Volume 3, Issue 38 by Tidbits of Niagara Region

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Volume 3, Issue #38

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e-mail: tidbitsofniagararegion@gmail.com website: www.tidbitsofniagararegion.com

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WORDS & MORE WORDS

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It’s time to sharpen up your word skills as Tidbits imparts some unusual facts about some unusual words! • You might expect a dentiloquist to be an employee of your local dentist, but the term actually refers to someone who speaks through clenched teeth. • Presidents have been vetoing legislation passed by Congress since George Washington, who issued the first veto in April of 1792. Article 1, section 7 of the U.S. Constitution provides for the President’s authority to use a veto to prevent the passage of legislation. The word “veto” has its origins in the Latin language, translating “I forbid.” By the end of 2018, vetoes had been used 2,574 times, with 111 of them overridden. • Most of us know that a clairvoyant seems to have psychic or telepathic abilities, but what about a clairvoyee? This unusual word refers to a window-like hole cut in a hedge. And speaking of psychics, there’s a fancy name for a palm reader … it’s chiromancer! • How about a few unusual phobias? Those with a fear of trains suffer from siderodromophobia, while those with stenophobia are afraid of narrow places. There are those who fear men wearing beards … they are called pogonophobics. • Circus lovers might refer to that person who turn the page for more!

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To the ancient Greeks, it was the concept of hospitality, generosity, and courtesy shown to those far from home. To the botanist, it’s the effect of pollen on a seed. And to those in Ohio, Page 2 it’s the county seat of Greene County, a community about 21 miles (34 km) from Dayton. • Xystus is an architectural term, referring to a long, covered portico, or main entrance, of ancient Greek gymnasiums. Here, athletes would exercise during inclement weather. To the Romans, the xystus was the garden walkway in front of the porticoes, where they planted flower beds. • Physicians are familiar with two unusual “X” words, xyster and xiphisterna. The xyster is a surgical instrument used for scraping bones, while the xiphisterna refers to the cartilage at the lower end of the body’s sternum, that long flat bone located at the center of the chest. • The Greek word xanthos translates “yellow,” and several of our words use it for a prefix. Xanthophyll is a yellow pigment found along with cholorophyll in green plants. Plants with yellow stems are xanthopous. To those suffering from the abnormal vision condition known as xanthopsia, everything they see seems to have a yellow hue.

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WORDS & MORE WORDS (cont’d): walks along a thin wire high above the crowd as a tightrope walker. The official name of this performer is funambulist. The most famous funambulist was Charles Blondin, a French acrobat who crossed Niagara Falls on a rope for the first time on June 30, 1859. A rope less than an inch thick was attached to an oak tree on the American side of the falls and to a rock on the Canadian side. His walk from bank to bank took 23 minutes. Four days later, Blondin repeated the feat, with another one on July 15, during which he walked backwards to Canada and forward to the U.S. while pushing a wheelbarrow. His next achievement was to somersault and backflip the distance, followed by a trip carrying his manager on his back. The daredevil even carried a stove on one trip, started a fire, and cooked an omelet on the rope. His final Niagara Falls crossing took place in 1896 at age 62. By then, he had made the crossing 300 times. During his career, he logged more than 10,000 miles on his tightrope. His death in 1897 came not from a fall, as had been expected for decades, but from complications of diabetes. • Did you know that there’s a special word for that cloudlike streak left behind by jets? It’s known as a contrail, and it comes from the combination of two words – condensation and trail. And speaking of airplanes, you may not know that empennage refers to the craft’s entire tail assembly. It comes from a French word meaning “the feathers at the end of an arrow.” • You might call this person a shopaholic, but the official term for a person with an uncontrollable urge to buy things is oniomaniac. Some specialists call it Compulsive Buying Disorder, or CBD. • Dorothy from The Wizard of Oz suffered from nostomania, a fancy word for overwhelming homesickness. After all, “there’s no place like home!” • If the mythical unicorn has one large pointed horn projecting from its forehead, what kind of creature is a bicorn? It’s not a creature at all, but rather a two-cornered hat that became popular in the late 1700s as the headgear of military (continued on next page)

