) Lili Reinhart, Jordan Duarte © 2026

who you’re going to change the mind of for the future.”

Other familiar faces from “The Pitt” to look out for while bingeing “ER” include Katherine LaNasa (charge nurse Dana), Ernest Harden Jr. (cirrhosis patient Louie), Rusty Schwimmer (clerk Monica), and Jeff Kober (biker Duke). Of course, we can’t overlook Noah Wyle, who finally won his first Emmy Award after just one season of “The Pitt.” He played Dr. John Carter for 11 seasons on “ER.”

Q: When is the “Supergirl” movie coming out? I saw a hint of it during the “Superman” credits. Will “Superman” be in the film, too? -- D.Z.

A: Roughly one year after James Gunn’s “Superman” grossed over $600 million worldwide, “Supergirl” will premiere in theaters on June 26. While Gunn isn’t directing the movie (the equally talented Craig Gillespie is), his creative genius should definitely be all over it as the co-chairman and CEO of DC Studios.

“Supergirl” stars Milly Alcock, an Australian actress who’s already known to American audiences for her role as the young Rhaenyra in the “Game of Thrones” prequel series “House of the Dragon.” David Corenswet will reprise his role of “Superman” in what is said to be a “big brother” capacity, and none other than Jason Momoa will star as intergalactic bounty hunter Lobo.

***

Q: Why is “Paradise” coming back for just one more season? Isn’t it really popular? -- G.D.

A: Yes, “Paradise” is a big hit for Hulu and for star Sterling K. Brown, but the creative minds

behind the series are firm in their decision that it should end sooner rather than later. Executive producer and writer John Hoberg told the Hollywood Reporter back in February, “We know what the end is, and it’s an end that would make it very difficult to make a season four come afterward.”

He also acknowledges that the show has shifted from a “postapocalyptic survival drama” into a “sci-fi story. “But he’s also stated that he actually views the show as more of a Western and that Brown’s character is a “Western hero” with an “uncompromising goal.”

* * *

Send me your questions at NewCelebrityExtra@gmail.com.

(c) 2026 King Features Synd., Inc

Good Recipes from

Bulgur Bean Burgers

Satisfy vegetarians and meat-eaters alike with these healthful, Middle Eastern-style Bulgur Bean Burgers! No one will miss the beef when black beans and spices are providing first-class flavor.

1 cup water

Salt and ground black pepper

1/2 cup bulgur

1 can (15 to 19 ounces) reduced-sodium black beans, rinsed and drained

1 container (6 ounces) plain low-fat yogurt

1/4 teaspoon ground allspice

1/4 teaspoon ground cinnamon

1/4 teaspoon ground cumin

1/4 cup (packed) mint leaves, chopped

Nonstick cooking spray

1 small shredded Kirby (pickling) cucumber

4 whole-wheat hamburger buns

4 lettuce leaves

1 medium tomato, sliced

1. In 1-quart saucepan, heat water and 1/2 teaspoon salt to boiling over high heat. Stir in bulgur. Reduce heat to low; cover and simmer 10 to 12 minutes or until water is absorbed.

2. Meanwhile, in large bowl, with potato masher or fork, mash beans with 2 tablespoons yogurt until almost smooth. Stir in bulgur, allspice, cinnamon, cumin and half of mint until combined. With lightly floured hands, shape bean mixture into four 3-inch-round patties. Spray both sides of each patty lightly with nonstick cooking spray.

3. Heat nonstick 12-inch skillet over medium heat until hot. Add burgers and cook 8 minutes or until lightly browned and heated through, turning over once.

4. While burgers are cooking, prepare yogurt sauce: In small bowl, combine cucumber, remaining yogurt and mint, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/8 teaspoon pepper. Makes about 1 1/4 cups.

5. To serve, divide lettuce, tomato and burgers among buns; top with some yogurt sauce. Serve with remaining yogurt sauce. Serves 4.

 Each serving: About 295 calories, 3g total fat (1g saturated), 3mg cholesterol, 960mg sodium, 58g total carbs, 13g dietary fiber, 16g protein.

