WASHINGTON (AP) — A bill was introduced in the U.S. House of Representatives on Tuesday to award Congressional Gold Medals to the 1980 “Miracle on Ice” Olympic hockey team that defeated the heavily favored Soviet Union in Lake Placid, New York, at a period of high tension during the Cold War.

Congressman Pete Stauber, R-Minn., introduced the Miracle on Ice Congressional Gold Medal Act along with co-sponsors Elise Stefanik, R-N.Y., and Mike Quigley, D-Ill.

“What they did for our country at that moment, I’ll never forget,” Stauber said in a phone interview. “It’s one of the defining sports moments in my lifetime, and I am so proud that we can give this Congressional Medal to each member of that Olympic team to say thank you for the memories we will never forget as a nation.”

The plan would be for the creation of three medals: one to go on display at the U.S Hockey Hall of Fame in Eveleth, Minnesota, another at the Lake Placid Olympic Center and the third at the U.S. Olympic and Paralympic Museum in Colorado Springs, Colorado.

Stauber, who was 13 at the time before going on to play at Lake Superior State and a handful of years professionally in the minors, and his staff have been working with USA Hockey to get this to the House floor for consideration. It is expected to be debated for consideration only after the election in the lame duck session of congress.

“I don’t think anybody really has to think about whether they support it or not,” Stauber said. “I hope all 535 members of congress reach the conclusion yes they deserve it and then the president signs it.”

The deaths of players in recent years, Mark Wells in May and Mark Pavelich in 2021, along with coach Herb Brooks in 2003, have added urgency to the process.

“The timing for all of us is of the essence because we want these members to be able to cherish and appreciate this during their lifetime,” Stauber said. “I think that bestowing this highest honor upon them is important.”

Stauber said he was going to work as hard as he can to pass the legislation “the sooner the better.” Feb. 22 marks the 45th anniversary of the Americans upsetting the Soviets 4-3 on the way to Olympic gold on home ice days later with a victory against Finland to close out the medal round.

“We’re going to push it, I’m going to push it as hard and as fast as I can so we can celebrate in Lake Placid with the remaining living members of that team that gave us that glorious moment in February of 1980,” Stauber said.

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Perhaps it gets you in the door, that the new film “White Bird” can be referred to as both a sequel and prequel to the emotionally nourishing 2017 film “Wonder.”

In theaters this week, “White Bird” is, like its predecessor, based on a work of fiction by R.J. Palacio. However, it has almost nothing to do with the central character of “Wonder,” which revolves around Jacob Tremblay’s August “Auggie” Pullman, a kind boy with a condition that caused a dramatic —- and traumatic — facial deformity.

Instead, the wildly different, if similarly stirring “White Bird” picks up with Bryce Gheisar’s Julian Albans, who’d bullied Auggie before getting expelled from their New York City private school, Beecher Prep. Primarily, however, this is a World War II story and an engrossing one at that.

We catch up with Julian at his new school, where he looks at photos of Auggie and others from his old haunt before giving what is at most a lukewarm reception to a girl who tries to befriend him at lunch, where he’s been sitting alone. A fellow male student soon comes by to tell him that their mothers are friends and that he’s been tasked to look out for him by his — and informs him he’s sitting at the losers’ table.

At home, Julian finds his grandmother (Helen Mirren), who’s visiting from Paris for a “retrospective” of her artwork.

“It’s a polite way of saying I’m old,” she tells Julian.

Soon concluding that he hasn’t completely learned the needed lesson from his experience at Beecher, she decides to tell him about her time as a Jewish girl in Nazi-occupied France, a tale she rarely shares.

Helen Mirren and Bryce Gheisar appear in a scene from “White Bird.” (Courtesy of Lionsgate)

And here we have the beginning of the bulk of “White Bird,” anchored by an almost entrancing performance by Ariella Glaser as Sara Blum, the younger version of Mirren’s character.

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At this substantial flashback begins, the teenage Sara, who likes to sketch in a notebook, has no real concerns beyond her clothes and the goings on with friends Mariann (Selma Kaymakci) and Sophie (Mia Kadlecova). After all, even as the Nazis take control of France, it seems as though the area where her family lives, the lovely French village of Aubervilliers-Aux-Bois, is a safe zone.

