tidbits vol12#25

For Ad Rates Call: 208-704-9972 www.tidbitsinc.comDistributed by TBNI

June 2012 Volume 2012-25Of North Idaho

TIDBITS® LEARNS THAT GRASS IS NOT JUST FOR MOWING

by Patricia L. Cook

This Tidbits examines grasses around the world. There are many varieties of grasses found from the freezing North and South Poles to many deserts and the lands along the sultry hot equator.

•Grasses belong in the plant family botanists call Poaceae. Grasses are considered flowering plants, but the flowers are not showy as they are on, for example, roses and sunflowers. This lack of showi-ness is due to the fact that grasses are wind pol-linated and not pollinated by insects. The colorful blooms of most flowering plants are needed to at-tract pollinating insects. •The grass family is very large, containing an esti-mated 10,000 species worldwide. Over 1,000 spe-cies occur in North America.•Grasses range widely in shape and size, ranging from golf course turf and lawn grass to wheat, corn, rice, sugarcane and bamboo. •Grasses can be as short as the greens on a golf course and as tall as bamboo that can reach heights of 120 feet (40 m). Golfers around the world are thankful for the manicured greens that allow putts to roll precisely as intended. Pandas are thankful for the large bamboo forests they depend on for their sustenance. Talk about picky eaters: Bamboo is all they will eat! •All of our cereal grains belong to the grass family, including wheat, rice, wild rice, corn, oats, barley, millet and rye.•Some grasses can survive in very inhospitable places, from the tundra in the extreme north to the shifting sands in the harshest deserts and even where salt water is present. •Grasses were prevalent across the Great Plains of North America and proved instrumental in making the region a great cattle-grazing area. Since about 1880, much of the native grasslands have been dissected by agriculture. One of the last remnants of this vast grassland area untainted by agriculture is the Flint Hills region in eastern Kansas. Ecolo-gists refer to this ecosystem as tallgrass prairie, and preservation of a piece of it is assured in the Tallgrass Prairie National Preserve near Strong City, Kansas.

Continued on page 13

The Tidbits® Paper is a Division of Tidbits Media, Inc. • Montgomery, AL 36106(800) 523-3096 • E-mail: [email protected] • All Rights Reserved ©2008

Information in the Tidbits® Paper is gathered from sources considered to bereliable but the ac cu ra cy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

Can’t Get Enough Tidbits?

Limited EditionBook Set

Limited Edition

T R I L O G Y

Send $24.95 (plus $5.00 S&H) by Check or Money Order to:

Tidbits Media, Inc.1430 I-85 Parkway, Suite 301

Montgomery, AL 36106(800) 523-3096

(Alabama residents add appropriate sales tax.)Reprints of Books I, II, & III.

RESERVE NOW!

WANT TO RUN YOUR OWN BUSI NESS?

If You Can Provide: Sales Experience · A Computer · Desktop Publishing Software · A Reasonable Financial In vest ment

We provide the opportunity for success!

Call 1.800.523.3096www.tidbitsweekly.com

Publish a Pa per in Your Area

FAMOUS LANDMARKS OF THE WORLD:

MOUNT RUSHMOREMany monuments exist that honor early leaders of the United States. Most of those are on the East Coast where significant political and histori-cal events took place. Mount Rushmore is locat-ed in the Black Hills of South Dakota. •Doane Robinson, state historian for South Da-kota, came up with the idea for a tourist attrac-tion to bring people to his state. He imagined a memorial to famous Americans in the western United States. He is known as the “Father of Mount Rushmore.”•Robinson contacted Gutzon Borglum, a master sculptor, and shared his idea for carving large fig-ures in the Black Hills. Borglum was, at the time, working as the first sculptor on Stone Mountain near Atlanta, Georgia. His original work on Stone Mountain was actually totally blasted from the mountain, and that project was finished by oth-ers. (He left Stone Mountain because of funding disputes.) He took his talents to Mount Rush-more and became a part of history with the fa-mous work. •Borglum, originally from Idaho, began his art studies at the age of 17. He studied art in Cali-fornia and France. The first American sculpture ever bought for New York’s Metropolitan Muse-um of Art was Borglum’s Mares of Diomedes. His most famous artwork became the famous heads on the side of the mountains in South Dakota. •When Borglum and Robinson discussed the sculpture work for the Black Hills, Robinson wanted to memorialize America’s Western he-roes like Buffalo Bill Cody. Borglum convinced him to make the memorial for all of the country. They chose four presidents who stood for free-dom and democracy. •The presidents chosen for Mount Rushmore represent the first 150 years of American history. The presidents and their completion dates are: George Washington, 1934; Thomas Jefferson, 1936; Abraham Lincoln, 1937; and Theodore Roosevelt, 1939.•Mount Rushmore was worked on by 400 men and women from October 1927 to October 1941. Of the workers, about 140 worked on the moun-tain; the others built roads, cared for tools and helped in other ways. •Dynamite was used for 90 percent of the carv-ing; about 450,000 tons (408 million kg) of rock was blasted away to create the artistic render-ings.•Workers had to sit on “swing” seats hanging from cables to drill into the stone. Many had to climb over 500 steps daily to reach the top. Even with all of the dangerous possibilities, few were hurt and none died on the project.•Borglum died in 1941 before Mount Rushmore was finished. His son, Lincoln, took over the work. Work stopped on the sculptures on Octo-ber 31, 1941. When the United States entered World War II, there was no more money for the monument. •Mount Rushmore stands the same today as it did in 1941. It was cleaned in 2005, the first time in its history. According to the National Park Service, “Geologists estimate that the granite at Mount Rushmore National Memorial will erode only 1 inch (2.5 cm) every 10,000 years.”

