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December 11, 2012 The Neatest Little Paper Ever Read

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This Tidbits will ring some bells of history! Bells have been around for many centuries, including references in the Bible. Long before telephone ringers, ambulance sirens, internet, emails and “tweets,” bells summoned the masses for news, happy and sad.

• Bells are rung at many major life events and occasions, including weddings and funerals in some religions. In earlier centuries bells were also rung to make announcements at community squares. Many churches ring bells at Christmas to celebrate the birth of Jesus Christ.

• A famous old poem written on December 25, 1864 by Henry Wadsworth Longfellow became one of our best loved Christmas Carols. “I Heard the Bells on Christmas Day,” was actually a poem that Wadsworth wrote concerning the sadness of America’s Civil War and the hope for its end. Two stanzas were removed when the poem was set to music by John Baptiste Calkin in 1872. The words, “Peace on earth, good will toward men,” included in the song, come from Luke 2:14 in the Bible.

• Ringing of bells and other noisemakers may have originated with pagans, people who have “little or no religion.” They used the bells to scare away evil spirits.

• Traditionally in Anglican and Catholic churches, the church day starts at sunset. So, for many churches the first service of Christmas Day will have bells ringing. These signify the start of Christmas services in many areas. In the United Kingdom (U.K.) it is traditional for the largest bell to be rung four times in the hour prior to midnight; then at midnight all of the bells ring to celebrate Christmas. Many old churches in the U.K. and other European countries have historic bells that have been ringing for centuries.

• One of those old churches, St. Lawrence Church in Ipswich, Suffolk, England, has what is thought to

turn the page for more!

Vol 1 Issue 48of the River Region

TIDBITS® HEARS THE BELLS TOLL

BELLSby Patricia L. Cook

Page 2 Tidbits® of the River Region

BELLS AND WHISTLES (continued): be the oldest set of bells in the world. Dating from about 1450, the set of five bells had not been used for two decades because of the poor condition of the tower that housed them. They were in a tower that was built in 1883, that was very flimsy. In a restoration project funded by donations to the Ipswich Historic Churches Trust, the bells were moved to an older, sturdier part of the building that was built in the 15th century. In September, 2009, the bells rang again, much to the delight of the town. Now when the bells are rung, they are in a part of the church where they can be seen through a glass screen. The building is no longer a church but is part of the Ipswich Town Centre.

• In the Ipswich project, the bells were cleaned at the Whitechapel Bell Foundry in East London. Whitechapel is Britain’s oldest manufacturing company, established during the reign of Queen Elizabeth I in 1570. In 1970 the Foundry celebrated 400 years, a quatercentenary! (It is now in its 442nd year.)

• Famous bells from Whitechapel include the Liberty Bell, the Great Bell of Montreal and the largest bell it has ever cast, Big Ben.

• Big Ben at Westminster Abbey deserves its name; weighing 13 tons (11.79 tonnes). It was cast (or made) in 1858. While most of the work of the company is with large bells, including all of the equipment needed and installation in church towers, Whitechapel also makes handbells and other small bells.

• While bell ringing, called “change ringing,” is most popular in England where it started centuries ago, there are bell ringers all over the world. Most English church bell towers have at least six to eight, but sometimes as many as sixteen bells in a the bell chamber or belfry. There are more than 5000 churches with bells for change ringing in their bell towers in England, while there are fewer than 300 in the rest of the world.

• Change ringing is a performing art, similar to a team sport, in that the team must work together in harmony to ring the bells. It is similar to being a part of an orchestra. Each ringer must learn to do his or her part. There are many change ringing organizations in England. The oldest association is the “Companie of Ringers of the Blessed Virgin Mary of Lincoln” which was started in 1612.

• The first true “peal” was believed to have occurred on May 2, 1715 at St. Peter Mancroft Church in Norwich, England. A peal is “a true touch of at least 5000 changes.” This magical ringing typically takes around three hours to ring!

• A strange ban that occurred during World War II was the ringing of bells. Ringing was quickly reinstated when peace returned.

• On January 1, 2000, in celebration of the start of the new millennium, bells were rung all over the world.

• There has been change ringing in North America since 1744 with groups of ringers active in Quebec, British Columbia, South Carolina, Illinois and more at various times. By the middle of the 20th century, change ringing in bell towers had almost completely died out on the continent. Change ringing was occurring some with handbells but the history is slim on that. In the early 1960s there were only seven active bell towers in North America: four in Canada and three in the U.S.

