Tidbits of Branson # 43 by Gordon Bingham

October 17, 2008

Th ,IL

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Vol. 2, Issue 43

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Masks have long been used for costumes and disguises, as well as cosmetic and surgical purposes. This week’s Tidbits reviews some better-known masks and the faces behind them. • The most famous mask in popular culture might be that of the Lone Ranger. According to legend, the Lone Ranger fashioned his famous mask from the fabric of his brother’s vest. His brother, a Texas Ranger, died in an ambush at the hands of the Butch Cavendish Gang. The original mask worn by TV’s Lone Ranger, Clayton Moore, is on display at the Smithsonian Museum. • The frst professional hockey player to wear a protective face mask was goaltender Clint Benedict of the Montreal Maroons. In 1930, he made some adjustments to a football mask and wore it for fve games to allow his broken nose to heal. • The three masks worn by the Leatherface character in the 1974 flm The Texas Chainsaw Massacre were almost thrown away – by director Tobe Hooper’s mother! Ed Neal, who played the hitchhiker in the flm, rescued the masks. He kept one for himself and auctioned off the other two. turn the page for more! WANT TO RUN YOUR OWN BUSI NESS?

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Tidbits® of Branson Area BEHIND THE MASKS (continued): • The best-selling Halloween masks for the past several years have included horror-flm characters such as Freddy Krueger, Jason Vorhees, Dracula, and the Wolfman. Popular movies and news stories also spawn related Halloween masks. This year, for example, Batman masks are big sellers due to the huge success of the movie The Dark Knight. Sales of candidates Barack Obama and John McCain masks are also spiking thanks to the upcoming presidential election. • The familiar “comedy” and “tragedy” masks that symbolize the theater originated in ancient Greece. The masks date back about 2,500 years ago, where they were worn by performers in early Greek plays. Back then, theaters were so large that many audience members had diffculty seeing the performers’ facial expressions. The oversize, exaggerated masks helped to convey the proper emotions of the actors. • British actor James Purefoy was originally cast as the title character in the 2006 flm V for Vendetta. But he quit after three weeks of flming and was replaced by another actor, Hugo Weaving. Purefoy’s complaint? His face was not to appear throughout the entire flm. The mysterious character was required to wear a Guy Fawkes mask at all times. “Even Batman gets to take his mask off sometimes,” said Purefoy.

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For Advertising Call 1.417.230.7055 BEHIND THE MASKS (continued): • In the late 1990s, the Fox television network aired a series of specials called Magic’s Biggest Secrets Finally Revealed. The shows were hosted by “the Masked Magician,” who revealed the secrets behind some of magic’s most famous illusions. He revealed his identity on the fnal special; he’s a Las Vegas stage magician named Leonard Monatono, and performs magic under the showbiz name Val Valentino. • The mask (and then face paint) worn by comedian Jim Carrey in his 1994 flm hit The Mask were only part of his character. He also donned oversized novelty teeth, intended to be seen in scenes with no dialogue. But Carrey practiced diligently and learned to speak well enough while wearing the teeth. As a result, he was able to use them throughout the movie. (He liked them and felt they made his character appear even more “over the top.”) • Starsky & Hutch star David Soul was an actor and a singer. Before he hit it big on TV (and scored a song hit with “Don’t Give Up on Us”), Soul donned a ski mask and played the talk show circuit under the stage name “The Covered Man.” 1. Is the book of Esther in the Old or New Testament or neither? 2. Who killed 69 of his brethren, but spared Jotham, for he hid himself? Abimelech, Jeroboam,

• Burt Ward wore a raccoon-like mask as Robin the Boy Wonder on TV’s Batman. As a result, he perform many of his own stunts. Co-star Adam West wore a cowl that covered most of his head, so it was easy to substitute a stuntman for Batman’s more perilous scenes. Ward’s mask left most of his face visible, so it was hard to fool the audience with a replacement. He suffered many bumps and bruises while flming the show. • Surgeons frst wore masks during operations not for sanitary purposes, but to protect themselves from the odors emanating from their ill patients. Quite often, they’d dab peppermint oil inside their masks to stife the stench. It wasn’t until the late 19th century that Dr. Joseph Lister discovered a connection between germs in the operating room and infections in surgery patients. • The masked character Zorro frst appeared in 1919 in a novel written by Johnston McCulley. In the original story, Zorro was the alter-ego of master swordsman Diego de la Vega, a freedom fghter who lived in California during the Spanish colonial era. • In the Phantom of the Opera musical that has wowed the theater-going public since 1986, the Phantom wore a white half-mask. But when Lon Chaney portrayed the Phantom in the famous 1925 flm, he didn’t don a mask. The “Man of 1,000 Faces” stuffed the inside of his cheeks with cotton and built up his outer cheeks with collodion, a celluloid-like flm. He glued a strip of fsh skin to his nose and used false teeth made from gutta-percha, a type of latex.

