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TAKE ME OUT TO THE BALLGAME My Life as a Rangers Fan
When I was a kid, I loved going to Texas Rangers games. Arlington Stadium — an old minor league stadium, probably fit how the Rangers played at the time, but I had so much fun. Dad taught me how to keep score by hand, and I’d faithfully write down the balls and strikes, and if I remember correctly, a 6-4-3 was a double play from the shortstop, to second baseman, to first baseman. We would always sit in the general admission section of the outfield, and watch heroes like Buddy Bell and Bucky Dent play, while I hoped to catch a home run ball with my glove that I faithfully took to the games. The Rangers inspired me to play baseball as a kid — the only problem was that I wasn’t very good at it. Still, I kept getting picked for better and better teams each year because I’d always hit great in tryouts. For some reason, I would use aluminum during tryouts and wooden during the games. Wooden bats weren’t a requirement, but that’s what the “big leaguers” used, so I decided I would too. It wasn’t until I was much older that I realized that you hit so much better with aluminum bats! I guess I liked to do things the hard way. One year during tryouts, I knocked the ball over the fence. The only problem is, it was foul. No problem, my potential couches figured I just needed to learn how to straighten up my swing and I’d be dynamite! Unfortunately, that never happened. I went to church with one of my teammates, and many years later, through the wonders of Facebook, I found out he actually played in the minor leagues for a few years. I’m not surprised, he was very, very good when we were playing. Eventually, I realized I was more of a sports watcher than a sports player and decided to stop playing.
you to tune in on TV and “turn down the TV sound and turn up, WBAP” and listen to the radio play- by-play. I can still hear Mark Holtz say “Hello win column!” Our love for the Rangers was shared in our family by my Aunt and Uncle, who lived in Arlington, and when my Grandfather
moved from Colorado (my dad’s dad), he would go to the games too. My dad told me stories about going to the games with my grandfather. He never met a stranger, and he would even poke people two rows away from him with his cane and shout, “Did you see that play, Sonny?” I’m not sure I would have liked that approach, but Dad says he was usually well-received. After Arlington Stadium, the Rangers played at the old (then new) Globe Life Field. It was a pretty, old-style baseball stadium, but I never understood why they didn’t build it with a retractable roof, or why you couldn’t see the entire field from some seats. The new Globe Life Field is a significant improvement, and I took Dad there to see a game against the Atlanta Braves. I think there were more Braves fans in the crowd than Rangers fans — or at least, the Braves fans were a lot louder. So it was extra sweet when the Rangers won. It reminded me of my childhood days when the Yankees visited, and their supporters filled the seats. The Rangers would hold “Beat the Yankees Hanky Night” and give you towels to wave around to “intimidate” all the Yankees fans. Ultimately, loving the Rangers is both a blessing and a curse. It felt heartbreaking when they barely lost the World Series in 2011 — but, as a Rangers fan, you get used to it. The team isn’t exactly known for winning, but the great thing about baseball is that hope springs eternal every single year.
But I had lots of fun living vicariously through the Rangers games. When we couldn’t see them in person, we’d often listen to the games. The television baseball announcers didn’t seem great in those days, but Mark Holtz and Eric Nadel were phenomenal on the radio. They’d tell
-Aaron Miller
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We expect our doctors to wash their hands before examining us — it’s a no-brainer. But more than 100 years ago, the idea wasn’t only laughable — it was heresy. The first doctor who implemented mandatory hand- washing in a hospital saw swift improvements in patient mortality rates, but the backlash among other doctors came just as quickly. Before germ theory began to catch on in the late 1800s, doctors believed illnesses were caused by “miasma,” bad smells that originated in swamps, garbage, and decomposing matter. While the concept sounds strange now, convincing a doctor that miasma didn’t exist would be much like telling a modern scientist the earth is flat. The idea of germs or viruses contradicted everything they thought they knew. Still, a Hungarian doctor named Ignaz Semmelweis began to notice startling mortality rates between two maternity wards at his hospital. The ward run by midwives had a much lower maternal mortality rate than the one staffed by doctors. After watching a colleague die of infection after cutting himself during an autopsy, Semmelweis determined something similar might be happening to maternity ward patients. Many doctors were examining mothers-to-be after performing autopsies — but midwives weren’t. BEFORE DOCTORS KEPT IT CLEAN The Horrifying History of Hand-Washing
Reduce, Reuse, Recycle!