• The installation of change ringing bells at the new National Cathedral in Washington, D.C. in 1963 stoked the energy for new ringers in North America. Today The North American Change Ringers Guild, officially chartered in 1972, has more than 560 members with about 50 active bell towers in North America.

• The London-based “Ancient Society of College Youths” is one of the oldest ringing societies, started in 1637. They have members all over the world.

• While bell-ringing is an old and refined form of music, it is also popular in Christmas stories and songs that have nothing to do with classic bell tower tunes. Christmas bells are in many classic Christmas songs: “Jingle Bells,” “Silver Bells,” and “Christmas Bells are Ringing,” are three well-known Christmas carols that have been passed down for generations.

• Santa Claus and his reindeer jingle bells as they fly through the sky. Bells are attached to the reindeer harnesses and Santa’s sleigh.

• You have probably heard the saying “Every time a bell rings, an angel gets his wings”. Most remember this saying from the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life,” but over a hundred years ago this was a very common saying.

The New Year is coming, along with all that po-tential for a fresh start in the form of resolutions. It doesn’t need to be difficult to make changes. All we need to do is start small and decide on what can add positives to our life.Consider asking your doctor what you can do in the New Year to increase your level of health. The answer might be rather simple, such as, “Get some 3-pound hand weights and strengthen your arms and wrists.” Or, “Add one fruit to your diet each day. Canned is OK.” How easy that would be.Vow to stay in better touch with friends. Make a list of people who’ve started to drift away from lack of contact and make a call or send a letter to each one. Stay in touch with them every month.Learn a new skill. The senior center or recreation department will have classes of all kinds. Pick one, but give it some thought. Choose something you can stick with. Does it have a writing class? A beginning drawing class? Photography? How about teaching a class and passing along a skill you have?Do something for others on a regular basis. Sched-ule two or three days a month when you’ll shelve books at the library, socialize dogs at the animal shelter to give them a better chance of being ad-opted, answer phones at the food bank or anything else you think is meaningful.Here’s one suggestion with a tangible benefit: Pick one coin denomination, whether it’s a nickel, dime or quarter, and save it in a jar every time you get one in change. Save the coins all year and reward yourself next December.

Matilda Charles regrets that she cannot personally answer reader questions, but will incorporate them into her column whenever possible. Write to her in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475, or send e-mail to columnreply@gmail.com.

(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.

Resolutions Made Easy

“Be known before you’re needed” Advertise with Tidbits (334) 202-7285 Page 3

The week between Christmas and New Year’s Eve is a good time to get a running start on shopping for next year’s holiday season. Retailers are eager to add a few dollars to their coffers before the end of the year, and you might be able to get a large portion of next year’s shopping done at a deep discount. At the same time, you can shop for some of the events you have coming up in 2013.

Children grow quickly, but it’s safe to buy for adults who generally have stable weight. Jeans, sweaters, T-shirts and sweatshirts are good options for next year, as are gloves, hats and scarves. At the same time, if you have a fast-growing child who’ll likely outgrow what he or she is wearing before warm weather arrives, look for discounted winter gear.Keep an eye on Offers.com for coupons and markdowns at stores such as Best Buy, Old Navy, Bloomingdales and Toys”R”Us. Note which ones are for online pur-chases only, and which ones are in-store. Compare the online sales to your local ads, as there won’t be any pat-tern to where the bargains are.Stock up on supplies such as Christmas cards, wrapping paper, bows and tape. Look for outdoor lights, orna-ments and decorations. Stores would rather sell them at a discount than have to store them until next year. (If you’re shopping for non-holiday events that are coming up, go with solid-colored supplies such as red or gold for parties, picnics and birthdays supplies.)Check drugstores for holiday-specific merchandise. With the holiday over, they need to move it all out via deep discounts.If you have children with birthdays coming up soon,

keep an eye on toy stores that brought in the hot items of the season. Those same toys may now be on clear-ance.Fleece blankets and personal-size comforters never go out of style and are always a welcome addition for any-one’s TV viewing room.Think lonely: For big-ticket items like new carpeting or furniture, it doesn’t hurt to see what kind of deals you can get from your smaller local retailers. With so many people focusing on the holidays and shopping the malls, local retailers will be eager for sales to round out their year.Look for unboxed electronics or demo models, but opt for the warranty just to be safe.

David Uffington regrets that he cannot personally an-swer reader questions, but will incorporate them into his column whenever possible. Write to him in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Or-lando, FL 32853-6475, or send email to columnreply@gmail.com.

(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.