That mirage quickly vanishes.

The Nazi occupation leads to an argument at dinner in Sara’s upper-middle-class home between her mother, Rose (Olivia Ross), a math teacher, and her kind and protective father, Max (Ishai Golan), about the precise level of danger they face.

Soon enough, Nazi soldiers arrive at Sara’s school with a list of names of Jewish students they are to take away. School personnel, including Pastor Luc (Stuart McQuarrie) and Sara’s teacher Mademoiselle Petitjean (Patsy Ferran), attempt to hide them, insisting these boys and girls did not show up for school on this day. However, thanks to a student — Jem Matthews’ Vincent, whom the viewer will continue to loathe — that plan fails.

Fortunately, Sara benefits from the kindness of another boy, Orlando Schwerdt’s Julien Beaumier, who helps her flee the school. She barely knows him; Julien has difficulty walking as a result of having had polio, and her friends teased him and called him “Tourteau” (“The Crab”), which is the only name Sara associates with him, she realizes.

Nonetheless, with the blessing of his parents, Vivienne (Gillian Anderson, lending some gravitas to the proceedings) and Jean Paul (Jo Stone-Fewings), Julien hides Sara in the family barn, warning her to stay out of the sight of a couple of nosy neighbors.

Gillian Anderson portrays Vivienne in “White Bird.” (Courtesy of Lionsgate)

Initially filled with guilt for not having treated Julien better at school, she grows closer to the young man, who helps her stay up on schoolwork in the afternoon and with whom she shares adventures in the barn fueled by their combined imagination in the evening.

Of course, danger never resides far away from Sara and her brave hosts.

In fact, one of the harshest critiques one can levy on “White Bird” is that you always see that danger coming, the adaptation by Mark Bomback (“War for the Planet of the Apes”) possessing very predictable story beats. (Also, the resolution to one tense scene late in the film is, well, just a bit much, even if the seeds for it are plenty early on in the story.)

And still, in the hands of director Marc Forster (“Finding Neverland,” “Christopher Robin”), “White Bird” is impactful all the same, a film that manages to mine more than its fair share of joy from a dire situation.

Schwerdt (“True History of the Kelly Gang”) deserves plenty of credit for that, as well, as you can’t help but experience the joy Julien feels to have this girl in his life. Every moment with Schwerdt and Glaser (“Radioactive”) together as Julien and Sara is a treasure, especially as you suspect those moments cannot last.

Another noteworthy contributor behind the scenes is producer Todd Lieberman, a Northeast Ohio native who spoke before an advanced screening of the film at Cedar Lee Theatre in Cleveland Heights.

Rated PG-13, “White Bird” certainly isn’t appropriate for very young viewers. For those a bit older, though, it could serve as a reasonably gentle introduction to what remains one of the most significant — and horror-filled — chapters of the world’s history.

This tale need not serve as a lesson for Julian Albans alone.

‘White Bird’

Where: Theaters.

When: Oct. 4.

Rated: PG-13 for some strong violence, thematic material and language.

Runtime: 2 hours.

Stars (of four): 3.

By MATTHEW PERRONE

WASHINGTON (AP) — If you have stained or chipped teeth, you might be considering veneers, customized teeth coverings that can restore a photogenic smile without more extensive dental work.

But dentists warn that these pricey cosmetic enhancements are at the center of a worrisome online trend: unlicensed practitioners without proper training or supervision offering low-cost veneers.

These self-described “veneer techs” often promote themselves on Instagram and TikTok, promising a full set of veneers for less than half of what dentists typically charge. Some also market their own training courses and certifications for people looking to get into the business.

It’s misleading, health professionals warn — and illegal. All states require dental work, including veneers, to be performed under the supervision of a licensed dentist.

On Thursday, Georgia law enforcement officials arrested Brandon Diller, who promoted himself to 158,000 Instagram followers as “Atlanta’s top veneer specialist and trainer.” Diller practiced dentistry without a license and sold “training and certificates, which were worthless” and “provided no legitimate or legal credentials,” according to an arrest warrant from Fulton County’s District Attorney’s office.