PAGE 2 June 2012 To Advertise Call 704-9972 www.tidbitsinc.com

June 2012 To Advertise Call 704-9972 www.tidbitsinc.com PAGE 3

Summer Computer Scams

If you’ve received a warning from Google that your computer might shut down in early July due to a virus called “Doomsday” or “DNS Changer,” fear not. The FBI has been using Google to reach as many computer users as possible, but the actual number of computers affected is small. Still, take the easy step to find out for sure whether your computer has been compromised by going to www.dcwg.org. Click on Detect. If you’re staying in a hotel this summer and want to order food delivered, ask for recom-mendations from the front desk, not from any ads that might be put at your door. The ads could be a scam: You call to place an order and give them your credit-card number ... and by the time you realize the food is late, your credit card will have made a lot of purchases for the scammers.If you take a laptop with you on vacation and use a hotel Wi-Fi, beware that the connection might be compromised. Clean up your com-puter before you go to make sure there is no personal information on it, like bank account or credit-card numbers. The FBI alert says to be suspicious of popup software update alerts that appear on your screen.Online banking affords a number of opportuni-ties for scammers, but the newest one is that you’ll get an email saying that you need to “re-update” your account information. Call the bank before you download the attachment to these emails or click on any links. Here’s a scary number: One in ten. That’s how many computers the government thinks are compromised by some type of malicious soft-ware that can turn the computers into a “bot” or “zombies” used by scammers for everything from criminal activity to espionage. Keep your virus protection up to date, be suspi-cious of emails you don’t recognize and think twice before clicking on any links.To learn more, go online to OnGuardOnline [www.OnGuardOnline.gov]. It’s loaded with information on making your computer safe, protecting your kids online, staying safe on-line and avoiding scams. Be sure to read the Blog for up-to-the-minute safety advice and information. Also see StopThinkConnect [stop-thinkconnect.org] for excellent information on computer safety.If in doubt, or to learn more about current scams, go to www.ftc.gov, which is the Federal Trade Commission. David Uffington regrets that he cannot personal-ly answer reader questions, but will incorporate them into his column whenever possible. Write to him in care of King Features Weekly Ser-vice, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando,FL32853-6475

Never Forget

A veteran was buried in a cardboard box. I read those words on the Internet news, and my stomach did a flip-flop.This didn’t happen in an emergency in an out-of-the way place, or as a temporary measure, or as part of a crime. It happened in a National Cemetery.It never should have happened at all. It only came to light when maintenance workers were realigning the veteran’s headstone and discovered the cardboard box just below the surface.The World War II veteran was a man who had no family left to make any arrangements. Cemetery officials did part of their job when they gave him an engraved headstone. The cemetery held a small service. The veteran’s name was read in a ceremony that’s held a few times a year. But the medical examiner had sent his remains in a cardboard box ... and that’s how the veteran was buried, in a shallow grave, in a National Cemetery.How many others are there like this? Where I live, if there are unclaimed remains of deceased veterans, they go all out. Two vet-erans without family were recently buried with full honors, with color guard, “Taps” and folded flags, arranged by a group of funeral directors. The cremated remains in small wood caskets arrived by Hearse. A hundred people attended the ceremony to honor two men who had no one else. A bill now in Congress, “The Dignified Burial of Veterans Act of 2012,” will require the Depart-ment of Veterans Affairs to furnish a casket or urn to a deceased veteran when there is no next-of-kin or when there isn’t enough money available in the veteran’s estate.If ever there was a time to get on the phone to call your senators about supporting a bill, this is it.

Write to Freddy Groves in care of King Fea-tures Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Or-lando, FL 32853-6475, or send e-mail to [email protected].

(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.

Green Gardening

Q: What are some ways that I can keep my garden environmentally friendly? -- Tucker in Hartford, Conn.

A: A garden by itself is a great way to make a positive environmental impact, both beautify-ing your property and providing lots of fresh herbs and vegetables -- so you don’t have to make as many trips to the store to buy veggies that were trucked in. But there also are direct environmental issues concerning the care of a garden, such as the impact of chemical fertil-izers and bug sprays. There are a number of ways to reduce this impact:

--Catch rainwater in a barrel to use in watering the lawn and garden: place the barrel under-neath your home’s downspout. A covered bar-rel will discourage mosquitoes from taking up residence.

--Build a compost pile to use as your main source of fertilizer and rich soil in the garden.--Hand-weed the garden if possible. If you must use chemical weed-killer, use it exactly as directed on the package or bottle.

--Use the right amount of fertilizer recom-mended for the types of plants in your garden. Too much fertilizer can result in excess runoff into nearby streams or lakes, ecosystems that often are already stressed by lawn chemicals and fertilizers.

--Visit a local co-op, community farm or farm-er’s market to get information on organic and environmentally sustainable gardening. Class-es or seminars are available in many cities for aspiring organic gardeners.

There’s plenty of information out there, so head to the Internet and look around.

HOME TIP: A list of tips on organic and sus-tainable gardening, composting and more can be found at http://www.globalstewards.org/garden-ecotips.htm.

Send your questions or tips to [email protected], or write This Is a Hammer, c/o King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475.