Find Bargains After Christmas

If you’re planning a festive holiday meal, don’t forget to celebrate with cranberries. Cranberries often are as-sociated with the holidays, but their nutritious tastiness is worth having anytime. Like many fruits, cranberries are high in fiber and vitamin C and low in calories and fat. A fresh cup of these tangy berries has 5 grams of fiber and 24 percent of the vitamin C the average person needs in a day, but just 51 calories. Use fresh, frozen or unsweetened dried berries for the best nutri-tive value.Cranberries are packed with antioxidants that may help maintain heart health and reduce cholesterol. The tan-nins in cranberries might help prevent gum disease and urinary tract infections. In the lab, cranberries prevent bacteria from adhering to the walls of the urinary tract and the gum line. According to the November 2010 edition of the Tufts University Health and Nutri-tion Letter, “trials investigating cranberry intake and urinary-tract infections showed that there has been some benefit established in reducing the number of infections in women.” Cranberry juice is often the form used when deliber-ately seeking to prevent infection. The fluid in the juice does help maintain hydration, which is known to help prevent infection. Cranberries are very tart and are of-ten consumed in combination with sugar. For example, a glass of cranberry juice cocktail has about 30 grams of sugar and 137 calories. This wonderful recipe uses a cranberries combined with figs and apples to add punch to a delicious roasted pork tenderloin. (Additional information provided by Janet Eckert, Regional Nutrition and Health Education specialist, Harrison County, University of Missouri Extension.)

PORK MEDALLIONS WITH CRANBERRY AND FIG CHUTNEY

2 cups fresh, frozen or dried cranberries 1 cup apple juice or apple cider 1 medium Gala, Fuji or Granny Smith apple, peeled, stem and core removed and chopped1/2 cup snipped, dried figs 3/4 cup packed brown sugar or granulated sugar 2 teaspoons chopped fresh rosemary or 1 teaspoon dried rosemary, crushed 2 1/2 teaspoons salt 2 1/2 teaspoons ground black pepper 2 (12-ounce) pork tenderloins 3 tablespoons honey mustard2 tablespoons poultry seasoning3 tablespoons vegetable or olive oil6 green onions, tops and white ends, diced (optional)Hot cooked brown or long grain rice (optional)

1. For the chutney: In a small, heavy saucepan, stir to-gether the cranberries, apple juice, apples, figs, sugar, rosemary and 1 teaspoon of the salt and pepper. Bring to a boil and reduce the heat. Simmer, uncovered, for 8 to 10 minutes or until the chutney reaches the desired consistency, stirring occasionally. Set aside.2. Cut each tenderloin crosswise into six pieces (12 pieces total), about 1-inch thick. Press each piece with the palm of your hand to an even thickness. Mix the mustard together with the remaining salt and pepper, and the poultry seasoning. Coat each piece with the mustard mixture evenly on both sides. 3. Pour the oil into a large, nonstick skillet and heat over medium-high heat. Place the pork in batches in a hot skillet. Do not overcrowd. Cook for 2 to 3 minutes or until the pork is slightly pink in the center and the juices run clear, turning once halfway through cooking time. Do not overcook.4. Place cooked pork on a plate and cover with foil to keep warm. Add more oil to the pan as needed. Continue cooking, a few pieces at a time, until all the pieces are done.5. Place 2 pork medallions on each dinner plate. Serve with hot cooked rice. Spoon some of the warm chut-ney over pork. Sprinkle with green onions, if desired. Pass remaining chutney. Makes 6 servings.

Angela Shelf Medearis is an award-winning chil-dren’s author, culinary historian and the author of seven cookbooks. Her new cookbook is “The Kitchen Diva’s Diabetic Cookbook.” Her website is www.di-vapro.com. To see how-to videos, recipes and much, much more, Like Angela Shelf Medearis, The Kitchen Diva! on Facebook and go to Hulu.com. Recipes may not be reprinted without permission from Angela Shelf Medearis.

(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc., and Angela Shelf Medearis

Celebrate Cranberries

Tidbits® of the River Region Page 4

* It was beloved American film star Katharine Hepburn who made the following sage observa-tion: “Love has nothing to do with what you are expecting to get, only with what you are expect-ing to give -- which is everything.”

* You might be surprised to learn that one out of every 18 people has a third nipple.

* The epic 1939 film “Gone With the Wind” was awarded 10 Academy Awards and is a beloved classic to this day. Given the astounding success of the movie, it’s shocking that one of the stars, Vivien Leigh, was paid only $15,000 for her role as Scarlett O’Hara.

* The world’s smallest spider is about the size of the period at the end of this sentence.