Banana Caramel Pudding

Combine sliced banana, sour cream and a few ready-made ingredients to create this easy parfait-style dessert.

2 cups vanilla pudding

1 1/2 cups sour cream

1/8 teaspoon salt

2/3 cup dulce de leche

1 (10.75- to 11-ounce) pound cake, cubed

2 ripe bananas, sliced

1. In a large bowl, mix pudding, sour cream and salt. In a small bowl, microwave dulce de leche on High 1 minute or until soft.

2. In a large glass bowl, layer half of the

pound cake, half of pudding mixture, banana slices and dulce de leche. Repeat layering once. Refrigerate 1 hour or up to 1 day. Makes 6 servings.

For thousands of triple-tested recipes, visit our website at www.goodhousekeeping.com/foodrecipes/

(c) 2026 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved

NEXT WEEK in TIDBITS EXPLORES

Holidays

&

Dog Talk with Uncle Matty

By Matthew Margolis

Observances This Week It Happened So Fast

For every adult who resides with both a dog and a child under the same roof, I quote four words: “It happened so fast.”

But they are not my words. They were the words of Jesse Browning of The History Channel’s “Ax Men.” He used them to describe the incident that years ago took his four-year-old stepdaughter’s life, suddenly and out of the blue.

“Nobody can go back and start a new BEGINNING, but anyone can start today and make a new ENDING.”

-- Maria Robinson

One February afternoon, Ashlynn Anderson’s mother found her bleeding on the family’s front lawn near Astoria, Ore. One of the family’s Rottweilers was standing next to her. The little girl was seriously wounded and did not survive the Life Flight to Oregon Health and Science University Hospital in Portland. She died of injuries sustained during a dog attack.

A while back, the Brownings were a threeRottweiler family. But one of the dogs reportedly bit an adult family member and was subsequently euthanized. On the day Ashlynn was mauled, two Rottweilers and a Labrador were in the fenced back yard and she was alone in the front yard. It is not clear how one of the dogs got loose or what triggered the attack. Clatsop County Sheriff Tom Bergin said, “Apparently, the dog just snapped.”

I was reminded of this sad story when I took two calls about aggressive dogs this past week. The first was from a woman who adopted a dog six months ago. The dog recently bit her friend. But, she told me, for the first six months he showed no signs of being a biter. He would just “growl and snarl and lunge and stuff.”

The second call was from a mother whose dog had just bitten her daughter’s friend. She, too, said her dog had never shown signs of aggression. She summed up the dog as being primarily a backyard dog that had never been socialized. I asked her whether they walk the dog. She said no. I asked her how the dog reacts when people come over to the house. “Hackles up, tail down.” Her description basically described a dog that could easily be triggered to bite.

Then I got this e-mail from a reader: “Six months ago, we got Rocco from an abusive home. He was 3. He barks at a knock at the

SENIOR NEWS LINE

by Matilda Charles © King Features Synd., Inc.

Exercising to Avoid Falls

If your weather is anything like mine right now here in New England, the promised end of winter hasn’t happened yet. Icy storms continue to roll in every few days right on schedule.

Something that has not gone away yet, however, is that pesky RSV and nasty flu that continues to hang around. This means that while getting outside on a schedule for exercise isn’t advisable, neither is it a good idea to be working out on the machines at the crowded rec center among lots of other huffing and puffing people.

Still, getting some kind of exercise is important. They say we need 150 minutes of exercise per week (aerobic and strength training combined), as well as balance exercise. And all of those things can be done at home. The benefits certainly make it worthwhile: maintain muscle mass, improve our sleep, stay mobile, improve mental health, stay independent, reduce risk of high blood pressure.

And avoid falls. This may well be at the

Inspired Interiors

When I design rooms in show houses or for the lobby of a condo or hotel, the public always asks questions that make you truly think about the design process. Besides asking about where I find my furnishings or the particulars of a certain fabric, questions always arise about the inspiration for the room. Inspiration can come from anywhere, but there is a thought and editing process that happens three layers inside my brain. While they are looking for a brief one-word answer, the truth is I cannot describe the inspiration or thought process briefly. So here goes.

top of the list of reasons to exercise and keep yourself limber. A bad fall can lead to hospitalization, a need for surgery, loss of independence -- all those things we want to avoid.

