Around the time they began building pyramids,  carving massive stone edifices, and mummifying their dead, Egyptians in 3500 BC were using the sun to tell time, dividing the day into morning and afternoon.  They eventually divided the day into 12 parts utilizing a vertical stone or wooden stake to create a moving shadow.  Thus was created the world’s first sundial.  Egyptians learned also to compensate for seasonal changes as the earth’s angle shifted in relation to the sun.  Recorded history doesn’t tell us if these early scientists decided that midday (12 noon as we know it today) was time to break for lunch.  Or that several hours later it would be great to take a break and nosh at an afternoon tea.

A monumental step in the accurate measurement of time was taken in 1500 when Peter Henlein of Nuremberg, Germany invented the spring powered clock.  Springs driving an escapement, provided for a variance in timekeeping of just seconds daily.  The use of a spring to drive a clock allowed for some miniaturization, which led to the development of a portable clock:  the pocket watch.  It took a number of years before these early, cumbersome timepieces would be reduced to a size small enough to slip easily into  a man’s vest pocket.

The introduction of quartz clocks and watches in the 1950s offered accuracy and dependability never achieved by spring driven or self winding watches.  The atomic clock today offers accuracy that would have astounded Galileo and Henlein.  These atomic driven instruments offer precision within nanoseconds yearly.

Whenever we find ourselves in a jewelry store, or the jewelry section of a department or discount store, we always come upon case after display case of every imaginable type of timepiece.  There are gold, chrome, pewter, black, and colors of every hue.  And every one, analog.  Analog, as we all know is the type where you deduce the time by the position of the hands:  the small one for the hour, the big hand for the minutes.  We’ve been counting hours and minutes that way for almost a thousand years.  A modern digital watch, on the other hand, tells you the time in a more precise and simple method.  It displays numerals this way: 10:45.

Among educators, the thinking is, that youngsters should learn to tell time the old fashioned analog way.  They should likewise memorize the multiplication table before solving arithmetic problems the quick and easy way without using brain power, on a calculator.  Excellent for developing the mind, we suppose.  In the real world,we haven’t the time to fool with the multiplication table and paper and pencil.  We rely on calculators and computers for business, industry, research, and in applications that can now be performed in nanoseconds that before the advent of these instruments, might have taken hours.  And because some were extremely complex, were left unsolved.

What then would explain the enormous popularity, in this digital, computer age, of the analog watch, when even the simplest, cheapest digital watch will outperform a Rolex.  Our digital watch, a Casio, was purchased for less than $50., and has all these features:  At a glance, the time is displayed in hour, minutes and seconds.  Also displayed is the date, day and year, as well as AM or PM.  It has five separate alarms, and dual time, which at the push of a button, tells the time in a city in a different time zone.  We found that to be a  wonderful feature when traveling out of the country to check the time back home, and whether it’s AM or PM.  There is a countdown alarm which can be set for up to 24 hours.  A stopwatch setting even features audible signals.  A phone directory contains 50 names and complete phone numbers, automatically sorted alphabetically.   It sailed smoothly through the millennium, and despite warnings of doom to the  entire electronic, computer programmed world, it sails along into 2006, accurately providing correct days, dates, months and years, without adjustment.  A calculator is built into the stainless steel wrist band.  All this in a timepiece that weighs just several ounces.  It isn’t beautiful.  It’s functional!

We never cease to be amazed at the enormous popularity of archaic, analog timepieces with limited functions.  In the camera business, we used to call customers who would buy expensive cameras, equipment freaks. These folks would buy intricate photographic instruments like Leicas, Nikons, Exaktas, and never take a picture.  They’re intrigued by the technology, beauty and design built into these fine instruments, and enjoy tinkering with the dials, levers and buttons.  That, we’re forced to conclude has to be the reason people buy these expensive, multi-dialed, precious metal and jeweled chronometers.  We continue to scratch our head, and wonder why Seiko, Citizen, Casio, Timex or any of the technological watch manufacturers can’t or won’t turn out an exceptionally functional digital watch in solid gold, or embellished in diamonds, or one of exquisite or futuristic design to attract those buyers who insist on form over function.  Digital, of course, means no dials,  just lots of numerals.  That, without a doubt, would turn an equipment freak off.

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After paying  hard earned money for several bags of fertilizer, we certainly were not going to follow his misguided advice.  If our well meaning friend had read the label on one of those bags, he would have known not to “water it in good” after application, but rather to sprinkle the

lawn lightly before application.  If it were a granular fertilizer only, his advice would have been correct.  But when dealing with a combination fertilizer/weed killer, the proper procedure, as clearly indicated on every bag:  Water the lawn, using hose or sprinkler, making certain that problem areas with lots of weeds are well saturated.  That done, and before the moisture evaporates,  apply the product.  While a broadcast spreader is faster, providing broader coverage, a drop spreader is recommended.  You don’t want the product spun into flower beds or

vegetable gardens where it could have the same killing effect on desirable plants as it will on broadleaf weeds.  The drop spreader is more  precise, and will put the product only where you want it.  Broadcast spreaders are preferable when spreading fertilizer and grass seed.  Coverage is considerably more than that of a drop spreader, saving considerable time and effort.

DRY vs. LIQUID

Weed killers, liquid or granular, kill weeds by adhering to the leaves.  The product must remain on the leaves for a specified length of time.  Check directions, as products vary.  With granular weed killers, if the leaf is not wet, the granules will fall harmlessly to the ground where the product will be completely ineffective.  Likewise, watering, or a rainfall immediately after treatment, will render the application useless.  You can understand now, why we didn’t follow the erroneous advice of our well-meaning friend in the hardware store.  By ineffective, reference  is to the weed-killing properties of the product.  The fertilizer portion will provide the intended benefits, as it is unnecessary for the granules to adhere to the grass blades, but rather, must instead reach the roots.  Because of this problem, we no longer use granular weed killer.  Later in this article, we cover the advantages of applying liquid weed killer and insecticide rather than granular.

WEED KILLER, NOT SEED KILLER

Most troublesome weeds with the exception of dandelions are ANNUALS, which means they survive for just one season, succumbing in winter to cold and frost.  Why then do they re-appear and multiply year after year.  A little known fact, and one that manufacturers of these products fail to mention is that weed killers, liquid or granular do not kill seeds.  If the seed pod, spike or puff from the dandelion, plantain or other broadleaf weed you just treated, scatter back into the lawn (and of course they will), you will surely have a bumper crop of these same weeds next season.  To avoid this, you must apply a weed killer before weeds go to seed.  When is that?

There is no specific month.  Distinct weed types sprout at various times throughout the year.  An application should be made several times during the season.  In early spring when grass begins to thicken and brighten, you can be sure weeds are beginning to sprout.  So, an early application will zap them before they begin to produce seeds.  We should point out though, that killing does not always assure that they will not produce seeds.  You will often spot dead or dying weeds with seed heads which will open, dropping its offspring  to be distributed by your lawn mower to provide next year’s crop.  If weeds have gone to seed and you’re serious about eliminating them, pull the seed heads and flowers of dandelions before they turn into pretty puff balls to be scattered by  summer breezes to all areas of your lawn.   Dispose of them in the trash.  Do not throw them in the compost pile, or anywhere they might germinate to produce additional  weeds and more seeds.  It’s easy to see how eliminating seeds by prevention or disposing of them, will allow you to rely less and less on weed killers.  If homeowners concentrated more on ridding their lawn of weed seeds instead of the weeds, most weed problems would be eliminated, and manufacturers of these herbicides might soon go out of business.  But they need not fear, there are always those in the neighborhood who care little about a well-kept lawn, and provide an abundance of dandelion seeds for those dedicated souls who are constantly striving for the well maintained look of a putting green..

The dandelion, as mentioned previously, is a perennial.  In addition to producing thousands of seeds, unlike an annual, it doesn’t die at the end of the season, but is reborn year after year, getting bigger and stronger, at times, reaching the size of a huge tropical shrub.   It must

therefore be treated with  weed killer, while taking care that its yellow flowers (which contain thousands of seeds) or seed heads are not scattered back into the lawn.  Even unopened buds left in the lawn will eventually open and spread these seeds to sprout next year.

CRABGRASS

Crabgrass is a grass-like weed for which there is no known herbicide.  (see UPDATES) It’s an annual, which means it survives for only one season.  It germinates in the first warm days of spring, thrives throughout the summer, and dies in the fall.  But before it withers and dies, and

even after it does, each plant produces thousands of seeds to give ever-suffering homeowners a monumental headache next spring.  To prevent these seeds from sprouting, there’s a product which when applied before temperatures begin to warm, creates a barrier to prevent germination.

Break the barrier by aerating, power-raking or digging, and you’ll find yourself with a yard full of crabgrass.  Note that you haven’t killed the crabgrass seeds.  There they lie……one year, two years, five years later, just waiting to take root each spring, should you neglect an application of the pre-emergence barrier.

What the purveyor of this product neglects to tell us is that it’s not selective.  That is, it prevents not only germination of the crabgrass seed, but of all seeds, good and bad.  So all the seeds your good grasses generated last year, will lie there, not able to penetrate the chemical barrier.  The manufacturer also advises not to seed for eight weeks.  Eight weeks takes us into summer, an inappropriate time to spread grass seed.  To avoid the expense, and bothersome chore each spring, along with the constant threat that thousands of crabgrass seeds are waiting to develop into plants, our advice (one that we ourselves follow) is to pull the young plants by hand.  This weed, unlike the dandelion is an annual, and if harvested in the spring will not have had time to develop a root system, making it easy to remove with or without the use of a tool  We rid our lawn of this scourge many years ago by paying a youngster five cents for each crabgrass plant he pulled.  Another simple way to rid your lawn of an infestation of annual weeds is to fry them.  A butane torch is a tool used by many farmers to clear weeds and their seeds around the farmyard.  There are models made specifically for this purpose.  Since annuals die at the end of the season, eliminating the seeds by this method will also eliminate next year’s weeds.