* You may not realize it, but not all “light” beers have fewer calories than brews without that label. A beer simply has to be lighter in color to be called “light.”

* The African ostrich lays an egg that weighs a whopping 30 pounds. It’s so sturdy that a grown man can stand on it without causing it any harm.

* When the Titanic sank in 1912, many pas-sengers perished in the frigid waters because no ship came to their aid until the Carpathia arrived more than two hours after the disaster. However, there was another ship nearby as the liner sank: a freighter, the California, was only 10 miles away. The crew even saw emergency flares fired from the liner, but they thought it was part of a celebra-tion rather than a signal of distress.

* Although a normal human infant is born with 350 bones, the normal human adult has only 206 bones.***Thought for the Day: “I’m an excellent house-keeper. Every time I get a divorce, I keep the house.” -- Zsa Zsa Gabor

(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.

by Samantha Weaver

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Register to win at www.riverregiontidbits.com and click on “Tommy Tidbits”. Fill out the registration information and tell us how many times Tommy appears in ads in the paper for this week. From the correct entries, a winner will be selected. You must be 18 years of age to qualify. The gift certificates will range in value from $25 to $50 each week. Entries must be received at the website by midnight each Saturday evening or at PTK Corp, PO Box 264, Wetumpka, AL 36092.

This week’s winner receives $65 Gift Certificate from Wadsworth Christ-mas Tree Farm

Last Week’s Ads where Tommy was hiding:1. Daniel Stewart’s Barber Shop, p. 32. Integrity Roofing, p. 43. GBN, p. 64. Southern Belle’s Cleaning, p. 95. Karen’s Mane Tamers, p. 12

DEAR PAW’S CORNER: I’ve heard that play-ing fetch with your dog teaches him bad habits and isn’t effective training. What do you say? -- T.J., via email

DEAR T.J.: I heard something like that several years ago, but not from a professional trainer -- from an acquaintance who likely misheard a trainer or misread something. Fetch is both a fun game and a method of dog training.Of course, one original use for the game of fetch was to teach dogs to retrieve small game. Certain breeds, like retrievers, were bred for this purpose. But most dogs have the instinct to run after a thrown object, though not all like to bring it back.The greatest benefit of fetch is that it’s a game you and your dog can play together. It can be part of your daily walks or additional playtime.

Here are the basics of fetch: Show your dog the ball or stick. Bounce the ball or wave the stick to get him excited about it. Throw the ball or stick a few feet away -- not too far at first. Let the dog run after it. When he picks it up, call him back, giving him copious praise when he brings back the ball or stick.Keep in mind you’ll probably have to walk out and pick up the ball or stick for awhile until your dog “gets” it. Consider it extra exer-cise for you. Once your dog understands that he should pick up the ball and bring it back, extend your throwing distance. Keep the game light, and only play it for as long as your dog is interested.

Send your questions or comments to ask@pawscorner.com, or write to Paw’s Corner, c/o King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. For more pet care-related advice and information, visit www.pawscorner.com.

(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.

Playing Fetch Is Fun Training by Samantha Mazzotta

Tidbits® of the River Region Page 6

It’s possible that the next NASCAR season will be similar to the one just completed, but it’s not as likely as in the past for 2013 to link seamlessly with 2012.Brad Keselowski is the Sprint Cup cham-pion, and his first probably will not be his last. Keselowski is just 28, with a future as bright as the noonday sun. He drove a Dodge Charger to his title. Next year he’ll be in a Ford Fusion, which, at the very least, re-quires some adaptation, and at the very most, a bit of uncertainty that wasn’t in place a year ago.Keselowski’s gamble isn’t as great as Clint Bowyer’s a year ago. Bowyer switched teams, moving from Richard Childress’s Chevy into Michael Waltrip’s Toyota. Bow-yer finished as runner-up to Keselowski.Really, though, all the cars are going to be different. NASCAR is implementing a design change, the most noticeable develop-ment being that the cars will look less like one another and more like cars that actually sit in showrooms and roll around streets.Teams will shake down their cars and pore over data from tests sanctioned by NAS-CAR, but the in short run, the balance of power almost surely will shift. Some teams will adapt better than others at the outset. In time, it will even out. Early on, one manu-facturer might appear to have a slight ad-vantage. That, too, will pass, but in a sense, the change might make the early part of next season more crucial than last.NASCAR officials also have made changes in the qualifying process, reducing the num-ber of automatic spots in the starting fields.In fairness, it should be added that 2012 was hardly a carbon copy of 2011. The champi-onship changed hands. Keselowski surprised the experts, most of whom expected him to make the Chase for the Sprint Cup but gave him little chance of winning it.A driver who almost won the 2011 cham-pionship, Carl Edwards, didn’t even make the Chase. Neither did Kyle Busch, who is almost unanimously considered one of the sport’s great talents.Stay tuned. February is going to be very interesting.***Monte Dutton covers motorsports for The Gaston (N.C.) Gazette. E-mail Monte at nas-carthisweek@yahoo.com.