All it takes is doing a few exercises to build our leg strength, tighten our core and improve our balance. Here are a few places online to get more information about exercising for seniors:

Go to the Johns Hopkins website (hopkinsmedicine.org) and search for “Balance and Strength Exercises for Older Adults,” which includes two exercise videos that can be done at home. Check the Mayo Clinic website (mayoclinic.org). Search for balance exercises.

Go to the CDC website (cdc.gov) and search for “What Counts as Physical Activity for Older Adults.” Click the link to their free publication “Physical Activity Guidelines for Americans” and scroll to Chapter 5, Active Older Adults. The 118-page publication is very well done.

As always, check in with your health care provider to ask about starting any new exercise before you begin.

Matilda Charles regrets that she cannot personally answer reader questions, but will incorporate them into her column whenever possible. Send email to columnreply2@gmail.com. (c) KingFeaturesSyndicate2026

with the passage of time.

Foraging at your local flea market is always a great thing. First, you may find an unusual piece of furniture or beautiful work of art that can act as the source of inspiration. Secondly, you might find inspiration in just walking around and maybe seeing something you already own in a different color or paired with something unexpected.

A visit to a museum, the repository of so many works of art, is sure to inspire. This might be you place to get insight into surprising color combinations. A takeaway idea might be the placement of art or even a painting technique to be used on a wall. In the very least, a museum visit is great for the rejuvenation of the soul and can help you keep an open mind about design.

Generally, if I have a client asks for a country interior, after looking over their design file of what they like and what that type of interiors speak to them, I do an about face and try to imagine what the complete opposite would look like. This reversal process allows room for new inspiration, rather than just replicating what has already been done. Somewhere in between their preconceived ideas are and my inflection into their design lays ... the inspired interiors.

While one may have a good idea of the type of interiors one likes, finding your own unique inspiration can reveal itself in many ways. Travelling, of course, is one of the greatest sources of inspiration for designers across the globe. Every city has something to offer: Colors, textures and even smells can transport the mind and leave the visitor a memory of the place, even

Watching movies is also a fantastic way to get inspiration for your home. Realize that Hollywood studios hire the very best designers to achieve the perfect environments and settings for their movies. Therefore, interiors are usually en pointe. My favorite movies with creative interiors are:

--”Down With Love”

--”Something’s Gotta Give”

--”It’s Complicated”

--”Room with a View”

--”Auntie Mame”

--”Breakfast at Tiffany’s”

--”Sex and the City”

While all these are great approaches to inspiration, leave yourself open to making some decisions that seemingly are against the grain. Your interiors will thank you by revealing your own, genuine inspired designs.

* * *

Joseph Pubillones is the owner of Joseph Pubillones Interiors, an award-winning interior design firm based in Palm Beach, Florida. 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.

COPYRIGHT 2025 CREATORS.COM

door and at the doorbell. He barks and growls when anyone walks down the hall toward the bedroom where he is sleeping. He loves and sleeps with our 13-year-old daughter. But he bit our older daughter when she was hugging the 13-year-old. During the past month, he has bitten three of the 13-year-old’s friends. He seems fine with the friends at first, but then, out of nowhere, he bites them with no warning. He lived in a household with kids in the past, and we were never told that he bit anyone.”

Snarling, growling, lunging, snapping -these are all bright red flags and are not to be ignored, especially when children are involved. Dogs that engage in these behaviors are warning you that they will bite. And when they do, there might not be a “later” or a “second chance” for you to pay attention.

By all accounts, Ashlynn had only been outside “a couple of minutes.” And after the attack, “everyone was there in minutes,” said Bergin. “But she was pretty severely mauled. By the time they got her to OHSU, she had lost too much blood.”

It happens that fast.

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.

in 1973, those benefits were still around and were part of my everyday life as a new Social Security rep.

YOUR SOCIAL SECURITY

by Tom Margenau

Two Social Security Benefits You Never Heard

Of

I’m going to give you two words. And I will buy you lunch if you can tell me what connection they have with Social Security.