How to Properly Recycle Your Electronics
When you think of recycling, you may think of the blue bins you use to recycle plastic, paper, cardboard, or glass. But did you know that you can also recycle electronics and other devices? Here are some statistics about electronic waste (e-waste). • Around 12% of our electronics are appropriately recycled each year. This means that over 80% of devices are put in the garbage or sent to Asia or Africa to be burned. However, burning these devices releases harmful toxins in the air that can affect us, other living organisms, and the environment. • The most hazardous electronic toxins are mercury, lead, arsenic, cadmium, selenium, chromium, and flame retardants. • E-waste is increasing yearly — we generate around 40 million tons worldwide. • Our cellphones are filled with precious metals such as gold and silver. The U.S. throws out $60 million worth of these metals each year. What electronic devices can you recycle? You can recycle computers, laptops, monitors, cellphones, TVs, radios, tablets, printers, and other devices. But that’s not all! You can also recycle air conditioners, heaters, microwaves, digital cameras, circuit boards, VCR/DVD players, calculators, and more. How can you reduce, reuse, and recycle these devices? If your electronics are still in good condition and function properly, you can donate them to friends, charities, or community outreach programs. Some cellular companies allow you to turn in your old phone when you buy a new one — and you can even get some money back if your phone isn’t in shambles! Just be sure your personal information and data are wiped from your devices before giving them away. You can also send your electronics to a specialized facility that will wipe your data and recycle your devices. Search online for electronic recycling in your area to find businesses and organizations that offer this service. However, ensure that whatever facility you use is environmentally friendly. So, the next time you upgrade to a new phone, tablet, or computer, or when you get a new microwave and other electronic devices, recycle or donate them! The environment will thank you for it.
Semmelweis blamed the problem on miasma from corpses. Nevertheless, he instituted sterilization and hand- washing procedures in the hospital in 1848. The maternal mortality rate dropped substantially in the doctor-run ward, becoming on par with the midwives. Semmelweis had solved the problem. Yet, his colleagues disagreed. Other doctors at the hospital resented the suggestion that they’d been causing their patients’ deaths. And Semmelweis allegedly didn’t make it any easier, behaving in ways others found condescending and arrogant. Further, Semmelweis had no hard proof that hand-washing and sterilization worked. Eventually, the other doctors stopped washing their hands. Semmelweis lost his job at
the hospital and, sadly, died in a mental institution.
Fortunately, for the rest of the world, Semmelweis was not the only hand- washing proponent. Though they likely came by the idea independently, Doctor Oliver Wendell Holmes and a nurse, Florence Nightingale, encouraged the practice. Their championing and the emergence of germ theory gave us medical professionals who now have much safer habits — and, hopefully, the humility to acknowledge that they always have more to learn.
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The Problem With This TikTok Trend STOP SNORING WITH … MOUTH TAPE?
In 2019, the founders of a company called SomniFix strolled onto the screen of the reality TV show “Shark Tank” — and a TikTok trend was born.
clinic quoted a sleep medicine specialist, Dr. Cinthya Pena Orbea. “Most of the evidence is anecdotal,” she said. “There is not strong enough evidence to support that mouth tape is beneficial. Mouth taping is not part of our current practice to treat any sleep disorder. Nonetheless, in patients with sleep apnea, we may recommend mouth taping or to wear a chin strap to decrease an air leak while you’re using a CPAP machine at night.”