Dispose of plants that you pull, and their seeds so that they do not find their way back into the lawn or the compost pile.  Each spring when inspecting and repairing winter damage, we find an occasional crabgrass plant, which stands out from good grasses like the proverbial sore thumb, brought in by bird droppings, carried in by the wind, or by the maintenance man’s lawn appliance, but having rid the yard of plants and their seeds years ago, we no longer have to deal with large infestations.  And you won’t either, if you take the time to rid your lawn of seeds.  Now, if we could only get lazy neighbors to follow this advice.

LIQUID VERSUS GRANULAR

At the beginning of this article, we mentioned the purchase of a combination fertilizer/weed killer.  That was long before we discovered the ease with which liquid could be applied, as well as its effectiveness. We also described the chore associated with using granular weed killer.  When there’s a choice between granular and liquid, we use, and recommend granular fertilizer, but prefer the convenience of liquid herbicides and insecticides.  There seem to be very few choices of liquid fertilizer.   But granular fertilizers offer many formulas from a multitude of manufacturers.  You should be familiar with the three letters indicated on all fertilizers, liquid or granular.  The first letter, N, followed by a number denotes the percentage of nitrogen.  The second letter, P indicates the percentage of phosphorous.  And the third letter, K, stands for potassium.  There are a  great many variations.  Formulas vary for seasons, areas, and types of grasses.  Nitrogen provides greening power, while the other two provide nutrients for a healthy root system. With insecticides, and herbicides, liquid  is preferred and recommended because it’s easiest and more convenient to use, and there is a wide choice of formulas and manufacturers.

WHEN TO FERTILIZE

In northern areas of the country, cool weather grasses tend to go dormant in midsummer, and so, early spring and fall are the best times to fertilize, while in southern areas with zoyzia, bermuda, and warm weather grasses, spring is best.  In both areas, summer fertilizing should be

done sparingly, if at all, particularly in hot, dry climates  where rainfall is extremely low.  It might be best to check with your garden center.  An expert there would be better qualified to suggest the best times of the year to fertilize, plant seed, and spray for weeds and insects in your area.

ELIMINATING WEEDS THE EASY WAY

Our preferred weed killer is liquid Weed-B-Gone, manufactured by Ortho, a division of Scott.  The formula is 2-4-D, and there are many other brands available.  Whatever brand you choose, buy it in its concentrated form, and spray it using a hose end sprayer to control broadleaf weeds,

which include dandelion, thistle, plantain, and as the name implies, any plant (not only weeds) with a wide leaf.  Be careful, it will also kill your flowers, and vegetables.  It’s ineffective on crabgrass, goosegrass, coarse fescue, and other grassy weeds, and has no harmful effect

on good grasses like bluegrass, fescue, rye, zoysia, and bermuda.  That’s the reason it’s called selective.

Hose end sprayers provide the simplest, fastest, and most accurate way to apply herbicides, and insecticides.  These convenient, self-measuring sprayers are sold everywhere garden supplies are sold.  Fill the container with the liquid concentrate.  Do not add water.  Re-attach the spray head, and dial in the proper amount of teaspoons, tablespoons, or ounces, per manufacturer’s instructions.  When attached to a hose and turned on, dilution is automatic.  With each gallon of water sprayed, the unit will draw the precise amount of solution per product specification.  It’s a simple matter now, to spray the entire lawn in just a few minutes as opposed to walking a spreader round and round, and back and forth, which is the case when applying a granular product.  You’ll find it so effortless, that you will be able to treat the lawn several times a season, or whenever weeds appear, and before they go to seed.  For spot applications, mix up a small spray bottle, or pressure sprayer, following directions on the container.  Again, using the concentrate, and mixing it yourself, will save considerably over the manufacturer’s pre-mix.  You’ll use this hand-held sprayer for individual, stubborn weeds, and those areas purposely missed that were too close to the vegetable or flower garden.  You’ll want to buy several of these useful, time-saving sprayers to avoid the inconvenience of emptying, washing and refilling when switching from herbicide to insecticide.

Remember our previous advice.  Herbicides do not kill seeds.  A dead or dying weed will still contain seeds to be distributed into the lawn to germinate next season.  Eliminate seeds, by early spraying (before plants go to seed); by hand gathering, or by burning, and you will eliminate

weeds, and the necessity to continually spray weed killer.

BARNYARD or COARSE FESCUE

These grasses grow in clumps, and are a blight on an otherwise well-manicured, thick, green lawn.  Because they are grasses, they resist eradication by broadleaf weed killers.  But there is a simple and effective method of eliminating these unsightly blemishes for those who take pride in a beautiful lawn.  ROUNDUP is a herbicide that will kill everything that grows.  While there are many of these similar herbicides manufactured by Spectracide, Bayer, Real Kill, No Pest, all very effective, we use, and will refer to ROUNDUP as the herbicide, in the following

procedures.  The product is available in concentrate or pre-mixed.  As stated previously, it’s more economical to buy the concentrate, but bear in mind that you will probably not use a lot of this product,  so a small, ready-to-use spray container  might suffice.  Spray the clump with the

sprayer adjusted for a stream or narrow spray being careful to avoid over-spraying and contaminating good grasses.  Since the manufacturer of  ROUNDUP tells us that their product is not residual, and does not contaminate the ground, re-seeding can be done in seven days.  Wait until you see the plant begin to wither and turn yellow before you seed, since the offensive plant might require a second application.  When you’re sure that the plant is dead, or dying, and seven days or more has elapsed, drop your favorite seed mixture right in among the dead blades where it will resist being washed away or drying out, and will remain hidden from ravenous birds.  Keep it watered, and in as little as five days, you should detect germination.

ELIMINATE WEEDING IN THE GARDEN

In addition to eradicating undesirable grass, you will find ROUNDUP extremely useful in eliminating grass and weeds in the flower and vegetable garden as well as under low growing trees and shrubs, and in driveway and sidewalk cracks.  Here is the best, and easiest way.  In flower and vegetable plats, cover all except desirable plants with a thick layer of mulch.  Zap any weed or unwanted grass that pops through this cover with ROUNDUP, being careful not to over-spray.  This can be accomplished  easily, by shielding favored plants with a piece of  flat, folded or curved cardboard.  You’re going to find it a simple task to eliminate all extraneous growth in flower beds and vegetable gardens.  This procedure will eliminate the tedious job of hoeing and weeding.  A thick layer of mulch is an important first step.

GRASS SEED

Our preferred mixture for northern climes is one we make up ourselves. It consists of equal amounts of fescue and perennial rye, and a smaller amount of bluegrass.  For light shade (grass will not grow in heavy shade, despite claims to the contrary), use creeping red fescue.  We’re told by manufacturers that it will tolerate shade better than other grasses. When planting, always make a test pot.  The same day you spread seed, fill a container with soil, cover with seed, and additional soil.  Keep moist, and watch for germination.  At the first sign of tiny blades, look for germination in the lawn area as well.  Don’t waste this pot of grass.  When blades reach several inches, make good use of it by transplanting to a bare spot in the lawn.

GRUBS AND GARDEN PESTS

Grubs are the most annoying, and devastating to a well kept lawn.  They are the larvae of beetles, which feed on grass roots, and turn areas, and even the entire lawn, brown.  There are many types of granular controls, but as with weed killers, we prefer the convenience of liquid  As per our  recommendation with weed killers, buy the concentrate to use in a hose end sprayer.  You’ll find it so convenient to spray the lawn several times a season, assuring that the insecticide penetrates the surface to a depth of several inches where the grubs live and feed, anywhere it will kill these destructive insects before they begin devouring tender grass roots, and  pupate into an adult beetle.  A good choice is diazanon, (see UPDATES) because it is a multi-purpose insecticide that can be used in the vegetable or flower garden, as well as the lawn. DO read  and adhere to warning labels on all potentially toxic products. We further suggest, that, while spraying the lawn, you also spray the foundation around the house to eliminate insects and ants, and to create a barrier that will prevent them from entering the home.  You might also want to prepare a small spray bottle, using the concentrate diluted in water (per label instructions) for spot applications.

QUICK-CONNECT HOSE-END FITTINGS

If you have yet to discover the ease and convenience of using these quick-release hose-end fittings, it’s time you did.  These fittings, attached to each end of a hose, and to the faucet, hose-end sprayers, and other garden attachments, allow you to connect and disconnect the hose from the faucet at one end and the spray attachments at the other end, eliminating the annoying, and time consuming task of threading and re-threading hose fittings.  These male/female brass or plastic connectors easily snap together to form a watertight connection between hose and faucet at one end, and hose and hose-end attachments at the other.  For ease in removing and exchanging various hose-end attachments such as sprayers and nozzles, you’ll also need an inexpensive shut-off control.  This small fitting threads between the hose end, and the quick-connect attachment, and allows shutting off water pressure to permit removal and re-attachment of various spray heads without having to return to the faucet each time.  Once you’ve discovered these very convenient quick-release, hose-end attachments you’ll want one for every nozzle and container that you use.