Here are the words: Pneumoconiosis and Prouty. I bring these words up because I got a “blast from the past” when I was writing last week’s column about Social Security “beneficiary identification codes,” or BIC codes, as the Social Security Administration calls them. They are the little letter symbols you find behind your Social Security number (or a family member’s SSN) when you get any correspondence from the SSA. They indicate the kind of Social Security benefit you are getting.

The most common BIC code is “A” and that stands for retirement benefits. Another example: your Social Security claim number might be your husband’s SSN with a letter “D” behind it. And that means you are getting widow’s benefits off of his record.

There are about a hundred other BIC codes -- and two of them took me on a little trip down memory lane. One of them is “J” and the other is “LM.” “J” stands for Prouty benefits. And “LM” stands for Miner’s benefits. I am almost positive you have never heard of those in connection with Social Security. And for good reason. They pretty much don’t exist anymore.

But when I started working for the SSA

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

2. To keep Adam and Eve away after the Fall, what did God place around the Tree of Life? a) Shroud of smoke b) Flaming pit c) Cherubim with flaming swords d) Vipers

3. In 2 Samuel 12, God gave Solomon what additional name? a) Amos b) Jedidiah c) Agamemnon d) Thucydides

4. What type of water did Jesus offer the Samaritan woman at the well? a) Fresh b) Regenerated c) Cleansed d) Living

5. From John 10, to what type of animals are Christians compared? a) Lions b) Sheep c) Deer d) Eagles

6. II Corinthians 5:17 states, "If anyone is in Christ, they are ________." a) Given wisdom b) Abundantly blessed c) Freed from sin d) A new creation

First, the story of Prouty benefits. In a nutshell, Prouty benefits were set up in the 1960s to pay a small monthly stipend to people who were too old to have had a chance to work and pay enough taxes into the Social Security system to become insured for regular Social Security benefits. The sponsor of the legislation was Senator Winston Prouty of Vermont.

I have no idea if this story was true or not. but back in my early days of working for the Social Security Administration, when Prouty benefits were still being routinely awarded, the word being spread from one SSA rep to another was that Senator Prouty had parents who didn’t qualify for regular Social Security, so he crafted this legislation to help out mom and dad -- and eventually, hundreds of thousands of others.

I don’t recall all of the rules. But I believe a Prouty beneficiary with no Social Security work history had to be age 72 before 1968 in order to qualify for a monthly check that I think was less than $100. That age designation is why they were also known as “Special Age 72” benefits.

There were also other rules for people who had some Social Security-covered work, but not enough to qualify for regular Social Security benefits. Or they might have had enough work to get a very small Social Security check. But if the Prouty rules paid them more money, they would get a Prouty benefit instead of their regular Social Security check. But no matter what their situation, the rules were always tied to the attainment of age 72 before 1968.

Because almost all the people who were eligible for these benefits were born before 1896, it is highly unlikely there are any Prouty beneficiaries still alive today. So I’m sure that all “J” BIC codes are now just historical footnotes.

So now what about that “LM” BIC code that stands for Miner’s benefits? Do coal miners qualify for special Social Security benefits? Well, no, not really. But they do qualify for Black Lung benefits authorized by the Federal Coal Mine Health and Safety Act of 1969.

Back in the 1970s, when I started working for the Social Security Administration, the agency was charged with the responsibility for taking and adjudicating claims for Black Lung benefits. But those benefits were not paid out of the Social Security trust funds. They were separately funded through the Department of Labor. And sometime in the 1990s, the entire workload was transferred to the Department of Labor.

But that meant that in the 1970s and 1980s, in some areas, especially in coal mining regions, the local Social Security office could be as much a Black Lung office as it was a Social Security office.

At the time, I was working in a small town in central Illinois. And there were more than a few coal mines in the area. So we had more than our share of retired coal miners coming into the office to file for Black Lung benefits.