(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.

Uncertain Times

Yes, ham can be the centerpiece of a healthy holiday meal -- just choose a piece that’s lean (ask for shank), low-sodium and smoked (to reduce fat). Amp up the flavor with apricots and mustard-marmalade glaze.

1 (7-pound) fully cooked bone-in smoked half ham1 package (6-ounce) dried apricot halves2 tablespoons whole cloves1/2 cup orange marmalade or apricot jam2 tablespoons country-style Dijon mustard with seeds

1. Preheat oven to 325 F. With knife, remove skin and trim all but 1/8 inch fat from ham. Secure apricots with cloves to fat side of ham in rows, leaving some space between apricots. Place ham, fat side up, on rack in large roasting pan (17 by 11 1/2-inches); add 1 cup water. Cover pan tightly with foil. Bake 2 hours.2. After ham has baked 1 hour and 45 minutes, pre-pare glaze: In 1-quart saucepan, heat marmalade and mustard to boiling on medium-high. Remove foil from ham and carefully brush with some glaze. Continue to bake ham 30 to 40 minutes longer or until meat thermometer reaches 135 F, brushing with glaze every 15 minutes. Internal temperature of ham will rise 5 to 10 degrees F upon standing. (Some apricots may fall off into pan as you glaze.)3. Transfer ham to cutting board; cover and let stand 20 minutes for easier slicing. Slice ham and serve with apricots from pan. Serves 16.

Tip: Ham halves are available as butt or shank. The shank half looks more like a classic whole ham because it contains the leg bone. It’s also easier to carve than the butt half, and less fatty.

¥ Each serving: About 240 calories, 7g total fat (2g saturated), 62mg cholesterol, 1,525 mg sodium, 16g total carbs, 0g dietary fiber, 29g protein.

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

(c) 2012 Hearst Communications, Inc.All rights reserved

Glazed Ham with Apricots

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* On Dec. 30, 1853, the United States acquires 30,000 square miles of land in what is now southern New Mexico and Arizona for $15 million. The purchase settled the dispute over the location of the Mexican border west of El Paso, Texas, and established the final boundaries of the southern United States.

* On Dec. 28, 1869, the Knights of Labor, a labor union of tailors in Philadelphia, holds the first Labor Day ceremonies in American history. In 1894, Congress designated the first Monday in September a legal holiday for all federal employees and the resi-dents of the District of Columbia.

* On Dec. 29, 1878, the first game is played between two teams of the first professional baseball league in Cuba. Baseball was introduced in Cuba around 1864, when some students returned home from studying in the United States and introduced their fellow islanders to the bat and ball.

* On Dec. 25, 1880, Layne Hall is born in Mississippi. When he died in 1990, Hall was the oldest licensed driver in the United States. In his nearly 75 years on the road, Hall never got a speeding ticket or citation of any kind.

* On Dec. 26, 1917, during World War I, President Woodrow Wilson an-nounces the nationalization of many of the country’s railroads. The Rail-road Control Act stated that within 21 months of a peace treaty, the railroads would be returned to their owners. In March 1920, the railroads became private property once again.

* On Dec. 27, 1932, at the height of the Great Depression, thousands of people turn out for the opening of Radio City Music Hall in New York City. Radio City Music Hall was de-signed as a palace for the people -- a place of beauty where ordinary folks could see high-quality entertainment. It remains the largest indoor theater in the world.

* On Dec. 24, 1979, the Soviet Union invades Afghanistan under the pretext of upholding the Soviet-Afghan Friendship Treaty of 1978. Within days, the Soviets had secured the capital of Kabul after overcoming fierce but brief resistance from the Afghan army.

(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.