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Differences on page 7

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PAW’S CORNER By Sam Mazzotta

Tidbits® of Niagara Region

DEAR SHARON: The most common and probably most effective way to catch feral cats is to trap them one at a time using a live trap. They are available at hardware and home-improvement stores, at some pet stores or online. Before starting, find out if there is a feral cat rescue organization in your area. In Atlanta, the nonprofit LifeLine Animal Project may be able to loan you traps, as well as provide sterilization services. Otherwise, contact the veterinarian you plan to work with and make sure he or she is OK with treating, spaying and neutering the cats, and find out the prices in advance. Depending on laws in your area and on who owns the woods behind your property, you may only be able to set the traps on your property. If the feral cats don’t visit regularly, you’ll first need to lure them using food they’re attracted to. When they come around looking for this food, set up the live trap. Trap, neuter and release (TNR) programs typically release the treated cats back into their home territory, as relocation often doesn’t work. Expect the cats you trap to continue their lives in the woods -- with the realization that the colony likely won’t grow over time. Send your questions, tips or comments to ask@ pawscorner.com.

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WORDS & MORE WORDS (cont’):

officers. You’ll recognize a bicorn in portraits of Napoleon Bonaparte. • Many of us are changing out our regular light bulbs for LED bulbs since they are energy efficient, produce a brighter light, and have a long lifespan, sometimes more than 100,000 hours. In case you’re interested, LED stands for “Light-Emitting Diode.” • There’s a difference between a bibliophile and a bibliopole. The –phile is a collector of rare books, but the –pole is a seller of rare books. • The words bovine, lupine, ovine, and porcine are all animal terms. Bovine refers to something that resembles a cow or an ox, while lupine indicates being wolf-like. Ovine represents sheep-like characteristics, and porcine refers to a pig or swine. • How about these strange words for those who are dimwits? Dizzard, gomeril, gudgeon, gump, and sumph are all relatively unknown terms for numbskulls and ninnies. • A horse’s height is measured in “hands,” but just how much is a “hand”? One hand is equal to four inches (101.6 mm). It’s sometimes called a “handsbreadth,” and was originally OFF based on the breadth or span of the average man’s hand. A horse is considered a “pony” if it’s 14.2 hands or less. The animal is measured from ground up to the top of its withers, that ridge between its shoulder blades. (continued on next page)

Solution puzzle on page 8

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FERAL CAT COLONY GETTING OUT OF HAND DEAR PAW’S CORNER: We have a number of feral cats living in the wooded area behind our house. I know that these cats normally can’t be acclimated to indoor living, but watching their colony expand isn’t desirable, either. So I’d like to get them to a vet and have them spayed or neutered, and either rehome them somehow or release them again. Any tips on doing this? -- Sharon in Atlanta

Page 3

Solution puzzle on page 7

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Page 4

Tidbits® of Niagara Region

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WORDS & MORE WORDS (cont’d):