And you could always tell these guys (and they were always guys) as soon as they entered the office and walked up to the reception desk. They were kind of old and grizzled men who seemed to be worn down by a life in underground coal mines. I may be misremembering this, but I believe the pores on their faces were always speckled with black dust. And they were usually coughing up black gunk into handkerchiefs that they always carried. Anyway, I just remember feeling so sorry for them as they sat across from my desk while I filled out their Black Lung forms.

By the way, you shouldn’t think miners were or still are getting rich off this program. I don’t know how Congress came up with this, but they set the payment rate to a miner with black lung disease at an amount equal to 37.5% of the monthly salary paid to a GS-2 federal worker -- essentially the lowest-paid government employees. (Today, that comes out to about $800 per month.)

I have just a bit of space left in this column, so I am going to briefly mention one more of the BIC codes I wrote about in last week’s column. And that is a “D6,” which is listed as a “surviving divorced wife.” It’s that term that always intrigued me. I call the women getting D6 benefits “divorced widows.” But a lawyer once told me that a divorced woman whose ex-husband has died cannot legally be referred to as his “widow.” (I’m not really sure why.) So they came up with the “surviving divorced wife” term. I just found that interesting.

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 Easyto-Understand Fact Sheets That Will Answer All Your Questions About Social Security.” The other is “Social Security: 100 Myths and 100 Facts.” You can find the books at Amazon.com or other book outlets. Or you can send him an email at thomas.margenau@comcast. net. To find out more about Tom Margenau and to read past columns and see features from other Creators Syndicate writers and cartoonists, visit the Creators Syndicate website at www.creators.com.

COPYRIGHT 2026 CREATORS.COM (Answers on page 16) For comments or more

(If you want to learn how awful Black Lung disease can be, just do a Google search for it. Or you can use the medical term for the disease -“pneumoconiosis.” )

Trigeminal Neuralgia Causes Shock Pains in Woman’s Lower Jaw

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 73-yearold female who’s in above average health. I have recently been diagnosed with trigeminal neuralgia after many trips to the dentist and finding out that my pain wasn’t dental-related. I experienced electrical shock pains in my lower left jaw when I talked and ate, and sometimes when I brushed my teeth.

I am on 300 mg of gabapentin, and after a month, I can say that I’m about 95% better. I still feel some sharp sensations for a few seconds when starting to eat. In the previous year, I was on Fosamax for osteoporosis for one year. Since this didn’t show an improvement, I was given one infusion of Reclast. I will be due for another in June. I mentioned this diagnosis to my ophthalmologist recently, and she mentioned that these drugs for osteoporosis could possibly narrow the openings that the trigeminal nerves run through, therefore rubbing on the nerves themselves. Do I need to stop taking the osteoporosis treatment to stop the nerve pain? Your thoughts on this would be appreciated. -- D.K.V.

ANSWER: Trigeminal neuralgia is a neuropathy (a disease of the nerve) that, in this case, causes face pain. The pain is often described as an electric shock, but it can vary in different people. It also gets misdiagnosed as a dental condition. Gabapentin (Neurontin) is often tried, and a 95% reduction is a very good outcome in this disease, which can sometimes be frustrating to treat.

Bisphosphonate drugs like alendronate (Fosamax) or zoledronic acid (Reclast) do not directly cause trigeminal neuralgia. Most cases are thought to be caused by the compression of the nerve root that is deep inside the brain by an artery. Microdecompression of the nerve is sometimes used to treat trigeminal neuralgia, although the success rate isn’t perfect and the pain relief isn’t always permanent.

Bisphosphonates can occasionally cause a condition called osteonecrosis of the jaw. This condition can press on the trigeminal nerve, causing a facial pain syndrome. Your endocrinologist or primary care doctor who is prescribing the treatment should be aware of your facial pain and ensure that you do not have this complication. ***

DEAR DR. ROACH: I am writing to seek advice regarding medical privacy for someone I know. Due to significant distress caused by social media, this individual is hesitant to seek medical care for fear of being recognized and is looking for a highly private or discreet health care option.

Could you please provide information on which steps one should take if they require a high level of anonymity when seeing a doctor? Are there specific resources or types of practices that specialize in this level of privacy? -- D.H.