Tidbits® of the River Region Page 8

One of the most intriguing ancient sites in the world sits at a high elevation in the An-dean mountains of Peru in South America. • The magnificent setting sits 9,060 feet (2,761 m) above sea level. Covering 5 square miles (12.95 sq km), Machu Picchu is the most unusual urban creation known that was built by the ancient Incan Empire. The terraces, ramps and giant walls look as if they were cut naturally in the rock escarp-ments but they were built by the Incans. • Machu Picchu means “Old Peak” in the local Quechuan language. The Incas may not have been the first people to use the mountaintop site but they were the ones who turned the site into an extraordinary city.• The ruins of the old civilization sit high in the clouds above the Urubamba River. There are remains of palaces, baths, storage rooms, temples and about 150 houses. The structures are carved from the granite of the mountain top and are archi-tectural and aesthetic wonders. Many of the giant building blocks weigh 50 tons or more (45 metric tons +) but are fitted together in such a way as to not allow a thin knife blade to be inserted in the mortarless joints.• The ancient city is invisible from below and completely self-contained. The agriculture is and was sufficient for the resi-dents with natural springs for drinking and crop production. • Yale history professor, Hiram Bing-ham, is given credit for “discovering” Ma-chu Picchu in 1911. In fact, the Incan people and others had already found the area! He “rediscovered” it and brought it much fame by revealing what he saw in lectures, news articles and books after his return. • The Inca civilization is one of the ancient cultures that has been studied for centuries. Back in the time of Columbus’ “discovery” of America, the Incan Empire was in control of most of South America. A mysterious culture, the Incans had phenom-enal abilities in construction, agricultural, and organization that are still apparent in the high mountains of the city of Machu Picchu. • The Incas were overthrown by the Spanish in 1532 and their culture became virtually unknown until discoveries such as Bingham’s revealed much of their history years later. • It is believed, through much of the archeological evidence, that Machu Pic-chu was an important ceremonial center for the Incas. In 2001, Peru’s first president of Andean Indian descent, Alejandro Toledo, celebrated his inauguration at Machu Pic-chu.• Even though the ancient city is not easy to get to, there are thousands of tour-ists who flock there every year. In fact, the Peruvian government introduced new tourist limits in 2011 to protect the historical sites. • Train and bus rides now take tour-ists to the top of the mountain that is Machu Picchu today. In Bingham’s time in the early 1900s mules and hiking were the only way to go. When the trails and old city were cleared of overgrown brush after years of neglect, well-constructed roads with pave-ment and drainage were discovered. The In-cas had set up a nice system that was ahead of their time. • Hiking is still possible for tourists who prefer more adventure. There are many stairs at Machu Picchu; in fact, more than 100 individual staircases, many of them carved somewhat miraculously from single slabs of stone.

MACHU PICCHUTo Your Good Health

By Paul G. Donohue, M.D.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Our 37-year-old daughter lives in Denver. She took her younger sister skiing where the altitude was 11,800 feet. Our younger daughter lives in Toronto, where the altitude is 250 feet. She felt discomfort or worse at the higher level.Is it safe for an unacclimatized person to travel to such an altitude abruptly? How best should one treat altitude sickness? Are there potentially any serious or lasting effects of altitude sickness? -- P and H.M.

ANSWER: At high altitudes the pressure of oxygen in the atmosphere drops, so less gets into the blood. Most healthy people can tolerate altitudes of 5,000 feet (1,500 meters) to 8,000 feet (2,400 meters) without difficulty. Older people and people with heart and lung disease might become short of breath at such heights.An unacclimatized person, trying to function at 8,000 feet (2,400 meters) or more, can run into trouble if the person doesn’t make the ascent slowly. Above 8,000 feet, people should not ascend more than 1,000 feet a day without returning to a lower altitude to sleep. They can continue to go higher if they descend 1,000 feet each night to sleep. They will know they are pushing too fast if a moderate amount of activity leaves them breathless and bushed.Acute mountain sickness, a formidable illness, occurs to unacclimatized people in the first six to 24 hours at a given height. People become short of breath, dizzy, have a dry cough and are nauseated. They often have a headache.High-altitude pulmonary edema, an even more serious illness and an emergency, fills the lungs with

Surviving on Thin Air

fluid. People cough, and the cough’s mucus is pink or bloody. These people have to be taken quickly to a lower altitude, and personnel experienced in the treatment of this condition have to manage definitive treatment.People who fully recover from either usually don’t have permanent damage. They are vulnerable to a second episode, however.Your daughter can protect herself on her next visit by slowly ascending and by taking Diamox. It’s a mild diuretic that affords good protection against altitude sickness.***DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I have developed an unquenchable thirst, which makes me drink water all the time. As a result, I have to spend a lot of time in the bathroom urinating. Can a person drink too much water? -- A.C.