MULCH OR BAG

You may not realize it, but when you bag and then dispose of grass clippings, you’re wasting a lot of time and effort, but a more important, overlooked fact is, you’re depriving your lawn of moisture, nitrogen, phosphorous and potassium, the same nutrients found in costly fertilizers.  Yes, grass clippings contain all of those and more.  Horticultural experts emphasize the importance of mulching these beneficial grass clippings back into the lawn.  Another vital benefit overlooked by baggers:  FREE SEED.  At various times throughout the growing season, your lawn will begin the process of re-seeding itself.  Bagging removes thousands, even millions of  valuable seeds, depriving your lawn of a new crop next spring; a virgin crop which will help to thicken an existing lawn, sometimes devastated by a harsh winter season.

BUILDING TOPSOIL

When the developer subdivided the land on which your home and lawn now occupy, bulldozers rearranged the entire landscape, removing trees and greenery, and turning under the thin layer of topsoil that may have been there for eons.  Over the remaining subsoil, consisting of some or

all of the following: clay, sand, silt, gravel, stones, a carpet of sod was laid.  A poor base on which to build a thick, green, healthy turf.  But don’t despair.  In the forest, it might take a hundred years to build an inch of topsoil.  With a little effort, it can be accomplished in a lot less time in your yard and lawn.  Here’s how:  Bring in topsoil.  Mix it with sand or very fine gravel.  Spread it over the lawn, adding additional grass seed.  Start a compost pile using autumn leaves and organic, vegetable, kitchen waste.  Over time it will decompose into rich, black, friable loam.  Bring in earthworms.  They’re extremely valuable in breaking down, aerating, and enriching soil.  Mulch leaves and grass clippings back into the lawn.  Don’t de-thatch.  Thatch is organic.  Combined with inorganic matter (dirt, sand, crushed rock), it becomes topsoil.  There are products available that help to break down thatch, a far better choice than removing it.  We’re told by lawn experts that it prevents  moisture from penetrating to grass roots.  To the contrary, built-up thatch actually helps to retain moisture and prevent soil from drying and hardening.  It also aids in keeping the lawn cool.  Another good reason to skip de-thatching is that those revolving tines can uproot and destroy tender, young grass shoots.

AERATING:  A WASTE OF TIME!

Make note of this fact:  Inorganic elements will never become topsoil except with the addition of organic matter.  No amount of tilling, plowing, turning, aerating will convert or soften subsoil.  Following those wasted efforts, after a rain, inorganic subsoil will settle, and revert to its original, hard, impermeable condition.  Farmlands are covered with a foot or more of rich loam because seasonal crops, after edible produce has been harvested, are tilled back into the land.  Season after season, this decaying vegetation enriches the soil and replaces nutrients.  Since a similar procedure would be impractical for the homeowner, alternative measures as previously suggested, should be followed to build an inch or two of topsoil, rather than attempting the impossible task of improving subsoil by aeration, or other useless procedures.

CHIPPER/SHREDDERS

Every gardener and home owner should have at least one compost bin.  And if room allows, several.  Several will allow you to use the contents of one which has formed compost, while adding to the other.  They’re easily and cheaply built using 4×4 posts and 1×4, 1×5, or 1×6 boards.  Prepare a three-sided bin by nailing the boards to the 4x4s, leaving approximately a half inch space to allow the pile to breathe, while preventing the contents from spilling.  You may not find it necessary, but we lined our bins with 1/4 inch hardware cloth to keep out moles which were tunneling in to gorge on beneficial earthworms.

Into the bin, goes everything organic:  autumn leaves, trimmings from vines, shrubs and hedges, dead plants, spoiled fruit and vegetables and kitchen scraps, including peels, rinds, coffee grounds,  egg shells, and especially seeds and pits which germinate and produce nitrogen.  Exclude animal parts, fat, grease and dairy products. We also include wood chips which we create, using a chipper/shredder.  The chipper will reduce

twigs as large as several inches to small chips.  The shredder turns autumn leaves and small diameter twigs almost to powder.  Add  this to the bin along with a bag or two of good topsoil, and a shovelful or two of sand.  Finally, go to a bait shop and purchase a supply of earthworms and add them to the pile.  Accelerators, diluted in water and sprinkled on the pile will speed up decomposition.

Don’t waste money on a tumbler.  You can easily build several bins that will produce ten times the volume of compost for a fraction of the cost of that appliance.  Also, don’t be misled by those who promise that rich topsoil can be created from compost in just 30 days using their

revolutionary tumbler. Our experience has proven that it takes a good year for our bins to turn raw materials into rich, black, useful topsoil.

These instructions are rudimentary at best.  If we’ve convinced you  that composting is practical as well as beneficial for the environment, and also a fun pastime, get over to your library or book store where you’ll find a great number of books and publications on the subject.  You’ll find it extremely rewarding as you watch material which is otherwise thrown into the garbage disposal or bagged for the trash man, slowly turn into black, rich humus to be spread on lawn or garden.

UPDATES

BAYER, a manufacturer of lawn products, has recently introduced a herbicide that kills all weeds including crabgrass.  As previously noted, there were no products available that could kill this noxious weed without harming good grasses.  The problem remains, as with other herbicides,

it does not kill seeds, which if left to propagate, will provide an ample crop of this obnoxious weed next spring.  Since it dies at the end of summer, we see no reason to kill it.  As we continue to stress:  Seeds create next year’s weeds, not the plant itself!

DIAZANON has been phased out.  We’re told that it is not because of toxicity (instructions noted that it could be used in the vegetable garden), but because of  “consumer mis-use”, whatever that means.  A new product, which we began using last year is TRIAZICIDE made by Spectracide.  An early application, followed by another three or four weeks later should effectively kill subterranean insects including grubs.  It serves as a general insecticide as well, and can safely be used in the vegetable garden.  Questions and information about this product should be referred to the manufacturer at this toll-free number: 1-800 917 5438

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The purpose in this critique is not to dispute nor  take issue with the entire medical profession, and the aforementioned authorities.  While we agree that their assertions might be true of a reasonable but obscure percentage of smokers, we’re convinced that a good many individuals, myself included, smoke for a number of reasons other than drug addiction.  It’s true that an individual smokes tobacco for the flavor that nicotine provides.  No other product yields that unique, singular flavor that only the tobacco leaf offers.  Almost every type of flora, including herbs, grasses, leaves,  pressed into improvised smoking appliances or bound together in a cigar-like reefer have  been tried with very little, or no success.  Only tobacco, it seems, contains the intrinsic elements that when aged and cured properly is able to be inhaled without scorching the tongue and throat as other combustible products do.  Smoke from burning tobacco is toxic, but at the same time, it also gives the smoker a taste that’s flavorful and mild.  The tobacco blender, by varying the type and proportion of leaf can control the taste of cigarette, cigar, or pipe tobacco as well as the strength from mild to very strong.

This then is the theory:  If a person smokes solely because of a craving for nicotine, why  does the patch, nicotine laced gum and lozenges, as well as other numerous, inane methods of introducing nicotine into the suffering, pathetic smoker’s bloodstream so often fail to satisfy an addicted smoker trying to kick the habit.  If smoking is labeled a drug addiction, shouldn’t these alternative products  provide the nicotine craved by an addict, and relieve that person of the need to smoke.  In most cases they do not, and the smoker falls back on old habits, proving  it would seem, that nicotine was not the reason that person smoked.   These remedies fall far short of the panacea they pretend to represent.  It serves to prove that a person puts match to cigarette because he or she enjoys the high they achieve from inhaling; from holding the cigarette; from expelling the smoke; from the camaraderie and intimacy of smoking with friends; and from the sheer enjoyment and satisfaction of lighting one up after a meal, on break, or with a cup of coffee, a beer or cocktail.

In many interviews, we’ve questioned smokers and those who have given up the habit for years.  We’ve talked to those who have given it up for various lengths of time, some religious souls, for lent, others for varied reasons.  While most admitted  they missed their cigarettes, some severely, not one has admitted climbing the walls, none were overcome with delirium tremens, or saw pink elephants, nor were any overwhelmed with withdrawal symptoms as they most assuredly would have, if they were fighting a drug addiction.

Almost all of those interviewed,  tried the patch, an inhaler, nicotine gum, nicotine-infused lollipops.  All of these palliatives failed to allay their cravings.  Allow me to relate a personal experience:  I smoked cigarettes for as long as I can remember.  I gave them up many years ago, and I now smoke a pipe as well as a cigar on occasion.  I adamantly declare that I am  not, nor was I ever addicted.  I am  able to go for days without smoking, and when plagued with a cold, will forego smoking for weeks without experiencing withdrawal symptoms, or desperate cravings.  And because most restaurants ban pipe and cigars, I’ll bum a cigarette or two from my wife while enjoying a cocktail, and another one or two after dinner.  After which, it’s back to my occasional pipe and cigar.  At this time, I have given up smoking my pipe and cigars.  Do I miss them?    Yes.  I miss the flavor.  I miss chewing a cigar.  I miss holding my pipe, and the wonderful flavor derived from an  aromatic blend of aged tobaccos, slowly burning in the bowl.   Others in our survey smoked intermittently, less than a pack a week. You would hardly label them  addicts.  Breaking a cigarette habit is as hard as breaking any harmful, or unhealthy habit. Even mild, innocuous habits are difficult to break.  Should we apply the term addiction to all of them?  Gambling is an addiction.  Alcoholism is an addiction.  But, are we to assume that an obese person is overweight because they’re addicted to food?   Are chocoholics addicted to chocolate?  How do we define addiction?  The dictionary defines an addict as someone physiologically or psychologically dependent on a substance that its cessation causes trauma.  If we’re inclined to call smokers addicts, we should assume that many of them are addicted, not to nicotine, but to the habit of smoking.

