Tidbits Vol12#22 by Sandy Sammons

Of North Idaho May 2012

Volume 2012-22

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TIDBITS® BRINGS YOU UNUSUAL WORDS, Part 1 by Kathy Wolfe

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This week’s Tidbits is for all the logomaniacs out there — all those people obsessed with fancy words! There are fancy names for things we see every day; for example, that little metal band that encircles your pencil eraser is known as a ferrule. A harp is not only a musical instrument, but also the hoop on a lamp that holds the lampshade in place. •If your boss offers encomiums about you, consider yourself honored. Expressions of high praise have been sent your way! You certainly don’t want to hear that the boss is going to obviate your position — That means it’s going to be done away with. •Do you have something interesting that you collect? Phillumenists collect matchbook covers, while labeorphilists accumulate beer bottle labels. An entredentolignumologist’s hobby is collecting unique toothpicks. Are you a timbromaniac? That’s just a fancy name for an enthusiastic stamp collector. •If you’re feeling stressed, lalochezia is not the answer. That’s when you use profane or abusive language to alleviate your tension. Those who are misocapnists should stay away from those who are nepheligenous. The former hate the smell of tobacco smoke, while the latter produce clouds of the stuff. It’s no compliment to be called a coof, dizzard, dunderhead or gump. These are synonyms for a complete numbskull. Likewise, snarge, yazzihamper, cullion and poltroon all refer to an utter jerk. •This election year we might see a lot of girouettism from politicians. This means they may change their position on issues in order to follow popular opinion. It’s interesting to note that the French word for weather vane is girouette, a device that features a little rooster that goes back and forth, depending on the way of the winds. Some politicians are experts in lolodacity, the practice of spitefully criticizing their opponent with true or untrue words, in other words, “hitting below the belt.” There very well may be some eccedentesiasts during the campaign, that is, those who fake a smile, especially on television. •Some of our body parts have pretty unusual names. For example, the groove on your upper lip under your nose is known as a columella nasi. That bony bump on the side of your ankle is called a malleolus, while the bony tip of your elbow is your olecranon. We’ve heard of a curlicue, but what’s a purlicue? That’s the little web of skin between your thumb and forefinger. And how about your armpit? It’s officially known as an oxter. Ladies often pluck their glabella, that little flat area between the eyebrows. Continued on page 13

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FAMOUS LANDMARKS OF THE WORLD: HOOVER DAM

Stretching across the Colorado River on the border between Arizona and Nevada towers the magnificent Hoover Dam, providing power to residents of Nevada, Arizona and California. Follow along and learn more about this Eighth Wonder of the Modern World. Construction on the dam began in the midst of the Great Depression in 1931, at a site about 25 miles (40 km) southeast of Las Vegas. The first step was to divert the roaring Colorado River away from the construction site. Tunnels as large as four-lane highways were blasted through the walls of Black Canyon, diverting the water and enabling workers to work in the canyon bottom. About 3.25 million cubic yards of concrete were used in the construction, more than 5 million barrels. Between 7,500 and 10,800 barrels were required daily. The first concrete was poured in June of 1933, and every month, about 160,000 cubic yards of concrete were necessary until the cement work wrapped up in May 1935. This all contributed to the final weight of the dam — over 6.6 million tons! The amount of concrete contained in the dam and power plant would pave a 16-foot-wide (4.9-m) highway from San Francisco to New York City or a 4-foot-wide (1.2-m) sidewalk around the Earth at the equator. The dam is as thick at its base as two football fields laid end-to-end — 660 feet (201 m). An average of 3,500 workers labored on the project daily, with the all-time high of 5,218 workers one day. Seven years were allotted for the construction, but the project was completed in just under five, at a cost of $165 million. Although it was finished long before the deadline, it certainly wasn’t without its pitfalls. Over a onemonth period in the exceptionally hot summer of 1931, daytime high temperatures averaged nearly 120° F (49° C), resulting in the deaths of 16 workers. The final death total for the entire project was 112. The first person to perish on the Hoover Dam project was a surveyor named J.G. Tierney, who drowned while scoping out the ideal site, nine years before the groundbreaking. Ironically, Tierney’s son Patrick was the last to die, perishing exactly 13 years to the day later, while working on the dam’s construction. At the time of its completion in 1936, Hoover Dam was the largest in the world. Standing 726 feet tall (221 m), it is nearly 200 feet (61 m) taller than the Washington Monument. It now ranks as the second tallest dam in the nation behind California’s Orofino Dam and is the 18th highest in the world. It hosts more than a million visitors each year. Lake Mead, America’s largest reservoir, was formed by the water accumulated by Hoover Dam. It extends 112 miles (180 km) behind the dam and is a favorite recreation area for visitors interested in fishing, water skiing, boating and swimming near sandy beaches. Several communities were evacuated to create the reservoir and their remains sit at the bottom of this body of water. Also resting at the bottom of the lake is a B-29 Superfortress that crashed there in 1948. Hoover Dam’s generators provide about four billion kilowatt hours of hydroelectric power each year for public and private utilities serving 1.3 million people. The water running through the generators is enough to fill 15 20,000-gallon swimming pools every second.