FINDING HEALTH INSURANCE BEFORE MEDICARE KICKS IN Dear Savvy Senior, I will be retiring in a few months and need to get some health insurance for my wife and me until we can enroll in Medicare. What are my options? About to Retire Dear About, There are several places early retirees can find health insurance coverage before Medicare kicks in, but the best option for you and your wife will depend on your income level and your health care needs. Here’s where to look. Government Marketplace If your yearly income falls below the 400 percent poverty level after you retire, the Affordable Care Act (ACA aka Obamacare) marketplace is probably your best option for getting health coverage because of the premium subsidies they offer, which will reduce the amount you’ll have to pay for a policy. ACA health insurance is major medical insurance that covers essential health benefits with no annual or lifetime coverage maximums. And they can’t charge you more or deny you coverage because of a pre-existing health condition. To qualify for the subsidies, your household’s modified adjusted gross income for 2019 must be under $48,560 for an individual, or $65,840 for a couple. If your income is just above these thresholds, you should talk to a tax advisor about perhaps making a larger IRA contribution or strategically timing retirement account withdrawals to help you qualify. To see how various levels of income might affect your premiums and subsidies, see the subsidy calculator on the Kaiser Family Foundation website at KFF.org/interactive/subsidy-calculator. To shop for marketplace plans in your state, visit HealthCare.gov or call their toll-free helpline at 800-318-2596. If you find that you are not eligible for the subsidies and the premiums seem unaffordable, look into ACA-compliant plans that you can purchase off the marketplace directly from the insurance carrier or through a broker. In some states, you might find plans with lower premiums, especially on silver plans. To find off the marketplace policies, see health insurance shopping websites like eHealthInsurance. com, or contact a broker or agent to assist you. See LocalHelp.HealthCare.gov to locate someone in your area. Short-Term Health Insurance If you can’t find an affordable ACA plan, you may want to consider short-term health insurance, which is much cheaper. These plans, which are not available in every state, are bare-bones health plans that provide coverage for three, six or 12 months – depending on state/federal rules. But be aware that short-term plans don’t comply with the ACA so they can deny sick people coverage, they don’t cover preexisting conditions and they can exclude coverage essentials like prescription drugs. To shop for short-term health insurance, visit eHealthInsurance.com or contact a local broker or agent via LocalHelp.HealthCare.gov. COBRA If you need health insurance coverage for less than 18 months, another option you may want to consider is COBRA, which allows you to remain on your former employer’s group health plan, but not every employer plan is COBRA eligible. Contact your employer benefits administrator to find out if yours is. In most cases COBRA is expensive, requiring you to pay the full monthly premium yourself. But, if you’ve (continued in next column)

• And speaking of “breadths,” if something is “just a hairbreadth away,” how far away is it? That would be 1/48th of an inch. • Criminals hauled into the police station have their mug shot taken, then their dactylograms are processed. These are the impressions left by the friction ridges of a human appendage. In other words, fingerprints! • The ZIP Code system was introduced in 1963 to speed up mail delivery. The first digit in the five-digit code represents one of the ten large geographic areas in the U.S. The second and third indicate metropolitan areas and sectional centers, while the fourth and fifth digits are local post offices. To the Post Office, ZIP means Zone Improvement Plan, but to a psychologist, those letters stand for Zero Intelligence Potential, and to a banker, it means Zero Interest Payment. • Australian Aborigines named the koala bear as such from their word meaning “no drink.” That’s because this pouched marsupial (which isn’t a bear at all) gets all of its liquid intake from eating eucalyptus leaves. • You might not be familiar with the word trinitrotoluene, but surely you’ve heard its abbreviation, TNT. A German chemist first recognized the chemical compound’s explosive properties in 1891, and by 1902, the German military was using TNT as a filling for artillery shells. TNT is yellow in color and the skin of munition workers who handled it during World War I turned bright yellow, earning them the nickname “canaries.” In order for TNT to explode, it must be triggered from an explosive booster, unlike the much more volatile nitroglycerine, which can explode from mere physical shock, making it quite difficult to transport

INSURANCE BEFORE MEDICARE (continued)

already met or nearly met your employer plan’s deductible and/or out-of-pocket maximum for the year, and don’t want to start over with a new plan; or if you find your employer’s health plan to be better or more affordable than the other options, it makes sense to keep your current coverage under COBRA.

Answers on page 7

Jerry’s Loose Threads

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Send your senior questions to: Savvy Senior, P.O. Box 5443, Norman, OK 73070, or visit SavvySenior.org. Jim Miller is a contributor to the NBC Today show and author of “The Savvy Senior” book.