Why does a youngster begin to smoke?  Is he or she addicted even before they take their first puff?  Or is it because it’s cool?  And isn’t that another reason people smoke?  We noted that some smokers, mostly female, smoke without inhaling.  That is, the smoke is not inhaled into the lungs, but drawn into the mouth, and immediately expelled.  The very slight infusion of nicotine into the bloodstream, we dare say, would hardly create an addiction.  Yet they continue to smoke, and continue to enjoy smoking.  Non-smokers might  insist that these individuals became, and remain, nicotine addicted by second-hand smoke.

This article is not written in support of tobacco.  Smoking has been proven to cause cancer, emphysema, and other respiratory ailments.  Cigarette smoke, we’re told, contains more than 50 carcinogens.  We agree that smoking is harmful to one’s health.  We disagree that every smoker is saddled with a nicotine addiction.

Our conclusion remains, that smoking tobacco in many cases is habit forming rather than nicotine addictive.  That’s why the patch is hardly a substitute for the enjoyment a smoker derives from inhaling and exhaling billows of smoke,  from the act of relishing, fondling and puffing on cigar, cigarette or pipe.  The many nostrums prescribed do little to satisfy the smoker’s real desires.  Chewing gum, or sucking on hard candy does seem to provide the abstaining smoker some small measure of gratification and appeasement, but we abhor the thought of anyone chomping on gum, or sucking on a lollipop, or lozenge  laced with nicotine.  We certainly question the mentality of doctors and drug companies who prescribe a dangerous narcotic to be taken orally or by infusion to break that very habit.  Those same groups tell us that nicotine released into the blood constricts arteries, which can cause heart disease.  At the same time, they condone and prescribe it in forms other than tobacco.  Many cigar smokers who have given up smoking, continue to chew on an unlit cigar;  to roll it in their fingers; to treat it as though they will light up, but later.  It would seem that a cigarette smoker trying to kick the habit might try this stratagem: holding an unlit cigarette between their fingers, between their lips, even while at a desk, puffing on it as though it were lit.  It would seem this practice would mollify a smoker trying to abstain, far better than many of the other ineffective, recommended cures,  which, to insert an appropriate pun, end up in smoke.

While this article contains our own opinions, observations, and personal experiences,   we are not alone in our belief that nicotine is not the addictive drug it is proclaimed to be.  Doctors, psychiatrists, and others who deal with all types of addicts, agree that a great number of smokers smoke, not because of a drug addiction, but for most of the reasons we’ve already noted.  Our society, and life style engenders countless addictions, many unrelated to drugs, and relatively harmless.  We’re convinced that many smokers smoke out of habit, and as is the case with most habits, especially those that give comfort, or relieve tensions, extremely difficult to vanquish.

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Among educators, the thinking is, that youngsters should learn to tell time the old fashioned analog way.  They should likewise memorize the multiplication table before solving arithmetic problems the quick and easy way, without using brain power, on a calculator.  Excellent for developing the mind, we suppose.  In the real world,we haven’t the time to fool with the multiplication table and paper and pencil.  We rely on calculators and computers for business, industry, research, and in applications that can now be performed in nanoseconds that before the advent of these instruments, might have taken hours.  And because some were extremely complex, may have been left unsolved.  We must admit, though, to a feeling of superiority, when shopping with younger friends, to quickly determine 20%, 25%, 1/3rd off the price of a sale priced item, quickly and without use of a pocket calculator, or our fingers.  This from familiarity with the multiplication table, and working with fractions and percentage tables long before the advent of the calculator or computer.  The use of a little common sense and one’s brain also helps.

Around the time they began building pyramids, carving massive stone edifices, and mummifying their dead, Egyptians in 3500 BC were using the sun to tell time, dividing the day into morning and afternoon.  They eventually divided the day into 12 parts utilizing a vertical stone or wooden stake to create a moving shadow.  Thus was created the world’s first sundial.  Egyptians learned also to compensate for seasonal changes as the earth’s angle shifted in relation to the sun.  Recorded history doesn’t tell us if these early scientists decided that midday (12 noon as we know it today) was time to break for lunch;  Or that several hours later it would be great to take a break and nosh at an afternoon tea.  The Brits, we presume came up with that pleasant recess after returning from a fox hunt, polo match, or croquet game, centuries later.

The Greeks devised a water clock circa 325 BC.  These early clocks were highly inaccurate, and required constant adjustment due to variance in water flow. Because of this imprecision, only an hour hand was used.  A minute hand was added as timepieces became more accurate.  This accuracy was achieved when Galileo invented the pendulum which allowed compensation by increasing or decreasing the length of the weight at the end of the pendulum, and thus reducing or increasing its motion or swing.  The mechanism was driven by weights. By the mid fourteenth

century,  mechanical clocks in towers began to appear  in Italy.

A monumental step in the accurate measurement of time was taken in 1500 when Peter Henlein

of Nuremberg, Germany invented the spring powered clock.  Springs driving an escapement, provided for a variance in timekeeping of just seconds daily.  The use of a spring to drive a clock allowed for some miniaturization, which led to the development of a portable clock:  the pocket watch.  It took a number of years before these early, cumbersome timepieces would be reduced to a size small enough to slip easily into  a man’s vest pocket.  Before the pocket watch, believe it or not, there was a pocket sundial.  We know that fact to be historically accurate because it was mentioned in one of Shakespeare’s plays.  Early pocket watches were highly inaccurate and many were  worn more as a sign of wealth than an instrument used to tell time.  In the most famous and beloved Christmas tale, “A Christmas Carol”, the old miser, Scrooge owned a pocket timepiece:  “He touched the spring of his repeater…it’s rapid little pulse beat twelve”.   The notes in our annotated copy of the “Christmas Carol” explain that repeater is a repeating watch or clock invented about 1676.  In an effort at accuracy, it’s presumed his watch would have had to be corrected daily.  Although by the mid nineteenth century, when Dickens penned his famous Christmas story,  the Swiss were already fabricating accurate and intricate timepieces.  There were many clocks in towers throughout London that chimed on each hour.

The introduction of quartz clocks and watches, powered by tiny batteries, in the 1950s, offered accuracy and dependability never achieved by spring driven or self winding watches.  The atomic clock today offers accuracy that would have astounded Galileo and Henlein.  These atomic driven instruments offer precision within nanoseconds yearly.  And today, a person is able to purchase a clock or watch that is continuously radio controlled by the atomic clock just outside of Boulder, Colorado.  Thus accuracy is achieved equal to that  of the signal transmitting atomic clock.

What then would explain the enormous popularity, in this digital, computer age, of the analog watch, when even the simplest, cheapest digital watch will outperform a Rolex and  other costly chronometers.   Our digital watch, a Casio, was purchased for less than $50., and has  these many features:  At a glance, the time is displayed in hour, minutes and seconds.  Also displayed is the date, day and year, as well as AM or PM.  (No need to look out the window for the sun or moon to determine if it’s day or night.)  It has five separate alarms, and dual time, which at the push of a button, tells the time in a city in a different time zone.  We found this to be a  wonderful feature when traveling out of the country to check the time back home, and whether it’s AM or PM.  There is a countdown alarm which can be set for up to 24 hours.  A stopwatch setting even features audible signals.  A phone directory contains 50 names and complete phone numbers, automatically sorted alphabetically.   It sailed smoothly through the millennium, and despite warnings of doom to the  entire electronic, computer programmed world, it sails along into 2009,

accurately providing correct days, dates, months and years, without adjustment.  A miniature calculator is built into the stainless steel wrist band.  All this in a timepiece that weighs just several ounces, and costs less than $50.  It isn’t beautiful.  It is functional!

We never cease to be amazed at the enormous popularity of these archaic, analog timepieces with limited functions, many outrageously expensive, when an inexpensive digital watch will do much more for much less.   In the retail camera business so long ago, we would call customers who would buy expensive cameras, equipment freaks. Before the advent of the digital camera, these folks would buy intricate photographic instruments like Leicas, Nikons, Exaktas, others, but never take a picture.  They  were intrigued by the technology, beauty and design built into these fine instruments, taking great pleasure in tinkering with the dials, levers and buttons.  That, we’re obliged to conclude has to be the reason people buy  multi-dialed,  chronometers, ranging in price from ten to thousands of dollars.   Then there’s also the vanity syndrome.  Having a  Rolex strapped to one’s wrist lets the crowd know that you’re not bourgeois.

We continue to scratch our balding head, and wonder why Seiko, Citizen, Casio, Timex or any of the technological watch manufacturers can’t or won’t turn out an exceptionally functional digital watch in solid gold, or embellished in diamonds, or one of exquisite or futuristic design to attract those buyers who insist on form over function.  Digital, of course, means no dials,  just lots of numerals.  Watches without dials?  An  analog addict having stumbled onto a display case of digital timepieces might quickly decide to move to another counter, or leave the shop in frustration.

Yet these same young (and old) folks are tied to and dependent on every manner of digital instrument for communication, music, tweeting, and twittering, downloading and blogging.