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Your Social Security Updates Move Online

Getting the Most From Your Air Conditioner

Homeless Vets Study

Until 2011, the Social Security Administration mailed yearly updates to every person who’d paid into Social Security. Those updates showed the facts and figures that would be used if the recipient applied for benefits, whether for retirement or disability. In other words, it was crucial that the information be correct. It’s still crucial, but now the information has to be accessed online at the SSA website. When you go to the online site, you’ll need to create an account with a password. You’ll be asked for your name, birth date, phone number, mailing address, and yes, your Social Security number. With all the daily cautions not to enter any personal information on the Internet, many of us are hesitant to type in the most important information of all, our Social Security number. However, there are safeguards that can be taken to ensure that the information is safe. Allsup, Inc. [www.allsupinc.com], a financialplanning group, recommends the following: --Don’t use a public computer. Your Social Security number could be available to the next person who uses that computer. --Don’t use Google or any other search engine to find the SSA website. Go directly there by typing in the URL: socialsecurity.gov --Don’t tell anyone your password. --If you receive an email that looks like it came from the SSA, and if it asks for personal information, don’t respond. It’s a scam. The SSA is never going to contact you that way. If you’re leery of using your home computer to put in all that personal information (especially if you have an unsecured wi-fi connection or if you’re not sure of your virus protection), you can go to any Social Security office and sign up for an account login. Once you have your statement, check it carefully. Since retirement and disability benefits are based on the taxes you paid and the length of time you worked, check Your Earnings Record on the form. Do the numbers match what your W-2s show? If there are any discrepancies at all, contact SSA right away. Look at Your Estimated Benefits. That is what you can expect to receive at different retirement ages or if you need to collect Social Security disability benefits. The SSA will send statements by mail to those who are age 60 and older if they have not applied for benefits, and one time to 25-year-olds.

Q: I have a window-mounted air conditioner that I use in the summer months. During the winter, it’s stored away. This year, it doesn’t seem to be cooling as well as it did in the past. Do I need to charge it with freon or something? -- Bailey T., Wheeling, W.Va.

The Department of Veterans Affairs recently completed a study to determine the causes of homelessness among veterans as part of its goal to eliminate homelessness by the year 2015. This was no small, casual study. The VA Office of Inspector General Office of Healthcare Inspections looked at the data of nearly one-half million veterans through 2010, half of whom had served in the Gulf Wars. It studied existing research and laws, and consulted experts. Here’s what it learned: --Five years after leaving the military, 3.7 percent of veterans became homeless for the first time, with those who were in the Gulf Wars having bigger percentages. --The first homeless experience generally came at the three-year mark, with Gulf veterans becoming homeless sooner than non-Gulf veterans. --Homeless veterans were more likely to have traumatic brain injury (three times more than non-homeless veterans), be less than 35 years of age, and in a pay grade of E1 to E4. --Half of homeless vets were diagnosed with a mental disorder before discharge, and more than 78 percent were diagnosed with a mental disorder before becoming homeless. --More than half of homeless veterans were getting service-connected disability benefits, with 83 percent to 95 percent receiving benefits before first becoming homeless. --Approximately 65 percent were using VA homeless veteran services: health care, the mentally ill program and HUD-VASH housing program. The VAOIG had some recommendations in the study, noting especially the three-year period before most of the homelessness occurs and suggesting a need for greater access to mental-health services. The VAOIG pointed out that approximately half of the homeless veterans had disability money coming in before they first became homeless. Maybe that should be a focus of any further attempts to lower the number of homeless veterans: discover why they become homeless.

David Uffington regrets that he cannot personally answer 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, Orlando, FL 328536475, or send e-mail to columnreply@gmail. com.

A: I’m not sure how old your window-unit air conditioner is, but refrigerant (R-22 freon) doesn’t typically need to be replaced in the first couple of years of the unit’s life. Additionally, purchasing and handling of freon is now regulated, so you would need to contact a refrigeration professional to check and charge the unit. Before laying out money for that repair, there are other ways to improve your air conditioner’s cooling capability: --Make sure the unit is mounted properly in the window and isn’t tilting downward or upward. --Check to see if siding, bricks, leaves or other debris are blocking the louvers on the outside of the unit. --Keep curtains and furniture away from the unit while it’s operating, to ensure good airflow into the room. --Make sure the air-conditioning unit is clean, including the coils and the intake filter on the front of the unit. --Start the air conditioner at a medium or low fan setting and a moderate temperature, even on hot days. After 20 minutes, lower the temperature to the setting you want. --Note the time of day that the room feels hottest, and note the position of the sun. Closing the curtains on windows that don’t have an air-conditioning unit can reduce the amount of sun-generated heat in the room. --If you have a ceiling fan, even in another room of the house, use it to your advantage. Reverse the direction of the fan blades (the switch is located on the metal housing for the fan blades) so that air is pulled up by the fan rather than pushed down. Cool air normally sinks, so the fan will stir that air and make the whole house more comfortable. Send your questions or comments to ask@thisisahammer.com, or write This Is a Hammer, c/o King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. (c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.

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TRIVIA PAGE 1. INVENTIONS: Who developed the process of pasteurization? 2. FOOD & DRINK: What is the liquor cassis made from? 3. POP CULTURE: When was the Pillsbury Doughboy introduced in TV ads? 4. ASTRONOMY: What is a “maria”? 5. GEOGRAPHY: What is the capital of South Dakota? 6. LITERATURE: The 2004 movie “Christmas with the Kranks” was based on which novel? 7. MOVIES: Who was the first black man to win an Oscar? 8. ROYALTY: What is Prince Andrew’s official title? 9. SPORTS PERSONALITIES: What was the boxing champion Muhammad Ali’s original name? 10. U.S. PRESIDENTS: What kind of dog did President Bill Clinton and his family have?