June 2012 To Advertise Call 704-9972 www.tidbitsinc.com

TRIVIA PAGE

1. Name the group that released the album “Stage Fright.” 2. What do The 5th Dimension’s “Wedding Bell Blues,” Peter, Paul & Mary’s “And When I Die” and Three Dog Night’s “Eli’s Com-ing” have in common? 3. Which group struck gold with “Candida” in 1970? 4. Name the band that went to No. 1 with “Learning to Fly” and “On the Turning Away.” 5. Name the soul group that released “I’m Stone in Love with You” and “Break Up to Make Up.” 6. Who had No. 1 hits on the R&B chart with “She’s Gone” and “It Only Takes a Minute”?

1. CURRENCY: What is the image that appears opposite of Andrew Jackson on a $20 U.S. bill?2. GEOGRAPHY: What is the name of India to lo-cal residents?3. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What disease is caused by the bacteria “Yersinia pestis”?4. COMICS: What comic-book series featured Green Goblin as a villain?5. BOARD GAMES: If you have to go directly to jail in “Monopoly,” what two things are you told NOT to do?6. MUSIC: In what year did Elvis Presley make his first national television appearance in the U.S.?7. LITERATURE: What was the title of Dr. Seuss’s last book?8. FOOD & DRINK: What are the main ingredients of vichyssoise?9. MOVIES: What town was the setting for the movie “It’s a Wonderful Life”?10. ANATOMY: What is the function of the amyg-dala in the human body?

¥ On July 3, 1775, on Cambridge common in Mas-sachusetts, George Washington rides out in front of the American troops gathered there, draws his sword and formally takes command of the Continental Army. Washington declined to accept payment for his ser-vices beyond reimbursement of future expenses.

¥ On July 4, 1911, record temperatures are set throughout the northeastern United States, the result of a deadly heat wave that would go on to kill 380 people. By July 13, New York alone had reported 211 people dead from the excessive heat.

¥ On July 5, 1921, a trial begins in the case of seven Chicago White Sox baseball players accused of throwing the 1919 World Series. The conspiracy trial was just for show, and signed confessions from some of the players mysteriously disappeared from police custody. The jury acquitted all of the accused players and then celebrated with them at a nearby restaurant.

¥ On July 2, 1938, Helen Wills Moody defeats Helen Jacobs to win her eighth Wimbledon singles title. Her record was not broken until Martina Navratilova won her ninth Wimbledon title in 1990. Wills died in 1998 at the age of 92.

¥ On July 8, 1949, Wolfgang Puck, the celebrity chef and official caterer for the Academy Awards Governors Ball, is born in Austria. Puck’s restaurant Spago in West Hollywood, Calif., became famous for its gourmet pizza (which featured such toppings as caviar and smoked salmon) and its celebrity clientele.¥ On July 6, 1971, Louis “Satchmo” Armstrong, one of the most influential musicians of the 20th century, dies in New York City at the age of 69. Armstrong pioneered jazz improvisation and the style known as “swing.” He had many nicknames, including Satchmo, short for “Satchelmouth.”

¥ It was revered Chinese philosopher Con-fucius who made the following sage obser-vation: “He who learns but does not think is lost. He who thinks but does not learn is in great danger.”¥ If you ever have occasion to refer to an item that pertains to walnuts, it will be use-ful to have the word juglandaceous at your disposal.¥ It’s well-known that the United States is a melting pot of nationalities. At the end of the 1800s, New York City was so diverse that it had more Irish than any city except Dublin, and a larger Russian population than was to be found at that time in the city of Kiev. The only two cities in the world that had more German speakers were Vienna and Berlin, and Milan and Naples had fewer Italians than New York. ¥ If you’re like the average American, you will eat 1.5 tons of food this year.¥ Beeswax candles are valued largely be-cause they don’t drip as other candles do, but they’re also very durable. Archaeologists have found still-pliable beeswax candles in Egyptian tombs, and some have been recov-ered in good condition from sunken ships. ¥ Iowa has the highest literacy rate in Amer-ica.¥ In the grocery stores of today you might find a half-dozen varieties of apple, if you’re lucky. In centuries past, though, there were more than 350 varieties that were grown just for the purpose of making cider.

1. Is the book of Philemon in the Old or New Testament or neither?2. Lust, pride, anger, envy, sloth, avarice and gluttony are the seven “what”? Virtues, Horsemen, Archan-gels, Deadly sins3. From John 3, who said, “How can a man be born if he is old”? Oba-diah, Nicodemus, Joshua, Job4) What was another name for the natural asphalt used to caulk Noah’s Ark? Gopher, Pitch, Chimera, Helios5. From Acts 13, who was called “a man after thine own heart”? David, John the Baptist, Gideon, Peter6. Philippians 4:13 says, “I can do all things through” what? Prayer, Belief, Deeds, Christ

Answerson

Page 14


Grandparent ScamThere’s a new twist on an old scam on se-niors. The “grandparents scam” has taken a very creative turn. In the typical grandparents scam, a “grand-child” will call his grandparent and claim that there’s an emergency and that money must be wired to solve the problem. Differ-ent versions have the grandchild either in jail, stuck in a foreign country, in an acci-dent ... it doesn’t matter, but money needs to be sent immediately.Generally a “Hi, grandma” is enough to convince a senior that it is indeed his or her grandchild on the phone. Too many times the grandparent doesn’t ask enough questions. And too often, thousands of times a year, the grandparent will send the money ... to scammers. It’s not the grand-child on the line -- it’s thieves.Now there’s a new version of this scam. Not only do the thieves know the grand-child’s name and school, they have his or her voice asking you for money for the emergency.You can thank the Internet for that. If a grandchild has posted anything online that includes their voice, scammers can use that recording to create an emergen-cy message, all in your grandchild’s voice. All of these scams have some things in common. It’s an emergency. Money must be wired right away. If it’s not the grand-child, the scammer could claim to be an attorney or another relative. And there is a need for secrecy (“Don’t tell mom!”) You do need to consult others, though. If you get a call like this, contact the grand-child’s parents and ask what’s going on. If they’re not home, call the police.Do not send money. These thieves work out of foreign countries, and you will never get your money back.Matilda Charles regrets that she can-not 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