Here’s what to know about veneers and how to avoid bogus providers and services:

What are dental veneers?

Veneers are thin, custom-made dental coverings used to hide minor imperfections or to fill in gaps between teeth. Unlike crowns or more invasive dental implants, veneers are almost always considered cosmetic dentistry and generally aren’t covered by insurance.

Dentists usually charge between $1,000 and $2,000 per tooth for veneers, with higher prices for those made from porcelain compared with lower-grade materials.

Placing veneers involves stripping some of the natural enamel from the tooth and bonding the new covering into place. Because of that process, getting veneers is considered an irreversible procedure, according to the American Dental Association. They are not permanent, and can be expected to last between 5 to 15 years before they degrade and need to be replaced.

In recent months the ADA has been stepping up warnings about the risks of veneer procedures done by unlicensed individuals.

“Quality control is lost without the involvement of a licensed dentist,” said Dr. Ada Cooper, a New York-based dentist and ADA spokesperson. “We undergo years of education and training and need to be licensed by various regulatory bodies before we can practice.”

What are the risks of getting veneers from someone who isn’t licensed?

Improper veneer procedures can cause a range of health problems, including severe pain, nerve damage and tooth loss.

Patients need to be anesthetized before the enamel is removed from their teeth.

“It could be incredibly painful if they’re not anesthetized correctly,” said Dr. Zach Truman, who runs an orthodontics practice in Las Vegas. “You can also go too deep into the tooth and penetrate what’s called the pulp chamber, which contains blood vessels and nerves.”

One of the biggest problems Truman sees with unregulated veneer work is that customers aren’t getting screened for existing dental problems, such as gum disease and cavities.

“If you put a veneer on a tooth that has an active cavity, you’re just going to seal it in there and eventually it’s going to progress to tooth loss,” Truman said.

Dental veneers aren’t the only option for improving the appearance of teeth. Over-the-counter whitening kits can help with minor stains and discoloration. And dentists can sometimes use composite materials to reshape chipped or uneven teeth. But Truman says those fillings are prone to crack and won’t last as long as veneers.

How can I spot bogus veneer providers online?

One clue: Many individuals performing unlicensed dental work promote themselves on social media as “veneer technicians.”

Instead of working out of a dental office they often perform treatments at beauty salons, hotel rooms or private homes. Some advertise multi-city tours and encourage clients to message them to book an appointment in advance.

Much of the appeal of the services is in their pricing, with some offering a full set of veneers for a flat fee of $4,000 or $5,000. That’s less than half of what patients can generally expect to pay at a dental office.

Performing dental work without an appropriate license is illegal, the ADA notes.

Dentists and hygienists are licensed by state governments, who also define the work dental assistants can perform. But in all cases, veneers and other dental procedures must be supervised by a licensed dentist.

Earlier this year, Illinois law enforcement officials arrested a woman running a business called the Veneer Experts after she posted videos of herself fitting braces, veneers and other dental products without a license. She was previously arrested in Nevada on similar allegations of practicing dentistry without a license.

What are the best ways to find legitimate dental providers?

The ADA maintains a website detailing the training and licensing requirements for dentists across the U.S. Most states also maintain websites where you can lookup and verify licensure information and find any past disciplinary actions for dentists and other health professionals.

“It’s really critical to understand that dentistry is a regulated health care profession that requires formal educations and licensure,” Cooper said.

 

By Kimberly Palmer | NerdWallet

The investing information provided on this page is for educational purposes only. NerdWallet, Inc. does not offer advisory or brokerage services, nor does it recommend or advise investors to buy or sell particular stocks, securities or other investments.

Rahkim Sabree, a financial therapist and accredited financial counselor based in the Hartford, Connecticut area, worked hard in his 20s to achieve his dream of buying a house. At age 26, he finally did.

But soon afterward, he second-guessed himself after he came across a financial expert online who declared that buying a home was a bad move for young people. This particular expert encouraged renting instead.

Sabree felt crushed.

“Buying a home was an emotionally charged and scary decision for someone who didn’t grow up in a house and aspired for homeownership,” says Sabree, now 34. “To have it pooh-poohed was disheartening.”