¥ On June 11, 1509, King Henry VIII of England marries Catherine of Aragon, the first of six wives he will have in his lifetime. When Catherine failed to produce a male heir, Henry divorced her against the will of the Roman Catholic Church. ¥ On June 15, 1877, Henry Ossian Flipper, born a slave in Thomasville, Ga., in 1856, becomes the first black cadet to graduate from the United States Military Academy at West Point, N.Y. Flipper was never spoken to by a white cadet during his four years at West Point. ¥ On June 16, 1884, the first roller coaster in America opens at Coney Island, in Brooklyn, N.Y. Known as a switchback railway, it traveled approximately 6 mph and cost a nickel to ride. ¥ On June 12, 1942, Anne Frank, a young Jewish girl living in Amsterdam, receives a diary for her 13th birthday. A month later, she and her family went into hiding from the Nazis in rooms behind her father’s office. Anne’s diary, detailing their two years in hiding, was published in 1947. ¥ On June 14, 1951, the U.S. Census Bureau dedicates UNIVAC, the world’s first commercially produced electronic digital computer. UNIVAC, which stood for Universal Automatic Computer, used thousands of vacuum tubes for computation and was the forerunner of today’s digital computer.

Answers on Page 14

¥ It was celebrated physicist Albert Einstein who made the following sage observation: “Anyone who has never made a mistake has never tried anything new.” ¥ It was in 1917 when one Dr. Walter G. Walford wrote an article warning readers of the perils of tight collars and ties, claiming that such constricting neckwear caused illness by retarding the flow of blood to the brain. ¥ It’s fairly well known that seahorses are monogamous, staying with the same mate until death. Many people don’t realize, however, that these fish are so devoted that every day they reaffirm their union with a morning greeting dance. ¥ When Ronald Reagan’s daughter, Patti, got married, there were more security personnel than guests in attendance. ¥ America got its first paved street back in 1647. It was, unsurprisingly, in New York City. ¥ The fastest known star is traveling through space at a rate of 3.5 million miles per hour. ¥ The figure on the Heisman trophy was sculpted from a real person. Warren Mulrey played football for Fordham University when John Heisman chose him to be the model for the new award. ¥ It’s not easy to contemplate, but before there was toilet paper, American colonists used corncobs.

1. Is the book of Luke in the Old or New Testament or neither? 2. The people of Nineveh fasted and did what else do to show they were repenting? Danced, Wore sackcloth, Laughed, Plowed fields 3. How many different books of the Old Testament (KJV) are divided into two parts (books)? 2, 3, 4, 5 4. Of these where do you find the phrase, “God is love”? Genesis, Nehemiah, Hebrews, 1 John 5. What Jewish ruler visited Jesus by night? Hezekiah, Barabbas, Nicodemus, Darius 6. How many suicides are recorded in the Bible? 0, 7, 14, 21

1. Which British singer released “Anyone Who Had A Heart,” “You’re My World” and “Alfie” in the mid-1960s? 2. Which band is best known for “I Wanna Rock” and “We’re Not Gonna Take It”? 3. Who was responsible for “Disco Duck”? 4. Which group wrote and released “Do the Freddie,” and when? 5. Name the singer-songwriter behind “All By Myself” and “Hungry Eyes.” 6. Bob Dylan, Billy Joel, Diana Ross and Kim Carnes all came together with dozens of others for one charity effort in 1985. What was it?

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When Heart Becomes a Feeble Pump

Lowering the Risk of Hypertension

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Six months ago, my wife died in her sleep. She said she just felt shaky and tired out around 6 p.m. When I turned on my light at 4 a.m., I immediately knew she had died. I was told she died of congestive heart failure. She told me she had this two months prior to her death. Was there something we could have done? I carry guilt with me every day. Is congestive heart failure a death sentence? -- S.F. ANSWER: Heart failure indicates that the heart has become a weak pump. “Congestive” often is added to “heart failure” to emphasize that the failing heart causes blood to circulate poorly. Fluid oozes out of vessels and congests body organs, especially the lungs and makes breathing difficult. Congestion also shows in swollen ankles and feet. However, not all people with heart failure show the signs of congestion. Shortness of breath when lying down, waking from sleep gasping for breath, coughing during the night and the inability to get enough air to accomplish even light physical tasks are signs of heart failure. I can assure you that the world’s most renowned heart doctor would not have expected your wife to die in her sleep because she said she felt tired and shaky. You are entitled to feel sad, but you do not deserve to feel guilty. Heart failure comes from heart arteries clogged with cholesterol, from heart valve malfunction, from high blood pressure and from heartbeat disturbances like atrial fibrillation. Treatments are available. Water pills draw water from an overfilled circulation, and that eases the burden on the heart. Other medicines increase the strength of the heartbeat. Special pacemakers can restore synchronous beating to the heart’s out-of-sync pumping chambers. Congestive heart failure is not always a death sentence. My sincerest condolences to you and your family. The booklet on heart failure describes this common condition in greater detail. Readers can order a copy by writing: Dr. Donohue -- No. 103W, Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a check or money order (no cash) for $4.75 U.S./$6 Canada with the recipient’s printed name and address. DEAR DR. DONOHUE: While trying to get out of the bathtub, I slipped and hit my chest against the side of the tub. My husband took me to the emergency room. X-rays showed two broken ribs. The ER doctor seemed to think this was nothing, but it was truly painful. He gave me a prescription for pain medicine, and that was it. Should some kind of splint be applied? How long does it take rib fractures to heal? -- M.K. ANSWER: An uncomplicated rib fracture -one in which the ends of the fracture are in alignment -- can be treated with pain relievers alone. Admittedly, even the small movement of breathing in and out worsens the pain, but your medicine ought to take care of that. Sometimes rib belts are put on patients to keep the fracture ends from moving. Whether they do much good is disputed, and they can be uncomfortable.