ANSWER: I daresay that there are physicians who have many famous patients. Certainly, a physician who has a smaller practice and a private entrance would make sense for a person who doesn’t wish to be seen in public. I suspect that the best way to find out is by asking other famous people who live in the same area. I have known doctors who were “physicians to the stars.”

On rare occasions when I have a similar situation, I come in early before anyone else has arrived (my practice is a busy academic group) so that the patient can be seen with as much privacy as possible.

I would also argue that privacy should be respected for all patients, but anonymity is probably unwise (and may be impossible for someone who is very well-known), as having a patient’s correct medical history is important. * * *

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.

VETERANS POST  

by Freddie Groves

Veteran Suicide Prevention Grants

Across the country, state and local governments, nonprofits, certain tribes and other community organizations are going to share in a $112 million grant program for their work in veterans suicide prevention.

The Staff Sergeant Parker Gordon Fox Suicide Prevention Grant Program (also known as SSG Fox SPGP) promotes outreach to identify veterans at risk, clinical services for emergency treatment, case management, baseline screening, education, peer support, help with connecting with benefits and more. Help can also be in the form of temporary income support, legal services, child care, financial counseling and fiduciary help.

And it works: Over 90% of veterans who got these services reported improvements in their mental health and well-being.

The grant organizations will work with local VA medical centers to verify that the individual is a veteran, has some risk factors (such as traumatic brain injury, recent loss, homelessness or history of abuse) and has been assessed as to the degree of risk of suicide.

Veteran suicide stats are, as they always have been, grim to consider. The national suicide report for 2025 says that the number of suicides have decreased (for 2023, the last year numbers were available). Specifically, 2023 had 44 fewer veteran suicides than in 2022. The report calls that an “encouraging” result -- even though the number for 2023 was a whopping 6,398 veterans.

In an analysis of the stats, 61% of those veterans were not getting VA health care. The group most affected were veterans ages 18 to 34 with risk factors of homelessness, health problems and pain, with pain being the biggest risk factor.

To learn all the details about the SSG Fox SPGP grant program, see www.mentalhealth. va.gov/ssgfox-grants/docs/SSG-Fox-SPGPProgram-Guide-508.pdf.

If you (or a veteran you know) are at risk for suicide, call the VA crisis hotline at 988, then press 1. That’s all you need to dial. Or text to 838255. Or go online to chat at www.veteranscrisisline.net Somebody is there 24/7. It’s free and confidential, and you don’t have to be enrolled in VA health care or benefits.

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.

Low-Cost Smartphone Plans for Budget-Minded Seniors

DEAR SAVVY SENIOR: What are the absolute lowest-cost smartphone plans for seniors who mainly talk and text but need a little cellular data for email and occasional use? I’m currently paying $40 a month and hoping to cut that down. --Looking to Save

Dear Looking: You’re asking a smart question. Many seniors unnecessarily pay far more for smartphone service than they actually use. If most of your phone activity is calls, texts, email, and light web browsing, there’s usually no need to spend $40 or more a month for that type of basic service. The good news: plenty of lowcost carriers now cater to light users who want reliable service without the extra cost.

The cheapest plans today mostly come from mobile virtual network operators (MVNOs). These are smaller carriers that lease coverage from major networks like T-Mobile, Verizon, and AT&T. Because they don’t run their own towers, MVNOs can offer basic service for a fraction of the cost of major carriers, while still providing nationwide coverage. Here are some of the best options available now.

Cheapest Wireless Plans

According to Consumer Reports, Mint Mobile is a top value among low-cost smartphone plans. For $15 per month, you get unlimited talk and text plus 5 gigabytes (GB) of data. The catch: you pay for a full year upfront – $180 plus taxes – but for seniors comfortable paying annually, it’s a smart way to lock in savings. Mint runs on T-Mobile’s network and works with most unlocked phones.

If you want a similar plan without the upfront commitment, T-Mobile Connect is worth a look. For about $15 per month, you get the same 5 GB of data and unlimited talk and text, with no contract and the flexibility to switch plans month to month. It’s an easy, low-commitment option on the same reliable T-Mobile network.