SomniFix makes a product called “Mouth Strips,” which the company describes as a skin-safe adhesive that holds your mouth shut while you sleep. According to the company’s website, the product is supposed to reduce snoring, help people with sleep apnea use their continuous positive airway pressure (CPAP) machines correctly, boost sleep quality, and encourage breathing through the nose instead of just the mouth. Mark Burhenne, D.D.S., wrote about this on Ask the Dentist. “If you’re breathing through your mouth while you sleep at night, it’s a big deal,” he explained. “Not only does it reduce the quality of your sleep, but it disrupts the balance of your oral microbiome and makes you more prone to tooth decay.” Burhenne has legitimate concerns in regard to mouth breathing, but does that mean mouth taping is the answer? The Cleveland Clinic sheds some light on this topic by saying that nose breathing while you sleep is vital for preventing dry mouth and sore throat, lowering blood pressure, keeping airborne allergens out of your body, and avoiding bad breath. Unfortunately, the Cleveland Clinic also explains that only a few small studies of 10–36 patients each have explored the effectiveness of mouth taping, and those studies had mixed results. The
If you’re struggling with mouth breathing, sleep apnea, or snoring while you slumber, don’t jump straight to a mouth tape like SomniFix or Hostage Tape (yes, that’s really the name) as a quick fix. Instead of trusting TikTok, visit your dentist or doctor to share your concerns. They can help you identify the actual cause of your issue and address it instead of taping over it.
TAKE A BREAK
Tasty Spinach Artichoke Dip Inspired by DinnerAtTheZoo.com
Ingredients
• 8 oz spinach leaves • 8 oz cream cheese, softened • 1 cup sour cream • 3/4 cup chopped marinated artichoke hearts • 1 tsp minced garlic
• 1/2 tsp salt • 1/4 tsp black pepper
• 1/2 cup grated Parmesan cheese • 1 1/2 cups shredded mozzarella cheese, divided • Sliced bread, crackers, or tortilla chips for serving
Directions
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Coat a small baking dish with cooking spray. 2. In a medium pan, steam or sauté spinach until wilted. When spinach cools, ring out excess water, then chop coarsely. 3. In a large bowl, mix cream cheese, sour cream, spinach, artichoke hearts, garlic, salt, pepper, Parmesan cheese, and 3/4 cup of mozzarella cheese. 4. Spread the mixture onto the prepared baking dish. Top with remaining mozzarella cheese. 5. Bake for 20 minutes or until the dip is bubbly. Turn the oven to broil and cook for
an additional 2–3 minutes so the cheese will begin to brown. 6. Immediately serve with bread, crackers, or tortilla chips.
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PRST STD US POSTAGE PAID BOISE, ID PERMIT 411
214.292.4225 www.AaronMillerLaw.com 1400 Preston Road, Suite 118 Plano, Texas 75093 INSIDE THIS ISSUE
1
Aaron’s Favorite Baseball Memories
2
Our Landfills Are an Electronic Wasteland
A Time Before Doctors Washed Their Hands
3
Does Mouth Taping Work?
Tasty Spinach Artichoke Dip
4
Top 3 Extended Stay Destinations
ALL ABOARD THE EXTENDED VACATION TREND TOP 3 VACATION DESTINATIONS FOR A LONGER STAY
Hop aboard a cruise. A cruise is one of the best ways to see many destinations in one trip. You could visit several countries in just two weeks, stopping in different ports to explore! On a cruise, you could see the Caribbean one day and wake up somewhere completely different the next day with a new adventure ahead!
The pandemic slowed us down. Over the past few years, we collectively took fewer vacations, boarded fewer cruise ships, and avoided airports. However, many studies and reports show that now, more than ever, Americans are taking longer vacations! Why might this be, and what are some of the greatest destinations for an extended stay? According to Amex Travel’s 2022 Global Travel Trend Report, 55% of vacationers are interested in taking longer trips because they can work remotely. The trend of swapping homes is also on the rise. HomeExchange’s website reports that home exchanges of two weeks or more increased by 13% in January-May last year. According to Travel Pulse, 26% of people opt to take a trip that exceeds 10 days. If you are interested in taking a more extended vacation, whether it’s because your job went remote, you lost out on travel time in 2020-2022,
or you saved on gas money while working from home, here are some great destinations that support a longer stay. Visit the national parks. There is no better way to connect with nature than to tour the national parks. Several epic national park road trips could allow you to pack in a dozen or more of these natural gems in just a couple of weeks! Many national parks also accommodate RVs for comfort and convenience. Drive the California coast. A trip up and down the California coast never disappoints. With so many great places to stop and breathtaking views to absorb, you’ll need at least two weeks to experience them properly. You’ll want to explore the Redwood National Forest, the Lost Coast, Pebble Beach, Monterey Bay, Half Moon Bay, Big Sur, Venice Beach, and many more!
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