Some of us with high blood pressure have adjusted our diets and medications to bring it under control -- to no avail. Chances are those of us who still struggle with hypertension inherited the condition. Or perhaps we don’t have it yet but seem destined to by family medical history. Having just one parent with high blood pressure dramatically increases the odds of being hypertensive. Genes are tough to beat. But there might be an answer. A study in the May issue of the journal Hypertension showed that merely walking 150 minutes per week (30 minutes a day for five days) can lower the risk in people who are genetically likely to get high blood pressure. Researchers tracked more than 6,000 people in different categories: those who had one parent with high blood pressure, those who were not physically fit and those who were very fit. The result: Those with high levels of physical fitness had a 42 percent lower risk, and the moderately fit had a 26 percent lower risk. To further show how exercise impacted the results, those who were very fit, even having a family predisposition, had an increased risk of only 16 percent. On the other end of the extreme, those who had a family history and a lower level of physical fitness had a whopping 70 percent higher risk. That’s a double whammy. The results are clear: Even if a parent has high blood pressure, you can lower the chance that you’ll have high blood pressure by exercising. The better your level of fitness, the more you can decrease your odds. The benefits are potentially huge. 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.

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Answers on page 14

¥ Use a bandana to strain coffee if you’ve accidentally had a filter bust. It works. I first used this tip when camping, but I have used it at home, too. The coffee goes through it faster than a paper filter, which is fine when it’s already brewed, since you lose less heat. -- T.R. in Arkansas ¥ Recycling notes: Cardboard that’s greasy or food-caked is just not recyclable. It’s trash. On the plus side, your glass jars don’t have to be perfectly clean, nor your cans crushed, in order to take them to the recycling center or drop curbside if your community has a plan in place. ¥ “To freshen stuffed animals, dampen a cloth with a solution of 1 cup vinegar and 3 cups water. Wipe outside fur thoroughly, being careful not to soak it. Secure in a delicates bag or tie inside a pillowcase, then put in the dryer at low heat until completely dry. Adding a fabric softener sheet for the final five minutes is nice, too.” -- D.W. in Oklahoma ¥ Here’s a wonderful tip from Fibrenew, a leather, vinyl and plastics refurbishing specialist, on what to do if you get ink on your leather car seats: “DON’T use dish soap or hair spray to remove the marks. The degreasing agents in dish soap can permanently de-gloss and damage the top coating on the leather surface. Hair spray, another commonly recommended remedy, has alcohol in it and will ruin the surface coating on your leather.” Use a special leather-cleaning kit instead, or contact a local professional to fix it for you. ¥ “Remove tea stains from your teapot with a few drops of bleach added to a pot of hot water. Let sit for five or so minutes, then swish with a brush. Most tea stains will come right out. Be sure to rinse well.” -- A.A. in Florida

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SPORTS OF SORTS

For Hamilton, It’s Yard Ball NASCAR THIS WEEK By Monte Dutton Dale Earnhardt Jr. is having an impressive season. The Hendrick driver is third in the standings, with two runner-up finishes and two third-place finishes. (John Clark/NASCAR This Week photo) Time Will Come for Earnhardt Jr. CONCORD, N.C. -- By almost every measure, Dale Earnhardt Jr. is having an impressive year. There’s this little matter of victories, though. Earnhardt’s most recent win occurred at Michigan International Speedway in June 2008. It was the 18th of his career. The streak just reached 140 races without winning. Yet Earnhardt, 37, is third in the Sprint Cup point standings, just 14 points behind Greg Biffle. This is a man who is overdue. The next race is at Charlotte Motor Speedway, which is both the home track for the Kannapolis, N.C., native and one where he has never won a Cup points race. He did, however, win what is now the Sprint AllStar Race (then The Winston) in 2000. For that matter, he also won the Sprint Showdown over the weekend and finished fifth in the All-Star Race. Already this season, the son and namesake of seven-time champion Dale Earnhardt

has finished second twice and third twice. At Hendrick Motorsports, Earnhardt’s teammates are five-time champion Jimmie Johnson, four-time champion Jeff Gordon and Kasey Kahne. Johnson’s victory at Darlington was Rick Hendrick’s 200th as an owner. “It was disappointing because I wasn’t the one to get it,” Earnhardt said, “but I was happy for Jimmie (Johnson), and especially happy for Rick (Hendrick) because he’s worked really hard and put a lot into this sport. It’s great to see him reach milestones and be a small part of that program when that happened. It was a great experience just to be there and see their excitement. “It just drives me and motivates me to win some races for him. To put my name up on that list as they go to 250 and 300 (wins). I want to have a few more wins on that list there. That’s how it makes me feel.” This could be the week. Then again, fans have been saying that for an awfully long while. “There’s no doubt that the core fans and the Junior fans have been waiting for that moment to happen,” Gordon said. “There’s still a lot of racing left to go, but the way those guys are performing, they’ve got a great shot at championship.”