For seniors who barely use their phone, Ultra Mobile’s PayGo plan is the absolute cheapest option right now. At just $3 per month plus fees, it includes 100 minutes, 100 texts, and 100 MB of data, with extra usage costing only a few cents per minute, text, or MB. It’s ideal for anyone who mainly needs a phone for emergencies, and it also runs on T-Mobile’s reliable network.

Tello is another flexible option, with plans starting at $8 per month for 300 minutes, unlimited texts, and 2 GB of data. You can easily add more minutes or data in small, inexpensive increments, making it ideal for seniors who want control over their costs.

Finally, US Mobile offers a plan starting at $10 per month (paid annually) for unlimited talk and text plus 4 GB of data. Simple, affordable, and straightforward, it’s a solid choice for seniors who want coverage without extra bells and whistles.

Lifeline Program

If your budget is especially tight, be sure to check into the federal Lifeline Assistance Program. Lifeline provides a $9.25 monthly discount on phone or internet service.

You may qualify if you receive benefits such as Medicaid, SNAP (food stamps), Supplemental Security Income (SSI), public housing assistance, or Veterans Pension. You may also qualify based on income alone if your household income is below 135 percent of the federal poverty level – currently $21,546 for one person or $29,214 for two.

To learn more or to apply, visit lifelinesupport.org. If approved, you can choose from participating providers in your area, and in some

cases even apply the discount to service you already have, if your provider participates.

Before switching plans, make sure your phone is unlocked and compatible with the new carrier’s network. A quick compatibility check on the provider’s website can help ensure a smooth transition and keep your savings on track.

JUNQUE

by Anne McCollam Creators News Service

Porcelain Dinnerware Is a Fine Inheritance

Q: My husband and I inherited a lovely set of china that has several accompanying serving pieces. Enclosed is a picture of one of the smaller plates.

The set is a service for 12 and includes platters, serving bowls of various sizes, a gravy boat, a creamer and a sugar bowl. Each piece is marked with a crest that has two lions and the words “Royal Bayreuth -- Bavaria.” If my math is accurate, the set was made around the early 1900s.

Is this something we should insure or simply enjoy and pass down through the generations?

Q: This mark is on the bottom of my set of four Irish Belleek cups and saucers. Each cup sets on two shells, and both the cups and the saucers have pale green shading against the ivory porcelain. Each cup has a green handle, and the set is in perfect condition.

It has been in my family for a very long time, but no one remembers exactly how long. There may have been matching pieces that have been lost or broken over the years.

Any information you can provide will be greatly appreciated.

A: Robert Armstrong and David McBurney first made Irish Belleek in 1857 in County Fermanagh, Ireland. The pottery used native clay deposits to produce their porcelain.

Belleek ware is handcrafted and very thin and translucent. The finished pieces have a creamy ivory color with an iridescent luster. Some of their most popular motifs include seashells, sea horses, dolphins and, of course, shamrocks.

* On April 13, 1012, a ransom of 48,000 pounds was paid by King Aethelred the Unready and British authorities to the Viking army led by Thorkell the Tall for the liberation of Canterbury, after a raid on the city and the capture of Alphege, Archbishop of Canterbury, who was murdered a few days later because he refused to let his followers pay for his release.

* On April 14, 1831, 74 soldiers from the 60th Rifle Corps, marching in step, caused the Broughton Suspension Bridge in Manchester, England, to collapse when their rhythmic footsteps led to the snapping of a poorly forged iron bolt in the bridge’s supporting stay-chains. Around 40 men were thrown into the Irwell River, but there were no fatalities, as the water was shallow. The unexpected incident led, however, to the British army’s prohibition of marching in step unison while crossing bridges.

* On April 15, 1911, Walter “the Big Train” Johnson pitched a record-tying four strikeouts in a single inning for the Washington Senators.

A: Royal Bayreuth was founded by Johann Schmidt and Waldheim Greiner in Tettau, Bavaria. They produced high-quality porcelain dinnerware and specialized in floral and porcelain animal figures, including their “Devil and Cards” figures. Their “Sunbonnet Babies” and “Rose Tapestry” line have been popular with collectors.