Ways to Control Irregular Heart

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Last fall, my heart started to jump around, and I took it that I had palpitations, although I wasn’t sure what palpitations were. It turns out I had atrial fibrillation. Since then, I have been on many medicines for the atrial fibrillation plus Coumadin, a blood thinner. The Cou-madin requires frequent trips to the lab. I have a hard time getting around. I don’t drive. My doctor suggests ablation. What are your thoughts? -- H.M.

ANSWER: Atrial fibrillation is in either first or second place when it comes to heart questions. It means the heart beats rap-idly and irregularly. The rapid heart pumps less effectively, and the irregular beat pro-motes the formation of blood clots in the upper heart chambers. Those clots, or pieces of them, can be carried through the circulation to the brain, where they cause a stroke.

Treatment for atrial fibrillation aims to slow the heart, get it to beat regularly and pre-vent clots from forming if a regular rhythm cannot be attained.Medicines sometimes can both slow the heart and restore a normal rhythm. If a normal rhythm is not achieved, the patient will still do well if the heart beats slowly. That patient, however, must add to his or her treatment a blood thinner like Couma-din to prevent clots and a stroke.

Your doctor has suggested a way to restore a regular beat -- ablation. A heart doctor inches a special catheter -- a thin, pliable tube -- from a surface blood vessel to the heart. The catheter is equipped to emit ra-dio waves, which make a series of scars to prevent the generation of erratic signals that spawn atrial fib. The result, when the procedure is effective, is a normal, regular heartbeat. The patient can then kiss Cou-madin goodbye. My thoughts are that it’s worth serious consideration.

You can also get rid of Coumadin by switching to Pradaxa, a blood thinner that doesn’t require lab testing. It’s new and is somewhat expensive.

The booklet on heartbeat irregularities ex-plains atrial fibrillation in detail. To order a copy, write to: Dr. Donohue -- No. 107W, Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a check or money order (no cash) for $4.75 U.S./$6. Canada with the recipi-ent’s printed name and address. Please allow four weeks for delivery.


¥ Save the rubber bands from broccoli. You can put them around the body of a drinking glass so it will be less slippery as water condenses on it.

¥ “I save the wrappers from my unsalted butter sticks in a baggie in my refrigerator. I use them to grease a pan when baking.” -- M.M. in Wisconsin

¥ Corn is best cooked within a day or two of being picked, so farm-stand corn is the best. Add a little bit of milk to the cooking water, and it will bring out the natural sweetness.

¥ Cherries are in season! Much like strawberries, they need to be kept refrigerated but taste best at room temperature. Before eating your cherries, let them sit out for about a half-hour. Mmmmm.

¥ Dried lentils don’t need to be soaked prior to cook-ing like other dried beans. And they’re packed with protein.

¥ “If you lose a contact lens and can’t find it right off, try turning out the lights and shining a flashlight across the ground. The lens might reflect the light and cause a flash. That will make it easier to find.” -- T.L. in Texas

Send your tips to Now Here’s a Tip, c/o King Fea-tures Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475 or e-mail JoAnn at [email protected].


Answers on page 14


As we all know, baseball lore is peppered with various episodes focused on the eccen-tricities of the game. There was the “dead ball era,” for instance -- a time when the baseballs were handmade and not as tightly wound, turning a home run into a major event. Third baseman Frank Baker once hit 10 in a season, and he earned the nickname “Home Run.”Then there was the famed “year of the pitch-er” in the ‘60s, when the mound was raised and the strike zone was expanded. Fans didn’t like that era too much. Nothing like sit-ting in the upper deck to watch 1-0 shutouts and see maybe, if you were lucky, four or five Baltimore chops escape the infield.I won’t expound on the “steroid era,” but an interesting thing happened recently in Cincin-nati that bridged a gap all the way to the ‘20s-era style of baseball. It took a 7-6 Detroit Ti-gers win over the Cincinnati Redlegs to bring us all the way back to the era of the spitball. In that game, Tigers closer Jose Valverde can clearly be seen putting his ball into the web of his glove, inhaling deeply, opening his mouth to reveal ... um, a natural byproduct of his nasal cavity, and spitting it into his glove. Then, he threw a pitch, struck out the side and saved the game. It was a nationally televised game, but it was one of the Cincinatti Reds players’ wives who raised a ruckus about Valverde’s move on Twitter. It was a spitball! Soon, the video of the pitch in question was all over YouTube.I saw the video. I saw him spit. Then I saw him throw a four-seam fastball that rose up and in -- which is the opposite of what a spitball is supposed to do, which is dip down. But then, we are talking about Jose Valverde, who isn’t someone known for consistency.Former Major League pitcher Dirk Hayhurst cried foul on Yahoo! Sports -- but not for rea-sons you’d think. “A pitcher spitting into his mitt is nothing new, scandalous or even the best way to doctor a baseball,” Hayhurst said. “Why, with all the advances in ball doctoring technology avail-able to today’s modern player, hocking a loog on a baseball is like trying to kill an antelope with a sharp stick.”Gaylord Perry, who threw the pitch well into the ‘80s during his Hall of Fame career, has always defended the practice of, well ... messing with the ball. In interviews of late, he says that he “stretched” the rules a bit.“I corked a few bats in my day also, but it didn’t do me any good because I was a lousy hitter. None of those things are gonna help you unless you have the ability to begin with.”And, at the very least, a bit of a stuffy nose.