1. Who was the last player before Toronto’s Jose Bautista in 2010 to belt more than 50 home runs in a season? 2. How many consecutive seasons, entering 2012, had Philadelphia’s Ryan Howard tallied at least 30 home runs? 3. Johnny Unitas holds the NFL record for most consecutive games with at least one TD pass (47, 1956-60). Who has the most since the 1970 NFL merger? 4. Who holds the record for most points in a men’s basketball NCAA Tournament game? 5. Since the NHL lockout season of 2004-05, only three rookies have averaged more than a point a game. Name two of them. 6. How many consecutive starts at the Daytona 500 did Michael Waltrip have before failing to qualify 1. Alex Rodriguez of the New York Yankees had 54 in 2007. 2. Six.

3. New Orleans’ Drew Brees has done it in 43 consecutive games, starting in 2009.

4. Notre Dame’s Austin Carr had 61 points against Ohio in 1970. 5. Sidney Crosby, Alex Ovechkin and

Evgeni Malkin. 6. Twenty-five consecutive years. 7. Steffi Graf, in 1988.

On May 9, 2012, Texas Ranger outfielder Josh Hamilton became the sixteenth player in Major League history to hit four home runs in a game, against the Orioles at Camden Yards. For Hamilton, it is just the latest in an impressive string of accomplishments. He’s won a batting title, a league MVP and is a four-time all-star. And while sportswriters and fans alike tend to take May accomplishments lightly, Hamilton was beaming about the achievement. “Obviously it’s, other than being in the World Series, the highlight of my big-league career,” he told reporters after the game, which saw the Rangers win 10-3. Deadspin, the TMZ of the sporting world, was quick to point out that Hamilton barely won “player of the game” with 49 percent of the vote, not even a majority. But then Deadspin has always been a reliable reporter of the clouds for each of the silver linings in Hamilton’s career. Kevin Kaduk, a blogger for Yahoo! Sports, treated it like the feat that it was, however. “We make big deals about perfect games, but 21 pitchers have recorded one throughout baseball history,” Kaduk noted. “Only 15 other players have hit four home runs in the same game, with the last one before Hamilton being Carlos Delgado on Sept. 25, 2003.” At 31, it’s safe to say that from a physical standpoint, Hamilton is on the downward side of the slope at this stage of his career, yet it’s hard to envision him not dominating the league for another three to five years at minimum. Barring injury, his robust numbers already hint at Hall of Fame potential, but that domination factor -- clearly he is one of the best, if not the best player in the American League right now -- could be what puts him over the top in that regard. For a 162-game season, Hamilton averages .314 with an onbase percentage of .370, 35 home runs and 122 RBI. Last season he walked on 39 occasions and struck out 93 times. However, he’s only grounded into 40 double plays in his entire career. For a No. 3 hitter, one who sees a lot of people on the base paths in front of him, that’s an outstanding number from such an aggressive hitter. That is really the secret of Hamilton’s success -- aggression. According to ESPN, Hamilton leads the league in percentage of first-pitch swings (56.5 percent as of this writing). This season, Hamilton is 10for-22 with three home runs swinging at the first pitch. But it’s games like the one he had in Baltimore that reach past the statistics. “It reminds you of when you’re in Little League and a little kid,” Hamilton said. “Excitement [is] why we play the game.”

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COMICS

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Q: I have several Big Little Books, all copyrighted between 1939 and 1941, depicting the adventures of such boyhood heroes as The Phantom, Buck Rogers, The Lone Ranger, The Green Hornet and Dick Tracy. Any value? A: Yes, they do. The first Big Little Book, “The Adventures of Dick Tracy,” was published by the Whitman company just before Christmas in 1932. The books are distinctive in that they look like a 4-inch block of wood sawed off the end of a two-by-four. Check out the Big Little Book Club, P.O. Box 1242, Danville, CA 94526. Q: Last year, I acquired a miniature cast-iron sleigh with eight reindeer that move up and down when pulled. It looks very old, but I can’t find anything specific about it. Can you help? A: The picture you sent makes me think the sleigh is not as old as you think. This obviously is a Christmas table decoration, and the paintwork doesn’t appear to be as detailed as in most of the older pieces I have seen. A good place to begin your research might be to invest in a fairly good guide. A used copy of “The Collectors Encyclopedia of Toys, Banks, Cast Iron Windup Autos and More, with Prices” by L-W Books is available for $6.94 at www.amazon.com. Q: I have a scale that I believe is from about 1937 or earlier. It is the same one seen in the movie “A House Without a Christmas Tree.” It was manufactured by the Hobart Company in Dayton, Ohio. Any idea of how old it is? A: I’m not sure if your scale has a three- or 30-pound capacity. There is a difference when it comes to prices. The three-pound scale was often found in candy shops, the larger ones in other retail outlets. The scale was manufactured throughout the 1930s and ‘40s. I found one of the smaller scales being offered in an online auction for $40.

through a fence. --Always ask permission of a dog’s owner before petting the dog. You should pet the dog first before letting your child pet the dog. --Learn the right way to approach and pet a dog, including your own dog. It should first be able to see you and sniff you. If the dog tenses, bristles, growls or backs away, back off. --Do not approach tethered or confined dogs, sleeping dogs or mothers taking care of puppies. --If you’re passing a dog, whether on or off a leash, walk steadily and calmly past, without making direct eye contact. Never run.