ANSWER: A person can drink too much water, but that’s a very rare situation. A more likely explanation of what’s happening to you is diabetes.Excessive thirst, drinking water nonstop to satisfy the thirst and the resulting need to urinate frequently are signs of diabetes. You must see a doctor soon. ***DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Can you get ringworm from eating too much candy? Is there any relationship between not keeping the body clean and ringworm? I have been told that both can cause it. -- Z.C.

ANSWER: Neither causes it. Ringworm is a fungal infection. The infection can spring up on the head, the body, the hands or the feet (athlete’s foot). The fungus is picked up from someone else or from inanimate objects like the floor of a shower room.***Dr. Donohue regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but he will incorporate them in his column whenever possible. Readers may write him or request an order form of available health newsletters at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475.

(c) 2012 North America Synd., Inc.All Rights Reserved

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Q: My wife’s relatives are coming in next week to stay with us through the holidays. They tend to sit around the house, run up the electric bill and mess around with the tools in my work-shop. Any tips for handling them? -- Bill in Kis-simmee, Fla.

A: Unfortunately, I’m not Dear Abby, so I don’t want to step into personal territory by suggest-ing how to handle relatives. I might be able to provide some suggestions on cutting the electric bill a bit and preserving some of your sanity.You probably won’t be able to change their sit-ting-around habits (presumably watching tele-vision or tapping away on their laptops, if you say they’re running up the electric bill). Talk with your wife about getting away together for an evening or two during their visit, or schedule a get-together with your friends one night.

Pesky Relatives Mess Up

WorkshopBy

Samantha Mazzotta

To save electricity turn the heat a few degrees cooler (or turn the air conditioning a few degrees warmer, since Florida weather can be tricky in December). Not out of your comfort zone, but just a little less intense. Running the central air or heat less can knock a little bit off of that elec-tric bill. Shut off any unused rooms by closing the registers and then shutting the doors. If you have Christmas lights indoors or out, light them for only a few hours each evening.As far as your workshop goes, that’s pretty easy. Set limits. Politely ask, or have your wife ask, your in-laws to stay away from the shop area. You don’t need to give an excuse. As added in-surance, lock the door to the shop -- as long as it doesn’t impede safe exit from the house in an emergency.

HOME TIP: The home workshop can be a wel-come escape from a hectic holiday schedule. Make some time to work on a project or just or-ganize your workspace this season.

Send your questions or tips to ask@thisisaham-mer.com, or write This Is a Hammer, c/o King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Or-lando, FL 32853-6475.

(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.

* “Digital picture books are very easy to make these days, and they make great gifts. But here’s a way we use our digital photos to keep the kids engaged at family gatherings. Each family prints out a selection of photos. We let the kids make their own books using half sheets of paper, glue and markers. They design frames, etc. After they have several pages done, we tie them to-gether and make a cover of heavy cardstock. It’s a great take-home craft, a special souvenir for visitors and it gets them talking about family mo-ments.” -- R.E. in Alabama

* Want to mix it up a bit with your traditional chocolate chip cookies? Try rolling them in dif-ferent types of chopped nuts or sprinkles. Even crushed pretzels are really good. Or change the flavor of the chip. Add minced dried fruit, quick oats or other seeds for a change of taste. Melt chocolate chips and dip one side in it, then let

dry on waxed paper. Endless possibilities!

* At a loss for what to do with Christmas cards from years past? Why not make a wreath? Cut out a large ring from a cardboard box or other sturdy material. Arrange cards at different an-gles around the circle. Add decorative holiday picks or sprays, and ribbon or bow for depth.

* Having a holiday party? Put food and drinks in separate areas, as these are places that guests tend to linger. With different stops for each, guests will not bunch up in one place trying to do both, and it actually encourages mingling!

* Looking for a great cause for gifting this year? Go to www.charitynavigator.org to find out more about how your prospective charities rank in ar-eas like CEO pay, money spent on fundraising, etc.

Send your tips to Now Here’s a Tip, c/o King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Or-lando, FL 32853-6475 or e-mail JoAnn at her-esatip@yahoo.com.

(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.