Q: What five-letter word becomes shorter when you add two letters to it? A: Short

Answers on Page 7

Answers on page 7

1. Who holds the major-league record for most AllStar Games pitched? 2. Name the last player before Jose Altuve and Enrique Hernandez in 2017 to hit three home runs in a postseason game. 3. When was the last time the Tampa Bay Buccaneers reached the NFL playoffs? 4. In 2018, Villanova’s men’s basketball team set a Final Four record with 18 3-pointers made in a game. Which two teams had held the mark? 5. Florida’s Roberto Luongo, in 2019, moved into second place on the career games played list for NHL goaltenders. Who is first on the list, and who is now third? 6. Canada’s men’s hockey team has won nine Olympic gold medals. How many silver and bronze medals has it captured? 7. When was the last time before 2018 that a team won golf’s Ryder Cup by at least seven points?

Answers on Page 7

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Tidbits® of Niagara Region

Page 5

Gary Boye’s Tops In Flooring

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REMARKABLE PEOPLE:

JOSEPH MERRICK

The name Joseph Merrick is most likely not a familiar one. You may know him as the “Elephant Man,” a gentleman whose life story was profiled on stage and screen. This week, Tidbits has the account of this remarkable man’s life. • Joseph was born in England in 1862 as a seemingly healthy baby with no symptoms of the severe deformities that would surface after the first few years of his life. • At 21 months, Joseph began to experience swelling of his lips and a bony lump on his forehead. By age five, it was obvious that his condition was serious. His skin became thick, lumpy, and rough, much like that of an elephant, even similar in color. As he continued to grow, his left and right arms were of different sizes, and his feet were considerably enlarged. • During the medically ignorant times of 19thcentury England, the family believed that Joseph’s condition was the result of his mother having been knocked over and terrified by a circus elephant while she was pregnant. Mary Merrick felt that the emotionally frightening

How about these unusual disorders related to the animal world? Folks with cynanthropy are under the delusion that they are dogs, while those suffering from galeanthropy think they are cats. An even stranger disorder is boanthropy, in which a person believes he is an ox.

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Cost is $15/week for the first 20 words. Add $3 for each additional group of 5 words or less. (24 words, $18... 26 words, $21, etc.) All standard ads are printed in B/W Add $3 for color background. Add $5 for photo. Email ad information to tidbitsofniagararegion@gmail.com Ads need to be in by noon on Monday to appear in following weeks paper. Call 716-807-7729 to place ad as well.

Solution on page 8

experience had a physical effect on her unborn child. • His mother died when he was 11, and at 13, Joseph was forced to quit school and take a job at a cigar factory. His father had quickly remarried, and Joseph’s home life rapidly declined. As his body continued to grow tumors, the deformity of his right hand was worsening, and by age 16, his hand could no longer function well enough to roll the cigars. • Joseph struggled to earn money, but when he was 17, his father beat him severely for not contributing enough to the household. After a brief time lodging with an uncle, he was forced to enter a workhouse. While there, in 1882, he underwent surgery to have a 9-inch (23 cm) growth on his mouth removed, as he was having difficulty eating and speaking. (continued on next page)

Page 6

Tidbits® of Niagara Region

For advertising rates call 716.807.7729

The Village

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5665 South Transit Road • Lockport, NY 14094 Office: 716.434.8458 • Fax: 716.434.6589

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LESLIE DOYLE

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MANAGER

petes.garage@yahoo.com

PETE’S GARAGE

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9966 ROCHESTER RD MIDDLEPORT NY 14105