The mark you described was used around 1919. Enjoy your inherited set of porcelain and also insure it in the range of $1500 to $2000.

Belleek porcelain baskets are highly prized by collectors. The baskets were woven by hand with strips of clay.

Your Irish Belleek seashell cups and saucers were made sometime between 1891 and 1926. The pattern is “Neptune,” and the set would probably be worth $250 to $300.

* * * Antiques expert and columnist Anne McCollam has recently 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.

* On April 16, 1946, auto racer Arthur Chevrolet, brother of Chevrolet auto namesake Louis Chevrolet, died at the age of 61 by hanging himself in his garage in Slidell, Louisiana, following a long struggle with depression.

* On April 17, 1961, the Bay of Pigs invasion began when a CIA-financed and trained group of Cuban refugees landed in Cuba and attempted to topple Fidel Castro’s communist government. The mission failed completely, ending in the deaths of more than 100 and the capture of more than 1,100 men.

* On April 18, 2012, Dick Clark, the TV personality and producer best known for hosting “American Bandstand,” died of a heart attack at age 82 in Santa Monica, California. Affectionately dubbed “America’s Oldest Teenager,” he also hosted the annual holiday show “New Year’s Rockin’ Eve” and headed an entertainment empire that developed game, awards and talk shows, as well as made-forTV movies and other programs.

* On April 19, 2020, Turkey surpassed Iran as the Middle Eastern country with the most COVID-19 cases, with 86,306 infections, though Iran continued to experience the most fatalities from the virus.

Snails: (from page 3)

expecting a meal, it gets stuck and is then eaten by the snail.

FINAL FACTS

• Land snails are highly intolerant of salt and will die of dehydration if they encounter it.

• Though certain species are eaten as a delicacy, other kinds carry parasites that can be passed on to humans.

• A type of snail called the sea butterfly adapted its foot into a “wing.” Found floating in the top layers of seawater in Antarctic regions, this snail flaps its wing-like lobes to swim through icy saltwater. Sea butterflies are present in such numbers that they are considered to be the world’s most common species of snail.

• A few marine snail species produce bioluminescence, emitting light to deter predators or attract mates.

• Another type of sea snail excretes a chemical defense when threatened. This species is sometimes kidnapped by a type of crustacean that carries it around in its pincers, acting as a biological weapon against predators.

• A particular species of beetle eats nothing but the slime trails left behind by snails.

• One type of cave-dwelling snail was discovered in the deepest cave in Croatia in 2013. Because it lives in darkness, it has no sense of sight, and its shell is translucent.

• An experiment in tracking snails proved they have a rudimentary homing instinct. When removed from their normal habitat and relocated to a different area of a large lawn, most eventually returned to the same area of the garden they had been plucked from.

• The murex snail sports a whelk-like shell that is covered with spiny protrusions. It’s commonly found in shallow tropical seas. One species found in the Mediterranean Ocean produces colorless mucus that turns bright purple when exposed to air.

• For centuries, dried snail mucus was the only way of dyeing fabric purple. It required 12,000 snails to yield enough dye to color a piece of fabric the size of a single bedsheet. Only royalty and nobility could afford purple cloth, which is why purple and crimson are associated with royalty today. The Greek name of the snail, porphyra, passed through several languages before becoming our word “purple.” 

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Game Changers

by Jason Jenkins

Hip Slider

The backswing has many different allowances when it comes to arm movement, wrist action, and club travel, but the hips need to have a specific action for power and stability.

One of the most common faults in many amateur golfers is a sliding hip action with little to no rotation in the backswing. The hips will move only laterally, many times shifting the body weight to the outside of the right foot. The lack of hip and right leg rotation is one of the most common power leaks in all of golf.

The correct right hip and leg action is a blend of rotation with a little weight shift. Mostly, the right hip has to turn as the arms are swinging the club back and over the right shoulder. With top players, the hips are continuously turning throughout the backswing.

The right thigh will also turn, but the weight should stay on the inside of the foot and towards the heel. Imagine some

one

pocket

rather than to the