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In honor of Massage Therapy Awareness Week, Handprints will be offering free chair massages on October 20 - 24 from 11:30 am to 1:00 pm (reservations are required).

We all know how wonderful massage is at relieving stress and making you feel better. But did you know that massage can aid in alleviating pain and in the healing process? Clinical research has shown that massage therapy has benefits for many serious medical conditions. Anxiety A review of more than a dozen studies concluded that massage therapy helps relieve depression and anxiety by affecting the body’s biochemistry.. Massage also increased serotonin and dopamine, which are both neurotransmitters that help reduce depression. Migraines In a 2006 study published in the Annals of Behavioral Medicine, massage therapy recipients exhibited fewer migraines and better sleep quality than the control group. A 1998 study published in the International Journal of Neuroscience found that massage therapy decreased the occurrence of headaches, sleep disturbances and distress symptoms in adults with migraines. Carpal Tunnel A 2004 study by the University of Miami School of Medicine explored the effects of massage therapy on carpal tunnel syndrome. The study concluded that carpal tunnel patients receiving massage experienced less pain, reduced symptoms and better grip strength than patients that did not receive massage.

Uzziah, Horam 3. From Proverbs 25, “Who so boasteth himself of a false gift is like clouds and wind without ...”? Meaning, Hope, Breeze, Rain 4. Who was the wife of Ananias who died along with her husband after lying about an offering? Jezebel, Anna, Sapphira, Jael 5. Which two foods were said to fow in the land of Canaan? Peaches/Cream, Figs/Apples, Milk/Honey, Manna/Bison 6. What were the Israelites, as slaves of Egypt, forced to make? Bread, Bricks, Staffs, Spears

Hypertension Research has shown that hypertensive patients who received three 10-minute back massages a week had a reduction in blood pressure, compared to patients who tried to increase relaxation without massage. © 2008 Massage Marketing The content of this article is not intended to replace professional medical advice. If you’re ill, please consult a physician.

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Tidbits® of Branson Area

VA Survey The Department of Veterans Affairs will be calling 42,000 veterans in an annual random survey between now and Thanksgiving week. Don’t hang up when it does. Your answers really matter. If you’re enrolled in the VA health-care system, your answers could translate into more money for VA. It’ll be looking for information to help make projections on enrollment, costs and future utilization of services. The information from each annual survey is compared with information from previous surveys, allowing the VA to spot trends and plan ahead. Granted, you likely won’t have an opportunity to ask questions about your particular situation. Judging from the information in previous surveys, your responses likely will be limited to the questions asked. There’s the standard stuff -- age, race, marital status, years of service, income, work

status and priority group number. Then it wants to know about any insurance, as well as the number of prescriptions taken. Another section had questions about planned future use of VA health-care services. That last one, if the question is still on this year’s survey, might be the most important. In the past, interviewers have asked if participants planned to use VA health care for prescriptions, specialized primary or backup care, or as a safety net. Only one section on previous surveys made me nervous: perceived health status. If you respond in October that you’re in tip-top shape, there might be a question if later on you decide to fle for service-connected benefts. Overall, though, it’s better to be honest if you’re called to participate in the survey. The results of previous surveys can be found at http: //www1.va.gov/vhareorg/reports.htm. Most interesting are the graphics that show the breakdown of enrollees across the country by state.

Write to Freddy Groves in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 328536475, or send e-mail to columnreply@gmail.com.

In sports, black is the new black. We all know the connotations of a black uniform -- in the Westerns, good guys wear white, bad guys wear black. In wartime, black-ops soldiers are considered the most ruthless and devastating. Bad periods in history are referred to as Dark Ages, and epidemics as Black Death. But in sports, most athletes just think a dark, menacing uniform looks cool. Last month, black uniforms were back in the news. In Springfeld, Mass., the police commissioner announced that offcers would switch to black, military-style uniforms as part of his strategy to deal with youth violence. The commissioner said the move was designed to instill “fear” in the minds of miscreants. In Athens, Ga., the No. 3-ranked Bulldogs decided to make their matchup against then-No. 9 Alabama a “blackout.” It was the third time in the history of the program they had done so (they wore them in 2007 against Auburn and in the 2008 Sugar Bowl against Hawaii). “I thought of the outstanding success as far as the fans buying into the request of the seniors [to wear black] and the fans just having a ball with it. I would think they would get excited about the blackout again,” Mark Richt, Georgia’s head coach, told the media before the game. Well, it didn’t work out for the Bulldogs. The Crimson Tide scored on their frst fve possessions, building a 31-0 halftime lead before hanging on for a 41-30 win “between the hedges,” where the Bulldogs were riding an 11-game winning streak. Was it the black uniforms? In 1986, scientists from Cornell University studied the correlation between black uniforms and aggression in professional sports. After analyzing penalty records of the NFL (yards) and the NHL (minutes), researchers found that teams wearing black ranked at the top of their leagues in penalties. The study also found that referees appeared to be more biased against black-uniformed players. Maybe it’s a coincidence, but during the Bama game, Georgia was fagrantly aggressive and the Bulldogs were fagged for 10 penalties for 81 yards. Black uniforms really became en vogue during the days of, well, En Vogue ... the ‘90s. Although the trend of creating “alternate jerseys” had started decades earlier, marketing departments for teams found that third jerseys meant added income. Black jerseys, they found, sold exceptionally well. Fans of hip-hop especially seemed to like the new jerseys - the Los Angeles Kings and Atlanta Falcons jerseys became ubiquitous in the scene. Hey, we all love a little color in our lives, but until things get brighter at the ticket offce and concession stand, you can expect to see the man in black on game day. Mark Vasto is a veteran sportswriter and publisher of The Parkville (Mo.) Luminary. (c) 2008 King Features Synd., Inc.