Preventing Dog Attacks DEAR PAW’S CORNER: My dog, “Andie,” is a pretty laid-back border collie, well-socialized to other dogs and people. However, I am dismayed when a child runs up to her or another strange dog to pet or hug her. Andie tolerates these “surprise hugs” well, but other dogs may not be so well-trained. Can you please remind your readers about the right way to approach a strange dog? -- Carol J., Pittsburgh DEAR CAROL: You got it! Approaching a dog, even a dog you know, should be done with caution and respect. Parents need to teach their children how to behave around dogs. More than half of the 4.7 million Americans bitten by dogs last year were children. The American Veterinary Medical Association (avma.org) and Prevent the Bite (preventthebite.org) have joined the U.S. Postal Service to call attention to preventing dog bites. Here are some tips: --Never leave a baby or a small child alone with a dog, even the family pet. --Teach children not to approach strange dogs, run up to dogs to hug them or try to pet them

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.

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JUST FOR KIDS?

May 2012 To Advertise Call 704-9972 www.tidbitsinc.com PAGE 13 Contiinued from front page

Send a Handwritten Thank You to Teacher “Mr. Wold, you taught me how to read and write,” begins the thoughtful thank-you book 5-yearold Emmett Brown is making to give to his kindergarten teacher on the last day of school. Emmett eagerly practices his new skills as he sounds out words and writes them with a sharp pencil. “I think your glasses are cool when you read to us,” he continues, energetically dotting the “i” and crossing the “t.” “Making a little book or card is a personalized way of showing teachers how much they have made an impact on young lives,” says his mom, Wendy Brown, mother of two and blogger of her inspiring site about the art of handwriting, (www.brownink.co) Computers are a way of life for kids, but she believes it’s important to make room for paper, pencils and pens, too. “Emmett was going to write a card for his teacher, but when we discovered a create-your-ownbooks kit at a toy store, he got excited to make it a bigger production,” she said. To get started, Wendy and Emmett talked about the school year and then she helped him create topics for each page. Using photos, stickers and magazine pictures, the pages feature nature outings, ice skating, night sky watches and even the birth of Mr. Wold’s baby girl. The “Words of the Day” page lists Emmett’s favorites -- groundhog, The White House and chrysanthemum. On the “I like your one-liners” page he writes “It’s the weekend, baby!” and he also glues on a tiny note from Mr. Wold: “Emmett, I’m hog wild for you.” Your school-age kids can show their appreciation to their teachers by putting energy behind a pen or pencil, too. Help them make their own small book by stacking nice paper and punching holes along the side. Bind them together by weaving ribbon or string in and out of the holes. If you prefer, make a card by folding heavy paper in half or use a large sheet of construction paper cut in half lengthwise. Tape the short ends together to make a long strip and make accordion folds. Jot thoughts and attach pictures on each section. *** Donna Erickson’s award-winning series “Donna’s Day” is airing on public television nationwide. To find more of her creative family recipes and activities, 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 Erickson Distributed by King Features Synd.

•What do eggs, bacon, oatmeal and toast have in common? They’re all jentacular, that is, pertaining to breakfast. •Do you know the difference between innocuous and noxious? An item that is innocuous is not injurious to your health, while something that is noxious will cause harm. •The loqu- root of many words comes from the Latin for “to speak.” Those on the witness stand are supposed to be veriloquent, speaking nothing but the truth. The preacher in the pulpit is sanctiloquent, speaking of sacred things. A politician is often flexiloquent — evasive and vague. Do you jabber idiotically? You’re being stultiloquent! Likewise if you’re inianloquent, you’re speaking foolishly and saying silly things. And we all know people who are longiloquent, in other words, remarkably long-winded. •Listen carefully! The “achoo!” sound of your sneeze is formally known as sternutation. That funny noise you make when you swallow is a gwick. The sound that ketchup makes while flowing from the bottle is a glink. You can also refer to that ketchup sound as a blodder. •You remember old what’s-his-name, don’t you? What is his name anyway? Sounds like you’re suffering from lethonomia, the propensity to forget names. A marriage between a young woman and an older man is known as alphamegamia. If you and your spouse are about the same age, your union is isonogamic. •We’ve all suffered, at one time or another, from lethologica. That’s the inability to recollect the exact word for something. However, if you become obsessed with trying to remember that word, you have loganamnosis. Being pancreatic has nothing to do with your pancreas. It means you consider yourself proficient in all types of sports. If this describes you, you’ve probably experienced nikhedonia, the delight received from envisioning your victory. •Heliolaters often estivate in order to apricate. Translation, please! Sun-worshipers frequently go away for the summer in order to do a lot of sunbathing. Some folks are autotonsorialists, meaning they cut their own hair, while others go to the chirotonsor, another word for barber. Ever feel like just tearing your hair out? We all have on occasion, but those with a compulsion to do so suffer from trichotillomania. Tasks that are sclerotic, recondite, scabrous, onerous, arduous or vicissitudinous are just plain difficult! Planning an elephant ride in the future? Don’t forget your howdah, that little riding seat that fits on the back of a pachyderm. How about a ride in a montgolfier? That’s a fancy title for a hot air balloon. A balloon that uses both gas and hot air is called a rosiere. •If you’re wearing a pauldron, rondel, rerebrace, couter, tasset, vambrace, poleyn, greave, solleret, gauntlet, cuirie, mail gusset and ocularium sight, you’re outfitted in a suit of armor. Oh, and don’t forget to bring your pavise — your shield! •A vomitory sounds like a place you’d go if you were nauseated, but it’s actually a corridor in a large stadium leading to the grandstands.