SPORTS OF SORTS

NASCAR THIS WEEK By Monte Dutton

Pupil Beats Teacher

Not only did the season’s 14th race come down to a battle between two drivers -- Joey Logano and Mark Martin -- separated in age by 31 years, but they are also the Sprint Cup Series’ best ex-ample of a pupil and a teacher. Martin, 53, was raving about Logano, 22, when the latter was 12.In a sense, Logano nudged his biggest fan out of the way. He won at Pocono Raceway by what Martin himself referred to as the old “bump and run.”“It has been acceptable in this racing for a long time,” Martin said. “It’s not how I would have done it, but certainly, if I’d have had a fast-enough car, he would have gotten a return. But I couldn’t quite keep up with him.” As Charlie Robison sang, “These are desperate times.” The general perception in the sport is that Logano -- and in a sense, this seems ridiculous given his still-tender age -- is under some pressure to keep his ride once the season ends.Whether that’s true or not -- or whether winning remedies whatever the situation truly is -- a vic-tory has to help. Beforehand, the worry was

1. Since the major leagues expanded to 162 games in 1961, what was the earliest date that a team clinched a playoff spot?2. Name the last Los Angeles Dodgers pitcher before Clayton Kershaw in 2011 to lead the N.L. in strikeouts for a season.3. When was the last time before the 2010 season that Syracuse’s football team won a bowl game?4. Name the only NBA team to improve on its record at least six consecutive years?5. How many NHL seasons did Mike Modano play with the Minnesota/Dallas franchise?6. Kevin Harvick set a record in NASCAR’s Truck series in 2012 for most laps led in a race. How many of the 250 laps did he lead?7. When tennis returned to the Olympics in 1988, how long had it been absent?

1. The New York Yankees clinched their division Aug. 29, 1998.2. Hideo Nomo had 236 strikeouts in

1995.3. It was the Insight Bowl after the 2001 season.

4. The Minnesota Timberwolves (1992-93 season through 1997-98 season).5. Twenty seasons.

6. He led 248 laps.7. Since 1924 -- 64 years.

whether or not Logano could remain at Joe Gibbs Racing. Afterward, talk drifted ever so slightly in the direction of whether or not Lo-gano wants to stay there. All of a sudden, he’s the one with options.“No, I haven’t been informed on where I stand for next year yet, so it’s all up in the air,” Lo-gano said. “Obviously, winning a race means a lot and it helps that out a ton. For sure, right now, my future is not set with anybody. Youneed to go out there and win races, not like we always do, but to get this win means a lot.“It’s at a perfect time, and I think us teaming up with Jason (Ratcliff, his crew chief) this year has been a really big help for me, and able to make our whole team really work together re-ally well, and it’s paying off. My hope is to ob-viously stay with what I’ve got and keep work-ing with Jason, but you never know. Those things go back and forth and switch around a lot, and all I can do is stay focused on my job, and that’s driving the race car.”Now the ball’s back in team president J.D. Gibbs’ court, and it might not be a bad idea to come up with a new contract offer. The price tag may be rising.


COMICS

November 2011 To Advertise Call 704-9972 www.tidbitsinc.com PAGE 11June 2012 To Advertise Call 704-9972 www.tidbitsinc.com PAGE 11

Confronting a Rude Dog-Park Denizen

DEAR PAW’S CORNER: Our town has desig-nated a small park near my home as a place where dogs are allowed. It’s not an official dog park, and because it also has a playground at one corner, many of us who visit have agreed that, if children are present, our dogs will be on leashes so as not to cause a problem. We’ve found the best way to allow our dogs to run free is to show up very early, when kids aren’t pres-ent. And we pick up after our dogs so the park remains a pleasant place for all.But there’s one person who doesn’t respect this agreement. He lets his dog poop wherever and never picks up after it, brings his dog at all hours and lets it run off the leash when kids are around. Is there anything we can do to stop this? -- Naomi in Newton, Mass.

DEAR NAOMI: Have you approached him di-rectly? If he doesn’t know that you and other fellow dog-owners have set up unwritten rules on managing the dogs’ conduct, he won’t know about the leash rule you’ve established. Re-mind him that it’s good manners and common sense to pick up after his dog, particularly in a

Q: While attending a church sale in Iowa earlier this year, I spotted a Rookwood vase, which I bought for $100. After returning to my home in Texas, I asked an antiques dealer if he could identify it for me. He claims it is the work of Ed Diers, one of his poppy patterns executed on a vellum flaring vase. He could not give me an idea of its value, and that is why I am writing you. -- Betty, College Station, Texas

A: You got quite a deal. One of the better ref-erences for this type of ceramics is “Warman’s Rookwood Pottery: Identification and Price Guide” by Denise Rago and Jonathan Claney (Krause Publications). According to this ref-erence, your vase was made in about 1927, and in mint condition is valued in the $4,000 to $6,000 range.A word of caution: Reproductions of Rookwood have popped up at flea markets and in shops in recent years, the work of wicked Asian re-production elves who never, ever rest. To make certain you purchased the real deal, a certified appraisal should be next on your shopping list.