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Recent studies report that good dental hygiene can be accomplished with toothbrush alone, without the use of toothpaste.  We’re advised by dentists and hygienists to brush twice daily, and to floss at least once to effectively remove food deposits and avoid the build-up of plaque. An advertising campaign, coupled with dentists’ recommendations try to convince us that regular use of a leading mouthwash will reduce plaque build-up.  Plaque is that nasty substance that forms on teeth, mostly near the gum line, and hardens into tartar.  We religiously follow and perform all the daily tasks mentioned here, but on every quarterly dental visit, our hygienist seems always to find a good deal of tartar to scrape off our teeth, while at the same time complimenting us on what a great job we’re doing to reduce it. Using her tool, she scrapes with such force, I fear she’s going to remove  the enamel along with the plaque.  It seems the new state-of-the-art sonic instrument doesn’t completely replace the old scraping tool.  But to get back to that study on the effectiveness of brushing without toothpaste:  Although it’s been proven that we can effectively clean our teeth with toothbrush alone, the minty taste and abundant foam provided by a favorite dentifrice tend to make the twice a day routine a lot more pleasant and refreshing;  especially in the morning, where it helps to eliminate mouth odor which builds up because of inactivity of saliva glands during sleep.  Additionally, additives, including fluoride, baking soda, peroxide, help to prevent cavities, reduce plaque, and provide a germicidal advantage.  Almost all brands contain one or more of those or other important supplements.

While it’s enjoyable to brush with some form of dentifrice, there’s no need to waste it.  As inexpensive as it is, there isn’t any reason to squeeze an inch or more on your brush.  Most of it will find its way to the base of the brush where it will accumulate and harden, resisting all efforts to rinse it away.  It’s unsightly, and harbors dangerous bacteria.  It’s also the prime  reason toothbrushes have to  be replaced so often.  Instead, try this:  Squeeze a half an inch or less on the end of your finger and wipe it on the inside of your lower teeth.  Spread it around with your tongue, wet your brush and begin brushing.  Up and down, we’re advised by our dentist, is best, making sure you get close to the gums where most food accumulates to add to plaque build-up.  With only this small amount of toothpaste (you can adjust the amount to suit yourself) you’ll find it provides an abundance of foam.  Furthermore, you’ll be pleasantly surprised to find that your brush rinses off as clean as brand new.  If you’re using a power toothbrush, don’t discard that old manual job.  It does a better job of getting between the  teeth to dislodge and remove food particles.  Do not neglect your tongue.  That white coat is plaque which harbors germs that can cause bad breath.  Brush it  whenever you brush your teeth.  While you’re at it, don’t ignore your gums.  Massaging gums with a manual brush or rubber tipped stimulator will go a long way toward prevention of gum disease.   Dentists also warn that the use of oral irrigators doesn’t take the place of brushing and flossing.  After brushing, a one minute rinse and gargle with a plaque fighting mouthwash is a refreshing and vital final step.  Retaining the fluid in the mouth, while squishing it around and between the teeth for several minutes, manufacturers suggest, will help to dissolve and remove plaque, or prevent it from forming.  It does kill mouth bacteria, but it’s doubtful that it prevents the formation of plaque.

Toothbrush manufacturers tell us because they become contaminated, brushes should be replaced frequently.  If I were manufacturing toothbrushes, I would definitely agree.  Were that the case,  since it becomes contaminated after its first use,  are they suggesting we never use the same toothbrush twice?  Nor, based on that advice, any other personal item or eating utensil?  Nonsense!  Instead of frequent replacement, a two or three second bath  in very hot water, or a soak in alcohol or peroxide will render it cleaner than the day it was removed  from its package.  Why not put it in the dishwasher?  It safely cleans and sanitizes dinnerware and utensils, including those used by guests. Why not a toothbrush?  Use the utensil basket and place it brush side down.  A small-handled brush might slip through the holes and become damaged or interfere with the spray rotor below.  If sanitizing with alcohol, (our choice) rinse the brush thoroughly, or allow it to dry overnight before using it again.

MOLAR MANIA

While many continue to perform the twice daily prophylaxis with a simple, straight line, medium bristled, hand-powered brush, others are now choosing from a melange of new and strange looking models, all claimed by the promoters to perform more efficiently and effectively than those of their competitors.  Today’s shopper of dental cleaning appliances is able to choose from oral irrigators, battery-powered spinning-head, vibrating bristled brushes, plus an endless variety of manual and electric brushes, in hundreds of colors and brush variations.  There  are those with cross bristles, bristles that wrap around hard-to-reach molars, and those with assorted long and short bristles, with some reaching a peak at the tip, each set of bristles performing a different but, we’re told, necessary function.  Shoppers are further offered a multitude of choices in head

configurations, handle sizes and shapes;  all developed to offer new and ridiculous gimmicks to convince gullible consumers that this new product is far superior to any offered by rival toothbrush manufacturers.  Our suggestion, one that we, ourselves follow is to stick with a no frills, straight-line manual toothbrush in whatever size you feel is adequate to your needs.  And further to spend as little time as possible in daily brushing, relying on our hygienist to perform the very thorough, and professional function of cleaning hardened plaque from our teeth.

DENTAL HYGIENE AND PERSONAL HEALTH

If you need another reason to pursue a regimen of good dental hygiene, that reason is a very important one:  Overall good health.  Tests by oral bacteria researcher Robert J Genco, DDS, Ph.D of the State University of New York at Buffalo School of Dental Medicine have proven that diseased gums can contribute to heart disease, high cholesterol levels, and plaque build-up on artery walls.  Clotting is another problem caused by gum disease, and the National Stroke association estimates that the greatest percentage of strokes is caused by clots or blockages of

blood in the carotid artery which carries blood to the brain.  Further tests have shown that periodontal disease has been linked to lung disorders, including emphysema and bronchitis.  If bad breath, cavities, diseased gums, are not enough to coax you into daily dental care, including regular visits to your dentist, then certainly, a healthy heart and lungs, free flowing arteries, and a general well-being should.

YOUR SCHNOZZ

In addition to the morning tasks of oral prophylaxis, showering and other personal functions, don’t overlook your proboscis.  Yes, your nose; specifically the nostrils.  They’re dust and dirt collectors.  Most folks neglect them.  Some, shamelessly, or surreptitiously  pick them.

Throughout the day, dust and air pollutants drawn into nasal passages, combine with mucus to form hard, crusty deposits which adhere to membrane and nasal hair, stubbornly defying easy removal.  But removal is essential for obvious hygienic reasons, and also to clear the passages for normal, easy breathing.  Here’s the way to tackle the job: Before undertaking other morning bathroom duties, go to the sink and draw warm water into the nostrils, or you can do it in the shower.  Breathe in slowly so as not to draw it into the trachea where it could cause considerable coughing, and choking.  Do this several times, and before long, you will have softened the 24 hour accumulation of dust and mucus which can then be easily expelled by blowing forcefully.  Repeat of this procedure several times will clear the nasal passages, allowing normal, unobstructed breathing.  This accomplished, you’ll not only feel great, but you may save yourself the embarrassment of being caught with your index finger probing a nostril while waiting for a green light.

AUDITORY ORGANS

And now the ears.  For obvious reasons, the manufacturers of cotton swabs will warn you not to poke one in your ear.  This warning is referred to as a disclaimer.  You’ve been warned not to insert one in the ear canal, so that if you do, and puncture an eardrum, they’re absolved of all blame.  Manufacturers of these short, flexible sticks, with cotton wound thickly at each end, recommend that they be used merely to clean the outside of the ears.  It seems that a damp wash cloth would better serve the purpose for that job.  There are many products on the market,

sold expressly for the purpose of removing ear wax.  Years ago, they used to be called ear spoons.  One advertised recently was offered with a built-in light to illuminate the ear canal.  Infants, especially, need to have their ears (and nostrils) cleaned, and what better to that purpose than a soft oversized cotton swab.  If used gently, and not probed too deeply, there is little chance of damaging the canal or the ear drum.  Adults when in the shower should tilt the head to one side to allow warm water to fill the ear.  Tilt the head the other way to fill the other ear while water will run out of the opposite ear.  Water will drain out of both ear canals once the head has assumed a normal position.  When through showering,  dampen a swab with warm water, and gently without probing too deeply, wipe out the softened wax.  Finish with a dry swab.  Ear wax is generated in the ear canal in a semi-soft, almost liquid state to trap insects and foreign objects before they reach and damage the ear drum.  It is then supposed to harden and eventually fall out.  That doesn’t always happen, therefore, periodic, gentle cleaning is sometimes necessary.  Years ago, safety pins, hairpins, and all sorts of dangerous objects were used to clean ears.  Today you might still see a person stick a pen, pencil, or other  pointed object in an ear.  Considering the hazards of probing the ear canal with a ball-point pen, the cotton swab, used cautiously and sensibly, would certainly seem a safer alternative.

ANTIBACTERIAL AGENTS

For some unexplained reason, it seems isopropyl alcohol has fallen out of favor among professionals as a preferred germicidal agent.  Yet each year, millions of 16 ounce bottles of  70% isopropyl alcohol are sold.  It is sometimes labeled “rubbing alcohol”.  Masseurs and masseuses use it to provide a stimulating rub down on their patrons.  It’s also recommended as a rub for stiff joints and muscle soreness. The bulk of it though,  is sold to be used as the label directs:   “a topical/anti microbial product”.  Topical means it is to be used on the body, and not taken internally.  Anti microbial means it kills microbes, another word for germs and bacteria.  And in that application it is extremely effective.  If, as we’re now told, it is no longer an effective germ killer, why then is it found in so many germicidal products?  It’s the sole ingredient used for topical cleaning prior to needle injections.  For that purpose, it’s sold and labeled: “Alcohol Prep Pads” sold in individually sealed plastic packets.  Each packet clearly states:  “Contains 70% Isopropyl Alcohol.”