2546 Youngstown - Lockport Rd. Ransomville, NY 14131 Office: 716.791.3908 Fax: 716.791.9977 leslie.doyle@tax.hrblock.com

JOSEPH MERRICK (cont’d): • After four miserable years in the workhouse, Joseph decided to see if he could profit from his many deformities. After contacting a showman, he secured a spot in a “human oddities” show, advertised as “The Elephant Man, Half-Man, Half-Elephant.” The show was quite successful, and soon Joseph was on the road traveling to several exhibits around Britain. • When the exhibit closed, Merrick joined a circus that was touring Europe. While in Belgium, his new manager robbed him of his life savings and abandoned him in Brussels. After miraculously making his way back to England, he was given a bed in the London Hospital. He was befriended by a surgeon named Frederick Treves and a close friendship blossomed. • When two new buildings were added to the hospital, the Prince and Princess of Wales came to the dedication. Treves introduced Joseph to Princess Alexandra, who sent him a Christmas card every year for the remainder of his short life. • Joseph became adept at constructing elaborate models of buildings out of cardstock, including ornate cathedrals. • At age 27, Joseph Merrick died at the hospital. At least three books were written about his life, a Tony Award-winning play, a BBC documentary, and a 1980 film that was nominated for eight Oscars • It was not until 1986 that physicians theorized that Joseph suffered from Proteus syndrome. It’s a very rare condition that had first been described by doctors in 1976. To date, about 200 cases have been verified worldwide, with about 120 people currently living with the disorder.

OUNT GROCERIES DISC Answers on Page 8

TO ADVERTISE CALL & MORE OPEN MON.- SAT. 9 A.M.-6 P.M.

Credit & EBT Cards Accepted

716.807.7729

Q: What English word begins and ends with the same 3 letters? A: Underground

11 MAIN ST. • LYNDONVILLE, NY

MARCH 6TH APRIL 20TH Come Enjoy Family Dining At It’s Finest! OPEN DAILY 7am - 9pm

Solution puzzle on page 8

5690 Transit Rd. • Lockport 716-433-2626 CAJUN BROILED PLAKI FISH FISH GREEK BAKED FISH

During Lent we will be offering fresh fish frys’ beginning on Ash Wednesday and they will be offered Wednesday - Saturday each week. All Fish Frys’ can be fried or broiled and come w/homemade macaroni salad, coleslaw, choice of potato & dinner roll We also offer other fish specials on Fridays including our

Seafood Combo Platter

(3 breaded shrimp, 3 breaded scallops & a piece of our breaded fresh Haddock)

For those that aren’t ﬁsh lovers... we also have homemade Mac & Cheese on Fridays

HOME OF THE “WHALER FISH FRY” ON FRIDAYS

Basil of Lockport

Chris Jagielo Sales Manager

6157 S. Transit Road Lockport, NY 14094 Toyota 716-625-8444 Volkswagon 716-625-4444 Direct 716-210-3309 chrisj@basiltoyota.com

YS 7 DA N E OP EEK AW

FRESH HADDOCK FISH FRY EVERY FRI DURING LENT STARTING AT 11AM

Country Cottage Restaurant 4072 Beach Ridge Road • Pendleton, NY

(Corner of Town Line & Beach Road)

716-693-4911

For advertising rates call 716.807.7729

Tidbits® of Niagara Region

THE LITTLE BLACK DRESS

Open Mon. - Sat. 9-5

585-798-4563

Quality Handcrafted Indoor and Outdoor Furniture

The Dan Yoder Family

2886 Murdock Rd. • Medina

• Gazebos • Poly Lawn Furniture • Beds & Dressers • Coffee Tables • Bedroom Suites • Dining Rooms • China Cabinets • Deck Furniture • Solid Wood Decor • Pedestal Tables • Corner Hutches • Rustic Cedar Sets • Rustic Aspen Sets

It’s time for Spring cleaning! Did you know that some traditional cleaners can be responsible for up to 10% of toxic exposures reported to poison control centers? If you’re looking for a natural cleaner, combine 2 cups water, ¼ cup white vinegar, ¼ tsp. tea tree oil, and add ¼ tsp. lavender oil for a fresh scent.