Q: I have a Kodak camera that still has its origi-nal instruction book. It also includes a tripod. How much is it worth? -- Katherine, Grand Junc-tion, Colo.

A: There are Kodak cameras ... and there are Kodak cameras. Your question is a little like how much is my old car worth. If the car is a 1934 Packard roadster, quite a bit, but if it is a Yugo, not so much. Without a model number and condition, I can’t help you.

The Tidbits® Paper is a Division of Tidbits Media, Inc. • Montgomery, AL 36106(800) 523-3096 • E-mail: [email protected] • All Rights Reserved ©2008

Information in the Tidbits® Paper is gathered from sources considered to bereliable but the ac cu ra cy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

Can’t Get Enough Tidbits?

Limited EditionBook Set

Limited Edition

T R I L O G Y

Send $24.95 (plus $5.00 S&H) by Check or Money Order to:

Tidbits Media, Inc.1430 I-85 Parkway, Suite 301

Montgomery, AL 36106(800) 523-3096

(Alabama residents add appropriate sales tax.)Reprints of Books I, II, & III.

RESERVE NOW!

WANT TO RUN YOUR OWN BUSI NESS?

If You Can Provide: Sales Experience · A Computer · Desktop Publishing Software · A Reasonable Financial In vest ment

We provide the opportunity for success!

Call 1.800.523.3096www.tidbitsweekly.com

Publish a Pa per in Your Area

park where kids run and play. In many com-munities, it’s a ticketable offense not to pick up after your dog.If he ignores the request, make it again. Ex-plain that the rules were put together in order to keep the park open to dogs -- if there are too many complaints, the city could ban pets from the park. If you can’t convince him, your group may have to form a more official club with writ-ten rules, in order to negotiate with both the city and boorish dog owners.

Send your questions or tips to [email protected], or write to Paw’s Corner, c/o King Fea-tures Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlan-do, FL 32853-6475. For more pet care-related advice and information, visit www.pawscorner.com.



JUST FOR KIDS?


Plum Buckle Is Easy, Fresh Summer RecipeBubbling sweet plums in a butter cake, often referred to as a buckle, is a tasty dessert treat to serve this holiday weekend and all summer long. It’s my go-to summer recipe not only be-cause it uses one of my favorite seasonal fruits, the luscious and beautiful plum, but it’s also a piece of cake to make!Look for ripe plums with your family at a road-side stand or at your local grocery store. While choosing the fruit, show your kids how to gen-tly squeeze each one to find ripe choices. The fruit should give slightly when lightly pressed between your fingers. Young kids will have fun counting up at least five for this recipe, or let them weigh 1 1/2 pounds’ worth. If there are several varieties to choose from, ask if you can taste samples.When you return home, wash the fruit and gather all the ingredients. While you wait for the butter to come to room temperature, your school-age child may grate the lemon peel, and another may grease and flour the pan while you slice the plums. Now everything will be ready to go together in a snap.FRESH & EASY PLUM BUCKLECake:1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour1 teaspoon baking powder1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg1/4 teaspoon salt1 cup (1/2 pound) butter, at room temperature1 cup sugar, 2 large eggs1 1/2 teaspoons grated lemon peel1/3 cup milk4 cups (about 1 1/2 pounds) unpeeled ripe plums, pitted and sliced 1/4 inch thickTopping:2 tablespoons sugar1/2 teaspoon ground cinnamon1. Preheat oven to 325 F. 2. Mix together the flour, baking powder, nut-meg and salt in a bowl. Set aside.3. Beat the butter and 1 cup sugar on high speed until smooth and fluffy. Add eggs one at a time, beating well after each addition. Beat in grated lemon peel.4. Stir half the flour mixture into the butter mix-ture. Add milk, and gently stir in remaining flour mixture just until the dry ingredients are moist-ened and the batter is smooth. Spoon into a buttered and floured 8-inch-square baking pan. Let kids arrange plum slices, slightly overlap-ping them in rows or concentric circles over the batter. Sprinkle topping over slices.5. Bake 45 minutes or until a toothpick or skew-er inserted in the center comes out clean. Let cool in pan. Slice and serve warm or at room temperature. Top with a flag on each piece for the Fourth of July, or with a candle or trinket for a summer birthday. Serves 10.

Orange-Endive Ambrosia

1/2 cup coarsely shredded unsweetened coco-nut1/4 cup low-fat buttermilk1 tablespoon sherry vinegar1 teaspoon Dijon mustard1 tablespoon extra-virgin olive oilSalt, Freshly ground black pepper4 navel oranges4 heads Belgian endive1/2 cup fresh flat-leaf parsley leaves, packed1. In 12-inch skillet, toast coconut on medium 2 to 4 minutes or until golden, stirring occasion-ally. Remove from heat and cool completely. (Coconut can be kept at room temperature in an airtight container up to 1 day.)2. In small bowl, with fork, mix buttermilk, vin-egar, mustard, oil, 1/4 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper until well-mixed. (Dressing can be covered and re-frigerated up to 1 day.)3. With knife, cut peel and white pith from or-anges and discard. Cut each orange crosswise into 1/4-inch rounds; cut each round in half and transfer to bowl, keeping some rounds whole if you like. (Oranges can be covered and refriger-ated up to 1 day.)4. When ready to serve, trim endive. Cut cross-wise at an angle into 1-inch pieces; discard core. In large bowl, toss endive and parsley with dressing until coated.5. On large serving platter, spread half of orang-es decoratively in single layer. Top with salad and remaining oranges. Sprinkle with toasted coconut. Serves 8.------------Pimiento-Studded Deviled Eggs

12 large eggs, hard-cooked and shelled1/4 cup sliced pimientos, chopped1/4 cup low-fat mayonnaise dressing1 tablespoon plus 1 teaspoon Dijon mustard1/2 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)1/4 teaspoon saltFresh herb sprigs for garnish

1. Slice each egg lengthwise in half. Gently re-move yolks and place in small bowl; with fork, finely mash yolks. Stir in pimientos, mayon-naise dressing, mustard, ground red pepper and salt until well mixed.2. Place egg-white halves in 15 1/2-inch by 10 1/2-inch jellyroll pan lined with paper towels (to prevent eggs from rolling). Spoon yolk mixture into egg-white halves. Cover and refrigerate until ready to serve. Serves 24.