ANTIBACTERIAL HAND LOTION

A popular new product now flooding druggists and retailers’ shelves is the germicidal hand lotion.  Claims by manufacturers suggest that it not only soothes and softens hands, but renders them germ free as well.  You have the choice of dozens of popular brands.  It seems any company that manufactures a hand lotion, now makes a germicidal lotion.  What is the prime ingredient in these emollients that allows them to be labeled “germicidal”, or “antibacterial”?  None other than old reliable, alcohol.  Despite advice, and warnings to the contrary, it seems as much an effective germ killer today as it has been for years.  According to a recent study by researchers at Columbia University, antibacterial soaps do not kill viruses which are the primary causes of colds, coughs and stomach aches.  Alcohol and alcohol based  products on the other hand,  effectively kill viruses, as well as bacteria.

MOUTHWASH

Check the label on your favorite mouthwash, and again, you will find alcohol in the ingredient list.  By law they are obliged to use ethyl alcohol, which unlike isopropyl is not toxic if taken internally.  Other ingredients are used for color, flavor, and fragrance, but alcohol is the primary,

and extremely effective germ fighter.  Some new products are advertised and labeled “alcohol free”.  The manufacturer seems to be  implying that  alcohol is harmful or ineffective.  Alcohol has proven for years to be a potent and effective bacteria and virus killer.  We will continue to look for it in the list of  ingredients on the labels of all germicidal products that we consider purchasing.   Manufacturers continually introduce and hype new products on the premise that it is superior to an outdated, inferior product a competitor might be using.

TYPES OF ALCOHOL

For your edification, there are three types of alcohol everyone should be familiar with:

HOUSEHOLD, rubbing, or isopropyl is the most common, and can be purchased at any druggist, as well as grocers and discount and department stores.  It would be difficult to go into many of these stores and not find  a large variety of this product.  As previously stated, it kills germs.  It will also kill you if you were to drink it.  But if used prudently and properly, it is a safe and inexpensive sanitizer.  It’s available in 70% and 90% formulas.  90% is very potent, and because it is almost pure alcohol, it evaporates very rapidly.  It is nevertheless, a fierce and formidable germ eradicator.

ETHYL, or grain alcohol.  Since it is 190 proof, or almost 100% pure, it can also kill you if you were to drink it straight.  It’s more likely to give you a hangover however, if over-consumed in the form of beer, wine or your favorite cocktail.  This type of alcohol is formed when grain, grape, sugar, potato, and any number of other organic products are fermented.  Since it is palatable, it’s used in mouthwash, and many  toiletries, colognes and lotions where there is a chance a person might drink it, accidentally or otherwise. It has the same germ killing power as isopropyl alcohol.

DENATURED alcohol is the third type.  It’s used in the workshop or paint shop for cleaning, and to thin certain types of paints and stains.  The word de-natured means just that; de, against nature.  It has been altered to make it undrinkable.  Uncle Sam wants to be sure that the excise tax is paid on any alcohol we consume.  The fumes on this type of alcohol are toxic, and use should be restricted to a well-ventilated area.

All three are potent germ killers, and while we wanted to familiarize our reader with the various types, our concern and interest is with 70% or 90% isopropyl alcohol.   The easiest, and most convenient way to use it, is in a hand sprayer.  Remove the sprayer from a purchased plastic

spray bottle.  Remove the cap from a 16 ounce container of alcohol, and replace it with the sprayer.  You may have to trim the tube if it is too long.  Be sure to trim it at an angle. Screw it down securely, and you’re all set to eliminate household germs.

This spray method will prevent spills while allowing complete control of application. While it’s safe to use on hands, feet and most parts of the body, don’t spray sensitive areas, especially around the eyes.  A little of the spray mist offers welcome relief from bothersome itching.  It’s a

welcome alternative to scratching skin raw.  If it tends to dry, just follow with a dab of body lotion.  You’ve just performed the dual job of sanitizing and lubricating, while relieving an itch. Use your spray bottle to sanitize toilet seats, the telephone, doorknobs, anywhere someone with a cold, or whom you suspect is unsanitary, may have touched.  Use it to sanitize hands as an alternative to washing with soap and water. It’s faster, and if followed with an application of hand lotion, will prevent dry, cracked skin caused by constant washing.  To be effective at killing

germs, hand washing with soap and water should be done for several minutes, while an alcohol spritz kills germs instantly. Take the handy spray bottle with you to public pools and water parks where feet are exposed to contagious germs that cause athlete’s foot.  Spray feet and toes before slipping into sandals and sneakers.  This germicidal procedure will eliminate the likelihood of carrying these bacteria home to infect your family.  Be careful where you spray, as it may stain furniture and other objects.  It does not seem to have any damaging effect on clothing.  If used carefully and prudently, it will prove to be a convenient and inexpensive germ fighter. As with any potentially toxic product, care is advised in its use and storage.

ALCOHOL RECOMMENDED FOR USE IN HOSPITALS

Latest research, presented at a meeting of the American Society for Microbiology suggests that alcohol-based rinses are more effective at cutting hospital germs than soap and water since they are much quicker, require no water or sink, and kill more microbes.  An Associated Press article stated that many hospitals are switching to quick drying alcohol gels to keep hands clean, as evidence builds that  the gels stop dangerous germs faster and better.  It also stated that many hospital workers will skip washing because it takes so much time and can cause dry, rough hands.  Other studies have shown that, to kill germs with soap and water, hands must be washed a minimum of one minute.  And if the soap is not germicidal, more than one minute is required.  On the other hand, an alcohol spray will sanitize hands in seconds.

UNDERARMS

Two of the most noxious odors that most offend friends and family are halitosis and underarm odor.  Since we’ve covered teeth and gums, let’s turn our attention to the underarms.  While in the shower or tub, the task of washing under the arms should not be done in a hit or miss

fashion.  Using plenty of suds, scrub thoroughly with a germicidal soap.  After rinsing and drying, apply an underarm deodorant.  An antiperspirant is recommended for those with a serious perspiration and odor problem.  Few users of underarm deodorants are aware of the difference between a deodorant and an antiperspirant.  The antiperspirant contains a form of aluminum which effectively prevents normal perspiration, and could cause an allergic reaction to those with sensitive skin.  If the product you are now using causes a rash, you might want to avoid those packages marked antiperspirant, and opt instead for products labeled deodorant.   Deodorants not labeled antiperspirant contain no  aluminum, and are generally safe for those with sensitive skin.     Soiled clothing is often  to blame in many cases of personal body odor.  A daily  change of under garments, and in  cases of severe perspiration, outer garments as well, will eliminate offending those around us.

Those who live in colder climes are advised that, because of the loss of body oils, it’s wise in winter to skip a daily shower or bath.  If you follow that advice, be sure to wash underarms and other odor sensitive areas daily, while bathing every second or third day.  The epidermis, our body’s outer layer of skin is home to friendly bacteria.  Excessive bathing and scrubbing kills these bacteria, leaving the body vulnerable to dermatitis and other skin disorders.

FEET

Because of decreased circulation as we age, we tend to have all types of problems with our feet.  After a half century or so of serving as a base for upwards of a hundred pounds of body weight, and bearing the brunt of walking, running, jumping and pounding, being enclosed an all

manner of ill-fitting footwear, is it any wonder that in our later years, our neglected tootsies are yearning for some comforting TLC?  A bi-monthly foot bath in warm soapy water, besides providing solace and tranquility to the soul, will soften and allow removal of dry, dead skin.

Scrubbing with a brush, followed by a rub with a rough towel after a  fifteen minute soak will leave feet feeling soft and smooth.  Follow up with an application of body lotion or baby oil.  Remember to always apply lotion to feet and other parts of the body after bathing, especially in

winter.  Calluses and bony growths should be smoothed by use of an emery board.  A nightly application of petroleum jelly to these growths as well as to corns, will over time soften and aid in their removal.  An ill-fitting pair of shoes is almost always the cause of corns and calluses.   Eliminating the problem is as easy as  replacing them with comfortable, well made and properly fitted footwear.

ARE YOU EATING GERMS?

Those of us who eat lunch at our desk are warned that along with that sandwich, we could also be swallowing lots of germs.  Touching desk, keyboard or phone, then your food transfers contaminants to that food.  Use of an alcohol spray on office furniture and appliances, as well as hands will eliminate germs lurking there.  This daily process and similar measures might assure that you pass this winter without your annual cold.  Dr Gerda, also known as Dr. Germ, tells us that cold and flu viruses can remain active on surfaces, for as long as three days.

Good hygiene, practiced daily will eliminate body odors, whether from mouth or body, which includes feet and underarms, not to mention private areas.  There should be no excuse for offending anyone because of laziness, or neglect.  Good hygiene, you will find, also equates to good health.

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It’s true!  You can pay as much as ten times the price for Zoysia grass, buying by mail when compared to the price at your local nursery.

It’s doubtful any of our readers have not seen the beautiful, full page, color ads for zoysia grass.  Along with the robins and crocuses, these ads begin appearing in the spring, and are repeated throughout the early summer months.  These ads have been running for as long as we can remember, and we’re pretty ancient.  Our guess would be 30 to 50 years; about the time gardeners began hearing and reading about the advantages of this miracle lawn.   Pictured is a broad expanse of a beautiful, lush, green zoysia lawn.  Insets picture a man breaking his back weeding, watering, and otherwise maintaining a normal lawn.  Zoysia grass, we’re advised is so thick that it smothers noxious weeds, and is so deep-rooted that it remains green in the driest,  hottest days of summer with minimal, or no watering.  It turns brown in the fall, but comes to life and regains its green color each spring.  It thrives in sun or part shade.  It saves time, work, and money.  It cuts water bills and mowing by as much as two thirds.  This unprincipled company is putting on the hard sell by presenting all sorts of compelling reasons to buy their product.  And why not?  They’re making an excessive, even obscene amount of profit.  