Fresh Lemon Bars 1 1/2 cups all-purpose flour (see step 2) 3 tablespoons all-purpose flour (see step 4) 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar (see step 2) 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar (see step 5) 3/4 cup (1 1/2 sticks) margarine or butter, cut into small pieces 2 large lemons 3 large eggs 1 cup granulated sugar 1/2 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon salt 1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Line 13- by 9-inch metal baking pan with foil; lightly grease foil. 2. In medium bowl, combine 1 1/2 cups flour and 1/2 cup confectioners’ sugar. With pastry blender or two knives used scissor-fashion, cut in margarine or butter until mixture resembles coarse crumbs. 3. Sprinkle crumb mixture evenly in pan. With floured hands, firmly pat crumbs onto bottom of pan to form a crust. Bake crust 15 to 17 minutes until lightly browned. 4. Meanwhile, grate peel from lemons to equal 1 teaspoon and squeeze juice to equal 1/3 cup. In large bowl, with mixer at high speed, beat eggs until thick and lemon-colored, about 3 minutes. Reduce speed to low; add lemon juice, lemon peel, granulated sugar, baking powder, salt and remaining 3 tablespoons flour, and beat until blended, occasionally scraping bowl. 5. Pour lemon filling over warm crust. Bake 15 minutes or until filling is just set and golden around edges. Remove pan to wire rack. Place remaining 1 tablespoon confectioners’ sugar in sieve and use to sprinkle over warm filling. Cool completely in pan on wire rack. 6. When cool, cut lengthwise into 3 strips, then cut each strip crosswise into 12 bars. To store, cover pan and refrigerate. Peachy Frozen Yogurt Served as a fruity dessert or snack, our creamy Peachy Frozen Yogurt delivers a double dose of peach flavor and only 1 gram of fat per serving. 1 bag (10- to 12-ounce) frozen sliced peaches 2 containers (6 ounces each) low-fat peach yogurt 1 tablespoon sugar 1. In food processor with knife blade attached, process frozen peaches until finely shaved. Add yogurt and sugar. Process just until smooth. Serve immediately. Serves 4. 2. If not serving right away, pour into 9- by 9-inch metal baking pan; cover and freeze 1 hour for best texture.

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Puzzle and Game Answers FAMOUS CHEFS

Hey, what’s cookin’? This week, Tidbits teaches you about a few famous chefs of our era. In the words of Julia Child, “Bon appétit!” •Julia Child didn’t have aspirations of becoming a famous chef. After graduating from Smith College, she became a copyrighter in the advertising department of a home furnishings firm, followed by several more years writing for publications and working in advertising. During World War II, the 6-foot, 2-inch (1.88 m) Julia was classified too tall to enlist in the WACS or WAVES and went to work as a typist at the OSS, the predecessor to the CIA. Before long, she was doing top secret research in the Secret Intelligence Division. After the war, she married a fellow OSS employee Paul Child, who introduced Julia to fine cuisine. When Paul’s job took the couple to Paris, Julia and two friends began teaching cooking, while developing a cook book. The 734-page “Mastering the Art of French Cooking” was released in 1961 and quickly became a best seller, one still in print today. Twenty more titles followed. She debuted on television in 1963 with “The French Chef,” earning the first-ever Emmy Award for an educational program. The cover of Time magazine featured her in 1966, dubbing her “Our Lady of the Ladle.” •Scottish-born Gordon Ramsay is famous for his hot temper and coarse language on the television series “Hell’s Kitchen.” But his abilities as a chef are top-notch, with his London restaurant voted as that city’s best for eight years straight. He has also authored 21 books.

Trivia Test Answers 1. Louis Pasteur 2. Black currants 3. 1965 4. Also known as a sea, a maria is a dark region on the moon. 5. Pierre 6. “Skipping Christmas,” by John Grisham 7. Sidney Poitier won for his role in “Lilies of the Field.” 8. Duke of York 9. Cassius Clay 10. Buddy, a Labrador retriever Bible Trivia Answers: 1) New; 2) Wore sackcloth; 3) 3; 4) 1 John; 5) Nicodemus; 6) 7

•Austrian-born chef Wolfgang Puck learned to cook from his pastry chef mother. After immigrating to America at age 25, he worked as a chef for two years in Indianapolis before making the move to Los Angeles. He published his first cook book at age 33. Puck’s first Spago restaurant opened on the Sunset Strip the following year. He now has 19 restaurants. The Beverly Hills Spago has been on the list of the Top 40 restaurants in the United States since 2004. Puck cites macaroons as his absolute favorite food. Had he not chosen his current profession, he says he would have liked to have been an artist. • Rachael Ray didn’t get her cooking education at a culinary institute; in fact, she herself states, “I have no formal anything. I’m completely unqualified for any job I’ve ever had.” Perhaps it helped that her family owned four restaurants. Ray’s first job was at Macy’s candy counter, and she moved up to the fresh foods department. Her “30-Minute Meal” simple recipes appeal to busy consumers everywhere. Ray insists she is not a good baker, because it calls for measured ingredients, while she prefers approximating amounts, such as “half a palmful.” •Chef Emeril Lagasse, owner of 12 restaurants and author of 15 best-selling cook books, specializes in Cajun, Creole and Portuguese cooking. He learned bread and pastry baking as a teenager, working in a Portuguese bakery in his Massachusetts home town. Although Emeril was offered a full scholarship at a music conservatory, he chose a culinary university, traveling to Paris following graduation to practice his trade. Settling in New Orleans, he purchased the famous Delmonico Restaurant, one of America’s oldest restaurants. He has since expanded into three other cities.