Contiinued from front page•Grains are one of the four primary food groups identified in the nutritional guidelines posted by the U. S. Department of Agriculture. The rec-ommended daily grain intake for adults is 5-8 ounces (141.7-226.8 g) with at least half of this intake being whole and not refined grain. The USDA website, HYPERLINK “http://www.choosemyplate.gov” www.choosemyplate.gov, has good information on this subject. •The connection between grains, carbohy-drates and obesity is a hot topic of discussion among nutrition experts in the United States. The Grains Food Foundation (GFF) notes that whole grains are important sources of iron, a nutrient critical to production and release of en-ergy in the body. The GFF further notes that the three nutrients selenium, potassium and mag-nesium found in whole grain foods collectively may help boost immunity, lower blood pressure and prevent heart disease and some forms of cancer.•Exotic grasses introduced into an area where they are not native can sometimes set the stage for an ecological disaster. Cheatgrass that is native to the Mediterranean region of Europe was first observed in North America near Den-ver, Colorado, in the late 1800s. Allegedly, it entered as a contaminant of agricultural seed. This grass is now a troublesome pest across much of arid western North America and rated by the USDA as a highly invasive species.•Not only is bamboo food for pandas, it is a versatile construction material. Its uses include flooring, fencing, decking, support poles, pan-eling, edging and conduits (piping) to transport water. •Bamboo is also becoming known in the bicycle world as a raw material for bicycle frames. Bamboosero is a company dedicated to using bamboo to construct bicycle frames in developing countries. Bamboo is an excellent choice for frames due to its strength and flex-ibility. Also, bamboo is plentiful in many devel-oping countries, and building bicycles provides needed employment to produce a useful prod-uct. Visit HYPERLINK “http://www.bamboose-ro.com” www.bamboosero.com to learn more.•Native peoples in North America and Africa used grasses and other plants as the fibrous material for weaving baskets. In the low country of South Carolina, descendants of West African slaves continue the traditions of basket weav-ing using sweet grass that is common to coastal South Carolina. Native Americans in California are believed to have managed vegetation using periodic land fires to remove unwanted plant lit-ter, trees and shrubs from stands of deergrass, a grass prized in basket weaving.•If you own or spend time around dogs you have probably observed them eating grass. Why do dogs eat grass? It’s a question that has plagued veterinarians for years, and there is no univer-sally accepted answer. Some possible answers are that dogs simply like the taste of grass or that grass serves as a laxative by adding fiber to the dog’s diet. Veterinarians are generally unified in the belief that grass, untainted by pes-ticides, is not harmful to dogs.


Puzzle and Game AnswersUnited States of Science

The United States has been home to a great deal of renowned scientists over the years, each offering their own unique expertise and contributions to society. Below are some of the most famous American scientists and their ac-complishments. •Perhaps one of the most famous American scientists and inventors, Benjamin Franklin is credited with discovering electricity, and his in-ventions include the bifocal lens, lightning rod, carriage odometer and more.• A brilliant scientist and businessman, Thomas Edison is best known for inventing the electric light bulb. Other inventions include the motion picture camera and phonograph.•Research chemist Percy Lavon Julian was a pioneer in the medical field for his work with medicinal drugs synthesized from plants and for producing hormones such as testosterone and progesterone from plant sterols.•Most famous for concocting the recipe for peanut butter, George Washington Carver had a fruitful career in improving and/or inventing products such as axle grease, instant coffee, adhesives, buttermilk, bleach, metal polish, plastic and more.•Portland, Oregon, native Linus Pauling was an expert in molecular structure and chemical bonds. He has authored more than 350 publi-cations in his field and was named the Human-ist of the Year in 1961. He was awarded the Nobel Peace Prize in 1963.•Famous for his contributions to the space program, Carl Sagan served as an advisor for NASA and solved many space exploration mysteries surrounding planets including Venus and Mars in addition to briefing astronauts be-fore they journeyed to the moon. Sagan re-ceived numerous NASA awards including the Exceptional Scientific Achievement Award, Apollo Achievement Award and Distinguished Public Service Award. He also authored nu-merous best sellers and was awarded the Pu-litzer Prize. •American rocketry pioneer Robert Goddard, considered the father of modern rocket propul-sion, built the first rocket to use liquid fuel. It wasn’t until 14 years after he died in 1945 that he was awarded a gold medal by Congress. It is said that his first thoughts of rockets came to him while pruning cherry trees as a boy.•Nobel Prize winner Barbara McClintock is one of the most famous American female scientists in the world. She is most recognized for her work and discoveries with chromosomes and genes. She was the first woman to win an un-shared Nobel Prize, which she was awarded in 1983 in Physiology or Medicine.•Mesmerized by the stars as a young boy, Clyde Tombaugh first decided to build a tele-scope because he was dissatisfied with the one he owned. Although he built more than 30 telescopes in his lifetime, Tombaugh is most famous for discovering Pluto.•Although Clyde Tombaugh is credited with discovering Pluto, Astronomer Percival Lowell paved the way for him. Lowell predicted the existence of a planet beyond the orbit of Nep-tune. He’s also received recognition for his ex-tensive studies on Mars and Uranus.• Before he became a world-class astronomer and mathematician, Benjamin Banneker’s first great feat was building the first striking wooden clock made completely in America. After teach-ing himself astronomy and advanced math, he went on to publish his almanac, which became an instant best seller.