FACT:   Zoysia is a tropical grass.  (It’s really a weed, and grows like one.)  It grows thick and green in southern climes, but further north, its season is short, turning brown as the weather cools, and daylight hours shorten.  The further north we move, the shorter the period that it remains green.  In cool, northern areas it may not grow at all.  If it does, it might remain green for only a very short period of time.  

FACT:  Zoysia grass thrives only in sunny areas.  It resists growing under trees, and in shade, even moderate shade.  In short, it requires lots of sun.

FACT:   It spreads slowly, not rapidly.  Plugs placed one foot apart, checkerboard fashion, will take several years to cover an existing lawn.

FACT :  It’s harder to cut, and could create a problem for a small, underpowered lawn mower.  Even though we have the blade of our riding mower set high, it labors as we move through the few sunny areas we have planted in zoysia. 

FACT:   Many statements in the ad are true.  Zoysia grass sends roots deep into the earth, reducing the need for constant watering.  It provides an extremely thick,  green carpet, delightful to walk on.  

FACT:   A conventional lawn with mixed grasses, which might include bluegrass, fescue, perennial rye, if properly cared for throughout the summer, and fertilized in the fall and spring can remain green all year.  That’s a definite advantage over a zoysia lawn which is an eyesore in the fall and winter months with its brown, dead appearance.

FACT:   Very few lawns, including zoysia hold up well under heavy foot traffic.

If you still feel a zoysia lawn is just what the doctor ordered, and are aware of its drawbacks, as well as its advantages, by all means, give it a shot.  But buy it from a local nursery.  You’ll save 90% or more over mail order prices.  Read on and we’ll do the arithmetic for you.

This mail order company previously mentioned will ship you 2400 zoysia plugs for $100. including shipping.  It mentions the fact only once, and in small print, that the plugs are one inch square.  2400 one inch plugs equal 2400 square inches.  Plugs are not precut.  Trusting victims will be shipped squares of sod which are  perforated, and must be cut into one-inch squares with knife or shears before planting.  A visit to our local nursery provided us with a price of less than $3.00 for a piece of zoysia sod 20 X 40 inches which amounts to 800 square inches.  Three of those pieces amount to a total of 2400 square inches.  Total price:  less than $9.00, or better than 90% savings over the cost if ordered by mail.  For the $100. a  person would spend with this company, 33 pieces of 20 X 40 inch sod could be purchased from your local nurseryman.  Total:  26,400 square inches, more than 100 times as much.  Using a tape measure, lay out an area 3 X 5 feet. Pretty small, isn’t it?  That’s just what you’d get for $100. if you ordered from this mail order company.  They do include a one inch plugger, which is far too small, and totally inadequate, but does match the size of the small plugs they provide.

To begin a zoysia lawn, you will have to purchase a plugger.  Standard pluggers are two inches square.  The one inch plugs sold by mail are far too small.  When you bring your pieces of sod home, you can cut plugs from the lawn.  Then cut plugs from the zoysia sod, and replace the hole in the lawn with the freshly cut plugs.  It’s recommended that you place a plug every foot, checkerboard fashion.  If you want your new zoysia lawn to fill in faster, you can reduce the spacing to 6 or 8 inches.

The best method though, might be to plant the entire rectangles of sod brought home from the nursery, on soil that has been loosened, aerated, and watered.  You can begin at once, or wait until the sod has begun to root, to take plugs to use in other areas.  Your nurseryman will readily advise you of the best and quickest way to establish your new lawn.

A reputable dealer won’t tell you that you can have a beautiful zoysia lawn in no time.  It will take years, unless of course, you want to purchase enough sod to cover an entire area.  You can also shorten the time by plugging closer than  the prescribed 12 inches.  Here’s a trick we’ve discovered that works  better than plugging.  It can only be utilized after your lawn is well established.  Along the driveway or sidewalk, you’ll find dozens of runners creeping out of an established lawn.  Pull those runners.  Some can be as long as two feet, but pieces as short as several inches can be planted, and will grow, and spread.  Longer runners can be divided, or the entire piece can be planted by cutting a slit in the lawn with a square bladed spade. Don’t bury the entire runner.  Leave a few inches exposed.  Press and seal the slit to prevent it drying out.  Water these new plantings thoroughly.  In  our own lawn, we have extensive, beautifully 

developed areas that were started with only these cuttings.

A FREE ZOYSIA LAWN

We’ve collected bags of these runners from neighbors who have well established zoysia lawns, and have neglected to trim along sidewalks where they thickly spread six inches or more when left untrimmed.  Just grab an end and pull. When planted and watered as previously suggested, 

these runners will spread and cover extensive areas faster than areas planted with plugs.  It might of course, be prudent to check with each neighbor before helping yourself to these runners.

YOU COULD BE SUCCESSFUL AND HAPPY WITH A ZOYSIA LAWN IF:                        

Your neighbor doesn’t mind that it creeps into his yard, eventually wiping out, and taking over his bluegrass or fescue lawn.

You live south of the N40th (approx.) parallel.

You’re  young, since it might take years to fill in, and cover an existing lawn, or area, when plugs are spaced one foot apart in a checkerboard pattern.

You won’t be unhappy with your lawn’s dead brown look for most of the fall, winter and spring.

You have an expansive shade-free  treeless area, sunny most of the day.

If the above facts don’t dissuade you from the desire to establish a zoysia lawn, call a sod farm in your area.  Buy locally grown sod for the best price, as well as professional advice. 

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It’s Christmas…Thanksgiving…Passover.  Perhaps a birthday, an anniversary, someone’s wedding, a victory celebration.  Whatever the reason, or for no reason at all, seems to be excuse enough to gorge oneself.  A cocktail or two, appetizers, soup, salad, a huge entree of steak, or prime rib, maybe a lobster with melted butter for dipping,  a side of pasta, or a baked potato with butter and sour cream.  And since we’re celebrating, why not an exotic dessert with an espresso, and a pony of your favorite liqueur.  You’re now stuffed to the tonsils.  After all that food, you feel drowsy. It’s time for a nap.  Why not? Even the mighty lion, after devouring most of  his kill, will fall into a deep sleep as the blood rushes to the stomach to help in digesting an abnormal amount of food.  But consider that the lion and most animals in the wild may not eat on a daily basis.  Excuse enough to gorge, since it’s not certain when it will eat again. What’s our excuse for over-indulging?  

In any case, you’ve taken a nap.  On awakening, you announce to all that you have a severe case of indigestion.  Everyone  present is a pseudo-physician and has a remedy: an antacid in every form: powder, gel cap, tablet or liquid.  Antacids are formulated to neutralize stomach acid.  Never mind logic or common sense here.  A person is suffering, and that person requires medication.  No one seems aware of the fact that these  nostrums, rather than alleviating the discomfort of indigestion, are prolonging, and delaying the natural digestive process.  Endless promotions by antacid industries, proclaiming stomach acid to be man’s mortal enemy have produced desired euphoric (for them) results.

You’ve taken the  proffered antacid, which you and everyone else assumes is an aid to digestion.  It’s not!  And now the struggle is on!  It’s your stomach and Mother Nature against biotechnology.  The stomach is striving to deliver vital hydrochloric acid to break down and assimilate the vast amount of food stuffed into it like sage dressing in a holiday turkey.  The antacid you’ve swallowed is attempting to neutralize that acid.  It’s a natural cycle.  The digestive process cannot be delayed  indefinitely.  Despite  attempts to sabotage this process, Mother Nature and your stomach will eventually win the battle.  Food must go through the entire digestive process, which includes the release of acids, enzymes, and other digestive aids, if one is to survive to gorge again.  

“The desire to take medicine is one of the greatest features that distinguishes man from animals”, are the words of 

William Osler, a famous doctor.  He could have been talking about today’s human addiction to any and every pill, potion and palliative.

THE BODY’S WONDERFUL, EFFICIENT DIGESTIVE PROCESS.

Before we get into the negatives of constantly dosing oneself with antacids and other formulas claiming to relieve indigestion, let’s explore the wonderful, intricate and complex functions of our stomach.  Before we take a bite of food, the very thought of it, when we’re hungry, will begin the digestive process.  We’ve all  heard the phrase: mouthwatering.  Glands under the tongue produce enzymes at the very thought, as well as the aroma of food.  The stomach begins to 

growl as it produces hydrochloric acid in anticipation of a forthcoming meal.  As we chew, and 

food should be chewed thoroughly, the glands mentioned, begin the production of enzymes, 

which sweeten and lubricate the food, allowing it to move smoothly through the esophagus, the 

tube connecting the throat to the stomach.  It does that by contracting and relaxing its muscle 

walls, forcing food through the sphincter valve and into the stomach.  The sphincter valve is 

there to prevent food and acid from backing up into the esophagus.  Since that tube does not have the protective coating and is more delicate than the stomach walls, failure of that valve  will cause acid reflux, otherwise known as heartburn,  a malady, which, if we’re to believe radio, newspaper and magazine ads, every living person in the U.S. as well as the world is afflicted with.