Flash Back Answers: 1. Cilla Black (born Priscilla White). Black was a favorite of Brian Epstein, the Beatles manager, and covered a number of their early songs. 2. Twisted Sister, in 1984. The group was originally called Silver Star. 3. “Disco Duck” was satire, written in 1976 by a Memphis DJ as a takeoff on a 1960 song called “The Duck.” 4. Freddie and the Dreamers, 1965. Their album of the same name included a chart with diagrams to dance the Freddie. 5. Eric Carmen, in 1975 and 1987. Carmen’s big successes came when he went solo after leaving the Raspberries. “Hungry Eyes” was featured in the film “Dirty Dancing.” 6. USA for Africa, in 1985. They all recorded “We Are the World.”

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ShowBiz Weekly JILL JACKSON’S HOLLYWOOD By Tony Rizzo CELEBRITY EXTRA By Cindy Elavsky

PHOTO: Larry Hagman Q: I’ve been hearing about the new “Dallas,” but haven’t been able to find it on the schedule. Please tell me the show wasn’t scrapped before it even aired! -- Cara D., via e-mail A: Don’t you worry: “Dallas” returns to TV for 10 episodes on TNT beginning Wednesday, June 13, at 9/8c with a two-hour season premiere. You’re not the only one who’s excited. Personally, I can’t wait to see what the new generation of Ewings has in store for us -and Larry Hagman as J.R. will be up to no good, for sure. Q: I was dismayed to read that “GCB” wasn’t renewed for a second season! Is there anything we can do to save this show? -- Vivian D., via e-mail A: I’m not sure if we can save the show -- if you read my column regularly, then you know I LOVE this show! -- but we sure can try. First, there is a website set up where you can sign a petition: SaveGCB.com. I spoke with two of the series stars about its cancelation, and they are just as sad as we are. Eric Winter, who plays Luke Lourd, told me that “GCB” deserved to be saved because “the ‘GCB’ fans are the real deal. They’re passionate and they love their show. This is an extremely creative and smart show that just needs more of a chance to take off and run.” Mark Deklin, who plays Blake Reilly, echoed Eric’s sentiments, telling me: “What’s really touched me the most is the way the fans have embraced Blake and Cricket. The outpouring of love and loyalty across all the social media has been astounding. So my gratitude to the fans is huge, as is my admiration and affection for my colleagues. On the night we got the news that we weren’t being renewed for a second season, I got a text from Miriam (Shor, who plays Cricket) that said, ‘I will miss you most of all, Scarecrow.’ If there was a moment in which I got a little choked up, it was probably the moment when I read that text. I’ve become incredibly fond of the Caruth-Reillys.” Q: Can you tell me if my favorite show, “Harry’s Law,” will return next season? -- Laurie B., Canton, Mich. A: This is the part of my job that I hate: Telling good readers like you when a network has canceled their favorite show. “Harry’s Law” really struggled with ratings its second season -- my guess is fans didn’t/couldn’t keep up with all the day and time changes that NBC kept dealing it. *** Readers: I have had dozens of people write in to ask about the fate of NBC’s “Community,” and I am thrilled to report that the offbeat comedy has been renewed for a 13-episode fourth season. While it might be shorter than normal, let’s just be glad we even got another season with this talented group!

PHOTO: Robert Redford HOLLYWOOD -- It was bound to happen. In April, Ashton Kutcher signed on to play Steve Jobs in the upcoming biopic, “Jobs,” and Apple co-founder Steve Wozniak endorsed him as the apple of his eye to play Jobs. Now, Sony is throwing its hat into the ring with a Steve Jobs film, based on Walter Isaacson’s bestseller, “Steve Jobs.” Having a hot, “in” actor like Kutcher on board is a big deal, but Sony has leveled the playing field by hiring “West Wing” creator and “Social Network” Oscar-winner Aaron Sorkin to write and direct its film. By the by, Sorkin has acquired the rights to “The Politician” for his next project. It’s about the downfall of former U.S. Sen. John Edwards as written by key staff member Andrew Young. This year we had two Snow White pictures, (“Mirror, Mirror” and “Snow White and the Huntsman”), and now we have two Steve Jobs films. Which studio will do the best job(s)? *** Robert Redford will direct himself in “The Company You Keep,” based on the 2003 Lem Dobbs novel. Redford plays a former Weather Underground militant wanted for bank robbery and murder, who has successfully hidden from the FBI for more than 30 years as an attorney. When his identity is exposed, he becomes a fugitive while trying to find the one person who can clear him. He has surrounded himself with some of the best: Susan Sarandon, Julie Christie, Shia LaBeouf, Sam Elliott, classical child singer Jackie Evancho (as his daughter), Anna Kendrick, Chris Cooper and Stanley Tucci. Redford’s last film, “The Conspirator,” didn’t hit its

PAGE 16 May 2012

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