Tidbits® of the River Region Page 10

1. Is the book of Luke in the Old or New Tes-tament or neither?2. From Matthew 1:18, when Mary became pregnant, she and Josephwere what? Married, Engaged, Just friends, Strangers3. For the journey to Bethlehem, how did Mary and Joseph travel? Bible not specific, Walked, Rode donkey, Boat4. At the birth of Jesus, who was king of Ju-daea? Solomon, Herod, Balak, Belshazzar5. What was the home city of Mary and Joseph? Capernaum, Nazareth, Aphek, Shechem6. Of these which wasn’t a gift from the wise men? Silver, Myrrh, Gold, Frankincense

1. When was the last time the Chicago White Sox finished last in their division?2. True or false: In his only season as manager of the Minnesota Twins, Billy Martin led the team to the playoffs.3. Who led the NFL in rush-ing the one year that Cleve-land’s Jim Brown didn’t dur-ing his nine-year NFL career?4. How many times has Brigham Young’s men’s bas-ketball team made the NCAA Tournament without ever reaching the Final Four?5. Name the first eighth-seed-ed NHL team to eliminate a No. 1 and a No. 2 seed in the same season. 6. In 2012, Kamron Doyle (14 years, 218 days old) became the youngest bowler to finish in the top three in a PBA event. Who had been the youngest?7. Who was the youngest U.S. boxer to win an Olympic gold medal?

Athletes & Hypnosis Hypnosis or visualization in athletic competition has existed for decades. One of the earliest reports of sports hypnosis was in 1956, the Russians utilized hypnotists to assist athletes to develop mental clarity and visualization at the Melbourne Olympics. It took the U.S. until the mid 60’s to come on board and match mental skills with several countries. Every sports activity involves concentration, mental rehearsal and psychological approaches to overcome obstacles. Decisions and changes in physical movement must be performed instantly or subconsciously. Self-talk and feedback from coaches and others are types of suggestions that can bypass the analytical mind and have a constructive or sabotaging effect. There is no more powerful way to create drive for winning and stop loosing behavior than hypnosis.For local assistance and a free consultation, review www.hypnosisworksnow.com and call 334-213-0054

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1. It was 1989, when they were 69-92.2. True. The Twins won the A.L. West in 1969.3. Green Bay’s Jim Taylor rushed for 1,474 yards in 1962.4. The Cougars have been to 27 NCAA Tournaments.5. The Los Angeles Kings, in 2012.6. Wesley Low, at 14 years, 344 days old, finished third in a PBA event earlier in 2012. 7. Jackie Fields was 16 when won a gold medal in the featherweight division in 1924.

BIBLE TRIVIA ANSWERS:

1) New; 2) Engaged; 3) Bible not specific; 4) Herod; 5) Nazareth; 6) Silver

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Looking for a holiday gift that lasts, strikes a chord with the recipient and whose newness doesn’t wear off before the gift wrap lands in the recycle bin? Think travel! Create an adventure in 2012 for your family and meet up at your destination with grand-parents and other relatives who share with you the excitement of discovery and making memories together.Multigenerational travel is on the move. Just ask Wendy Weigel, a seasoned traveler with her own family and vice president of travel services for AAA Minneapolis. “The gift of travel with the extended family is also a gift of family time,” she says. “In this challenging economy, people want value in what they spend and give. The opportunity to play, learn about other cultures and experience closeness with far-flung family members is important. And when the trip is over, the stories live on forever in the minds of the kids.” To get started, she suggests families talk about their top interests as a group and how they want to spend their time together: Do we want to go rafting? Stay at a condo at a ski resort? Visit a dude ranch? “When all is put on the table, taking a cruise is currently a top vacation pick for bringing everyone together and providing unfettered family time,” she says.I discovered the multigenerational trend recently as we sailed away from Port Canaveral, Fla., as a guest on the new Disney Dream to historic Nassau and Disney’s private island, Castaway Cay, in the Carib-bean. Infused with Disney magic, the nonstop fun offered on-board entertainment for every age. “The cruise director sets the stage with limitless creative activities, and it’s the families that make the fun,” said Arlene Moore from Kansas, as she toasted her 50th wedding anniversary with her husband, two sons and their families. “It’s a thrill seeing my grandchildren enjoying themselves with their cousins, aunts, uncles and grandfather. We can do whatever interests us during the day, meet at the theater for an early-evening, Broadway-style performance, then gather around a big table for dinner to share all of our experiences ... oh, and no one has to wash dishes. For me, that’s magic,” she adds.If the gift of multigenerational travel is stirring in your mind this holiday season, take a look online for opportunities that fit your interests, and visit a professional travel agent to help you coordinate the details. ***Donna Erickson’s award-winning series “Donna’s Day” is airing on public television nationwide. To find more of her creative family recipes and activi-ties, visit www.donnasday.com and link to the NEW Donna’s Day Facebook fan page. Her latest book is “Donna Erickson’s Fabulous Funstuff for Families.”

(c) 2012 Donna EricksonDistributed by King Features Synd.

The Gift of Travel Keeps on Giving

Tidbits® of the River Region Page 12