Trivia Test Answers1. The White House2. Bharat3. Plague4. “Spider-Man”5. Do not pass Go, and do not collect $2006. 1956 (“The Dorsey Brothers Stage Show”) 7. “Oh, the Places You’ll Go!” 8. Potatoes and leeks9. Bedford Falls 10. Processes fear and emotional responses

Bible Trivia Answers:1) New; 2) Deadly sins; 3) Nicodemus; 4) Pitch; 5) David; 6) Christ

Flash Back Answers:

1. The Band, in 1970. The album included “Just Another Whistle Stop” and “The Shape I’m In.”2. All were written by singer-songwriter Laura Nyro. Doz-ens of artists can trace some of their success to the mu-sic Nyro wrote.3. Tony Orlando and Dawn. The group followed up with two No. 1 singles, “Knock Three Times” and “Tie a Yellow Ribbon Round the Old Oak Tree.”4. Pink Floyd, in 1987. The songs were on the group’s “A Momentary Lapse of Reason” album.5. The Stylistics, in 1972 and 1973. Both songs reached the Top Ten.6. Tavares, in 1974 and ‘75.


ShowBiz Weekly

CELEBRITY EXTRABy Cindy Elavsky

Q: When will my favorite show, “Leverage,” be back with new episodes? A: The pre-miere of season five of the hit TNT show will be Sunday, July 15, at 8 p.m. ET/PT. This year brings 10 all-new episodes star-ring your favorite gang of thieves, grifters and con artists led by Academy Award-winner Timothy Hutton, along with Gina Bellman, Christian Kane, Beth Riesgraf and Aldis Hodge. This season promises to deliver high action and intrigue -- and maybe some more romance -- as well as big-name guest stars, such as Cary El-wes and Treat Williams.Q: Is it true that Matthew McConaughey finally tied the knot? -- Tina R., via e-mailA: Lustful ladies all over the world had to give up the dream of becoming Mrs. M. in early June, when Matthew married long-time girlfriend -- and mother of son Levi, 3, and daughter Vida, 2 -- Camilla Alves in an intimate ceremony at the couple’s home in Austin, Texas.Q: What’s next for the beautiful Andie MacDowell? It seems I see her only on hair color/make-up commercials any-more, and I really miss seeing her in movies. A: Andie just started production in mid-June on the new Hallmark Chan-nel original series “Cedar Cove,” which is based on the best-selling book series of the same name by Debbie Macomber. Andie will star as Judge Olivia Lockhart, whose Cedar Cove Municipal Court is the professional milieu and social microcosm of issues the judge will face in her own day-to-day life with family and friends. The series kicks off with a two-hour pilot, scheduled to air at the end of the year, with a weekly one-hour series to follow in early 2013.

JILL JACKSON’S HOLLYWOOD

By Tony Rizzo

PHOTO:Mads MikkelsenHOLLYWOOD -- NBC is taking a cue from “Grimm” to give us a show about --cannibalism! And who’s better known than Hannibal the Cannibal from “Si-lence of the Lambs”? NBC has ordered 13 “Hannibal” episodes for mid-sea-son and cast 46-year-old Danish actor Mads Mikkelsen in the lead role. The Cannes Film Festival jury just handed Mikkelsen top acting honors for “The Hunt,” in which he skillfully played a man faced with public hysteria after be-ing accused of child molestation. Mik-kelsen took on James Bond in 2006’s “Casino Royale,” and was the leader of the King’s Guard in 2010’s “Clash of the Titans.” In August, he films “Thor 2” with Chris Hemsworth, Natalie Portman and -- what do you know -- Anthony Hop-kins! Who better to get Hannibal Lecter tips from than the man who won his Os-car for creating him? We’ll see “Hanni-bal” long before “Thor 2” is released in November 2013. There’s gonna be a lot more vegetarians after this show comes out! Woody Allen is coming home after making his past three films in London (“You Will Meet a Tall Dark Stranger”), Paris (“Midnight in Paris”) and Italy (“To Rome With Love”). His next, still untitled film will star stand-up comics Louis C.K. and Andrew Dice Clay, as well as “30 Rock’s” Alec Baldwin (also in “To Rome with Love”), Oscar winner Cate Blanchett, “Will & Grace’s” Bobby Cannavale and “Green Lantern’s” Peter Sarsgaard. It’s being shot in Barcelona, Paris and Rome, as well as New York and San Francisco. Woody also has signed former “Doogie Howser, M.D.’s” Max Casella to co-star. Where has Max been since “Doogie” ended in ‘93? He played opposite Johnny Depp in “Ed Wood” (‘94) and played Pvt. Paparelli in “Sgt. Bilko” (‘96). In 1997, he created the role of Timon on Broadway in “The Lion King,” for which he won a Theatre Guild Award.

tidbits vol12#25

Documents

varieties of grasses

tidbits paper

cookthis tidbits

grass family

division of tidbits

freezing north

extreme north

north idahotidbits