While some medications are specifically formulated to relieve heartburn, most antacids have no effect on this annoying ailment.  When food reaches the stomach (hopefully, well chewed and lubricated), it begins the digestive process. It produces mucus to protect the stomach lining.  It produces hydrochloric acid, and other enzymes including pepsin.  Pepsin is an important element, since it plays a significant part in  breaking down protein.  While producing acids and enzymes, the stomach is contracting and relaxing to ensure that these digestive aids are thoroughly mixed with the food.  When digested sufficiently, food is sent to the small intestine for further assimilation and absorption, and on to vital organs.  When body functions are fully understood, it should be evident that antacids only serve to delay and impede the normal digestive process.

SKIP THE ANTACIDS

Instead of antacids, which combat the normal and necessary digestive process, why not try to eliminate or alleviate the problem?  A first step, of course, would be to eat sensibly.  Be selective in the food you consume, and eat less of everything.  We’ve been taught from childhood to eat everything on our plate.  Excellent advice for youngsters who cannot abide the taste of  peas, carrots, green beans, and other forms of nutritious food.  But for grown-ups, it’s not a bad idea to leave a morsel or two on your plate.  It’s possible that you might avoid a case of indigestion, and if practiced often, could result in a reduced waistline.  We aren’t suggesting that anyone should waste food.  If dining out, ask for a doggy bag.  If at home, refrigerate for later.

A  rule we learned in school at an early age was:  Chew each mouthful of food twenty times (or was it thirty?).  As explained previously, when food is taken into the mouth, glands under the tongue begin to produce enzymes which sweeten and lubricate the food, allowing it to move smoothly through the esophagus. The longer food is chewed, the more the stomach’s burden of breaking down large lumps of food is reduced.  Since food arrives in a more fluid state, less acid is required to break it down.  Less acid means less chance of acid indigestion.  Too many of us bolt down our food half chewed, putting an extra burden on the stomach to produce more acid.  

Nutritionists advise us to eat less food; smaller meals, more often.  After an especially large 

meal, it’s best to sit up, or move around.  A leisurely walk is an excellent aid to digestion.  Avoid 

lying down immediately after eating.  Drink plenty of liquids.  Liquids, especially water, fall 

under the category of Mother Nature’s  purifier and universal solvent.  If  you’ve stuffed yourself, 

or eaten food that’s hard to digest, try to endure a little discomfort  rather than dosing yourself 

with antacids.  Give your natural body functions an opportunity to do their  job.  Try instead, a supplement that aids rather than hinders and delays digestion.  The following is a list of products that help to settle the stomach and aid in the digestive process.

DIGESTIVE AIDS RECOMMENDED BY NUTRITIONISTS

ACIDOPHILUS   Similar to yogurt as a source of friendly bacteria, aiding the movement of digested food through, and maintaining healthy intestines.

GINGER   For centuries, the Orientals, as well as sailors have known of the calming effect of ginger on the stomach, not only to relieve indigestion, but as an aid in relieving seasickness and nausea.  We recall when hospitals would suggest a glass of ginger ale whenever a patient complained of gas or indigestion. Ginger calmed the stomach, while the effervescence  helped to relieve gas build-up.  Today’s remedy:  Two high-tech antacid tablets and a bill for $50.  A hospital might deem it inappropriate to charge that price for a glass of ginger ale.  Homeopathic people tell us that ginger also lubricates dry, aching joints.  And yet another benefit:  It’s recently been discovered that ginger relieves the nausea of pregnancy.  To avoid the discomfort of indigestion, try chewing a piece of candied ginger after meals.  It’s available in Oriental food stores, as well as many grocery stores.

PAPAYA ENZYME   Natives use the leaves of this tropical plant as a natural tenderizer for tough cuts of meat.  Papaya enzyme is made from its fruit and leaves, and so is commercial meat tenderizer, which we’re all familiar with.  Most formulas are available in pleasant tasting chewable tablets which include other digestive aids as well.  This product is available at health food and vitamin stores.

PEPSIN & PEPPERMINT   The stomach produces natural pepsin to break down meat, and other hard to digest protein.  While the stomach doesn’t produce peppermint, it is still considered a natural aid to digestion, although there are those whose systems are unable to tolerate it.

HYDROCHLORIDE   Yes, this is the same powerful acid the stomach produces.  Manufacturers include it in some of their digestive aid formulas.  It’s especially beneficial for the elderly, when hydrochloric acid and other natural enzyme production is reduced considerably.

FIBER    Include a good amount of soluble and insoluble fiber in your diet.  Both are  

excellent aids in moving food through the stomach and intestines.  Soluble fiber forms a gel and soaks up cholesterol thereby preventing it from being absorbed into the 

bloodstream.  We’re all aware of the benefits of oats, a soluble fiber, as an aid toward reducing cholesterol.  Other sources include beans and fruits.  The other fiber, insoluble fiber acts as a gentle laxative.  Referred to as bulk, it absorbs water, and helps to keep digested food soft, allowing it to move smoothly through the stomach and intestines.  

The skins of many fruits, as well as wheat bran are sources of insoluble fiber.  If your diet includes many different fruits and vegetables, as well whole grain breads, and cereals, you’re getting plenty of both types of these very valuable aids to good health.  If not, add to your morning hot or cold cereal:  oat and wheat bran, flaxseed, wheat germ, nuts, fresh or frozen fruit.  When summer fruit is not available, keep a bag of frozen blueberries or mixed berries in the freezer.  Berries are doubly beneficial since they’re loaded with antioxidants.  

FRUTIN     A natural product that contains no soda or aluminum.  A sugar-free, chewable tablet with a pleasant peppermint taste that produces a pH neutral foam barrier in the upper part of the stomach, which acts like a lid to keep stomach acid from backing up into the esophagus.  The manufacturer claims that this foamy “lid” stays in place for up to 5 hours, allowing digestion to proceed normally, as opposed to antacids which impede the process.  For information, call toll free 1 877 792 0882.

FRUITS & VEGETABLES    It’s been proven that fruits and vegetables help to neutralize acid in high protein and meat diets.

DANGERS OF CONSTANTLY OVERDOSING  ON ANTACIDS

We’ve given you some helpful alternatives to popping antacids.  Here then, are a few, excellent reasons why you might want to discontinue their use after every meal, or as some drug companies ridiculously suggest, before a meal. The most important reason is one we’ve already stressed.  Antacids delay and impede the natural digestive process.

 Many antacids contain aluminum, which is toxic.  Ongoing tests indicate an association with that element and older people afflicted with alzheimer’s, a brain disorder causing senility.

 Here is a very valid and important reason to reduce or eliminate the use of antacids:  Stomach acid is produced not only to break down and digest food, but also to protect us from bacteria such as E Coli and otherwise tainted food.  Reducing stomach acid by continued use of antacids increases the risk of infection from these harmful bacteria.  As 

proof of this,  it should be noted that wild animals are able to eat rotting, tainted, germ festered food and garbage because of strong stomach acids which counteract and destroy 

the most pernicious bacteria.

Stomach acid is a vital and necessary aid in the body’s absorption of vitamin B-12.  Overdosing on antacids can expose a person to great risk for a deficiency of that vitamin.

 Antacids can cause many unpleasant side effects, including diarrhea and constipation.  One can only guess at the damaging long-term effects these products may have on the stomach and body. 

A  recent FDA report indicates that many antacids as well as laxatives contain magnesium.  Taken in excess, it can cause many serious side effects including dizziness, weakness, confusion, even paralysis or fatal coma.  At greatest risk, are those with decreased kidney function, diabetics, and the elderly.  In addition to antacids, many other medications contain this toxic element.  Check labels before making a purchase.

 Indigestion and other stomach ailments may be caused by a lack of, rather than an excessive amount of acid.  In cases of an inadequate amount, taking antacids will only compound the problem.

 It’s interesting to note the ingredients listed on some products.  We found that some antacids contain hydrochloric acid.  That would seem to be counter-productive, since these products are taken for the very purpose of reducing or neutralizing stomach acid.

 Because of the stomach’s reaction, antacids increase acid output.  As stated previously, the stomach’s natural reaction to antacids is to generate more.

 Antacids, as well as many medications have so many side effects, you may be better off with some slight discomfort.  Obviously, we are not referring to those medications taken to guard against life threatening illnesses, nor those to control major afflictions.

We’re well aware that many of the above-mentioned minerals which we proscribe as dangerous are sold promoting good health.  There is a daily recommended requirement.  It’s possible, and potentially dangerous to overdose on any drug, vitamin or mineral.

By presenting these simple facts, it should be clear,  that antacids are not the magic panacea manufacturers would have you believe they are.  If you have a continuing stomach problem associated with eating, it’s time to shelve the antacids, and make an appointment with your family physician.  If he determines that your stomach is producing too much acid, he can prescribe a histamine-blocking agent, which is specifically formulated to reduce acid production.  

He might also advise you to watch your diet.  Eliminate foods that cause you discomfort.  Eat smaller meals, more often.  And EXERCISE!  Increased metabolism will go a long way in aiding the stomach in the process of digesting, assimilating, and moving food through the body.

In the meantime, you can help yourself by eliminating, or at least reducing the use of antacids 

whenever you feel  a little stomach discomfort.  And disregard the advice of fraudulent TV doctors who prescribe all sorts of miraculous medications, and cure-alls, to the benefit of the manufacturer rather than the patient.

The UNITED HEALTH FOUNDATION and the FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION tell us that misuse of over-the-counter drugs causes more than  a half million hospitalizations a year.  Which could lead one to suppose that pharmaceutical companies place the bottom line of their profit and loss statements ahead of the consumer’s good health.

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