GO TO TRANSITCARWASH.CLUB TO ENROLL

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The little black dress is an essential part of most women’s wardrobes. Tidbits is studying up on fashion this week with the facts on the timeless “LBD.” • Origins of this fashion necessity date back to 1926 when Vogue magazine published a picture of a straight, long-sleeved, drop-waist, calflength black sheath dress of crepe de Chine, designed by 46-year-old French fashion designer Gabrielle “Coco” Chanel. It was accessorized with a string of pearls and became “the” trend for the 1920s flappers. • Prior to that time, since the Victorian era, black had been the color of mourning, with widows expected to wear black for four years. It was also the color of servitude occupations, such as maids. Chanel hoped to change black to the color of elegance. • Vogue called the dress “Chanel’s Ford,” likening it to Ford’s Model T, simple and accessible for all social classes. The magazine further stated that the dress would become “a sort of uniform for all women of taste,” describing it as “the frock that all the world will wear.” • With the Great Depression approaching, bringing with it the rationing of textiles, the little black dress provided affordable chic style. Chanel began producing LBD’s in wool or chenille for daytime wear, and sophisticated dresses in satin, crepe, and velvet for evening wear. She wanted all women to have a dress that could be “dressed up” or “dressed down,” depending on accessories. • During the 1940s, Wallis Simpson, the Duchess of Windsor, owned several LBD’s in varying styles, stating that, “When a little black dress is right, there is nothing else to wear in its place.” French singer Edith Piaf earned her (continued on next page)

ANSWERS TO PUZZLES

Page 7

LAKE WINDS

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METALWORKING

12551 Roosevelt Hwy (Rt 18) • Lyndonville, NY Hours: M-F 8-5; Sat 8-12

~ Samuel Martin

NEW

HEAVY DUTY BATTERY CABLES

The Old Chapel Antique & Artisan Market

172 Robinson St. N. Tonawanda Located in the former Ascension Church

This Historic Landmark is over 6500 sq. ft., featuring a mix of antiques, handmade artisan goods, gifts, decor and much more!

OVER 100 VENDORS NOW OPEN

Open 7 days a week 10-6pm

ORANGE BRICK CAFE

716-545-6102 | www.TheOldChapelMarket.com

TIDBITS OF NIAGARA REGION IS NOW ON FACEBOOK https://facebook.com/tibitsofniagararegion

1. Roger Clemens, with 10 games between 1986 and 2005. 2. San Francisco’s Pablo Sandoval, in 2012. 3. It was the 2007 season. 4. UNLV (1987) and Duke (2010), with 13 each. 5. Martin Brodeur (1,266) and Patrick Roy (1,029 games). 6. Four silver and three bronze medals. 7. It was 2006, when Europe won 18 1/2 to 9 1/2.

Differences

1. Towel is missing. 2. Mom’s hair is longer. 3. Puddle is bigger. 4. Water in tub is not visible. 5. Snorkel is longer. 6. Soap dish is higher.

TUESDAYS & SUNDAYS LARGE CHEESE PIZZA & 1 TOPPING & 10 WINGS

tax included take out only

Country Cottage Restaurant 4072 Beach Ridge Rd • Pendleton, NY 716-693-4911 (Corner of Town Line & Beach Road)

OPEN 7 DAYS A WEEK

Page 8

Tidbits® of Niagara Region

MILLER’S BULK FOOD & BAKERY s

ower Ve ge ta bles, Fler y & Sh rubb n in Av ai la ble w he Se as on

585-798-9700 Han d Made Am ish Bas ket s

Amish-M ade Furniture

BAKERY, DELI and PANTRY: Mon-Sat 8-5 MEAT MARKET: Fri & Sat 8-5 10858 Ridge Road, Medina, NY 14103

M. CARTER DECOR 360 West Ave. • Lockport, NY 14094 Ph: (716) 434-2159 • Fax (716) 434-8517 Thomas Dedline / Dana Longfritz Over 25 Years Experience

www.mcarterdecor.com

Add Value to Your Home Carpet ~ Ceramic ~ Hardwood Luxury Vinyl Tile & Plank Custom Window Treatments Hunter Douglas Blinds and Shades Color and Product Coordination

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