Now, Sabree, along with a new wave of financial experts — many of whom have backgrounds in financial therapy and trauma-informed training — want to put a stop to online “financial shaming.”

Some self-declared money experts frequently make people feel embarrassed about their choices or financial situations, even using words like “stupid” or “idiot.”

That kind of inflammatory language can make people feel badly about themselves or even push them to avoid thinking about their finances altogether, which doesn’t help anyone improve their money situation, says Shannah Game, host of the “Everyone’s Talkin’ Money” podcast.

Traditional financial advice “often overlooks the systemic issues that can contribute to people’s difficulties, and instead places blame on individuals,” says Game, who is also a certified financial planner based in Asheville, North Carolina. “Language needs to be more inclusive and come from a softer, gentler approach because everyone’s situation is so different.”

Here are some ways to find financial advice that won’t make you feel ashamed.

Take a customized approach

Some financial planning advice is too rigid, says David Peters, a tax practitioner and financial advisor in Richmond, Virginia. It can be discouraging for those unable to follow along.

Peters points to one budgeting hallmark, the 50/30/20 approach, which suggests people allocate 50% of their after-tax income to needs (including any minimum loan payments), 30% to wants and 20% to savings and debt payments beyond the minimum.

That formula might be impossible for some people, especially anyone living in an expensive city on a modest income, Peters says.

Instead of struggling to follow a strict system that doesn’t make sense for your situation, Peters suggests designing a budget that works for you. Similarly, other common rules of thumb, such as paying off all debt before starting to save money, or maxing out retirement savings, might not be realistic or even a good idea for people on limited budgets.

Peters suggests picking a goal that makes sense for your unique circumstances. That might mean putting some money into an emergency savings account while continuing to pay off outstanding credit card debt, or saving just 2% of income into a retirement account, then slowly raising that percentage over time.

“Don’t be too worried about a specific number,” Peters suggests. “Just be constantly making progress toward your goal.”

Ask people to share their mistakes

Sometimes, asking people to share mistakes they’ve made can spark more inclusive conversations about money, Game says.

“There is this perception that there should be a level of perfectionism when it comes to money,” she says, such as being debt-free or having a perfect credit score.

People can feel like there’s something wrong with them when they don’t achieve that.

“Let’s encourage conversations around money not just about the successes, but about the challenges and things that are really hard for us,” Game says. That way, people can connect and feel supported, since no one is perfect.

Celebrate progress, not just big milestones

Taking note of little wins, such as saving even a small amount, making one extra debt payment or sticking to a budget for two months in a row, can build confidence and chip away at the shame.

That’s what worked for Olivia Lima, a CFP for Abundo Wealth in Sioux Falls, South Dakota.

“When I was trying to right my ship financially, I would keep a list and write down all my financial wins, even if they were tiny,” she says.

The list could include paying an extra $20 on a credit card bill or being able to handle an unexpected expense.

“You’ll hit a day when you feel discouraged and like you’re getting everything wrong, so you can look back on that list. It’s so valuable,” she says.

Embrace positive budgeting

Lima says a budgeting approach that focuses on what you can’t or shouldn’t have can invoke feelings of shame.

She suggests a more positive take: “It’s not about setting restrictions, but making conscious decisions. How do you want to use the dollars you have?”

For some people, the answer might be travel; others might focus on home improvements.

Using visual charts or graphics with color or pictograms to track your spending and saving can make budgeting feel fun and motivating instead of a drag that induces negative feelings, she says.

Follow shame-free experts

Today, many financial therapists create content that removes shame and guilt from personal finance, Sabree says.

“I am inspired by a lot of my peers who take a trauma-informed approach to personal finance,” he says. Following those kinds of financial experts on social media can help filter out shame-promoting posts.

“They reframe the thought process,” Sabree says, and offer support and guidance without resorting to making someone feel bad for previous decisions or situations.

That kind of supportive environment can make it easier to make smart decisions going forward without stirring up negative feelings about the past.

Kimberly Palmer writes for NerdWallet. Email: kpalmer@nerdwallet.com. Twitter: @kimberlypalmer.

The article How to Get Money Advice Without a Side of Shame originally appeared on NerdWallet.