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“Calamities are of two kinds: misfortunes to ourselves, and good fortune to others.” -- Ambrose Bierce

As we get closer to the election on Nov. 4, it might be a good time to remember the following observation from American author Norman Mailer: “I don’t trust a man who uses the word evil 18 times in 10 minutes. If you’re half evil, nothing soothes you more than to think the person you are opposed to is totally evil.” You may not be surprised to learn that Arthur Davidson, co-founder of the Harley-Davidson motorcycle company, died in a motor vehicle accident. You may be surprised to learn, however, that the accident involved a car, not a bike. Those who study such things claim that bats always turn left when exiting a cave. If you’re a pet owner, it will come as no surprise to you that the animals we love can sometimes wreak havoc on our homes and possessions. In order to quantify that damage, a survey

• Chemical warfare was introduced during World War I. The French used ethyl bromoacetate, and the Germans retaliated with chlorine. Since horsepower (literally speaking) was still a major means of transport at the time, special gas masks were devised for equine wear. Cheesecloth and oilcloth were outftted with a metal mouthpiece and an outlet valve, then placed over the horse’s nose and mouth for protection. • On TV (or in real life), you may see a violent suspect appear in court with what looks like a white half-mask covering the lower part of his or her face. That particular restraint is part of a line of law-enforcement equipment made by TranZport. The “Spit Net” is ftted to belligerent prisoners to prevent them from spitting or biting. They are constructed to be humane to the prisoner while providing ample protection to police and court offcers. • When Darth Vader was fnally unmasked in the flm The Return of the Jedi, the face revealed was not that of tall British bodybuilder David Prowse, who’d worn the costume up until then. It was actor Sebastian Shaw, who was chosen by George Lucas because he looked more “paternal.” Prowse, however, claims that the change was made to discourage him from negotiating a higher salary for future flms in the Star Wars series. was recently conducted to determine which dogs are the most destructive and cost the most money in repairs to or replacement of damaged goods. It’s interesting to note that size didn’t seem to have much effect; the breed that currently holds the Guinness world record for the tallest dog, the Great Dane, topped the list of destructive canines, while the smallest breed in the world, the Chihuahua, came in second. The word “hierarchy,” which now refers to organization by level, originally meant “rule by priests.” If you’re planning a trip to Ohio next summer, be sure to make it to Akron in July -- you wouldn’t want to miss the National Hamburger Festival. Activities and events include the Hamburger Eating Championship, the Miss Hamburger competition and Bobbing for Burgers -- in a vat of ketchup, of course. (c) 2008 King Features Synd., Inc.

Medicare Part B Premiums Unchanged

For the frst time since 2000, we won’t see an annual increase in monthly premiums for Medicare Part B. The majority of us will continue to pay the $96.40 per month. Unless we have a lot of money, that is. For those who have more than an $85,000 modifed adjusted gross annual income for a single person ($170,000 for a couple fling jointly), the monthly premium will go up roughly $135 to $308 per month depending on income. That’s not to say we’re getting a gift with this no increase in premium cost. We’ve paid higher premiums in recent years, so a contingency reserve could be built up. Not only that, but a whopping $9.3 billion (yes, billion, with a “b”) was given back to Medicare after it was accidentally spent (since 2005) for hospice care, a program that should have been paid for by another part of Medicare. Medicare Part B covers things like doctor visits, wheelchairs and other medical equipment, things that don’t involve being in a hospital. We pay a deductible of $135 for that, and it’s not going up. Medicare Part A (the part that pays for hospital stays, nursing homes and some home health-care services) will see an increase in the deductible of $44, bringing it up to $1,068 when we go into the hospital. Those of us who have the full 40 quarters of Medicare-covered work don’t pay a monthly premium. Those who don’t have at least 30 quarters however, however, will have an increase in the Part A premiums they already pay, up to $443 per month for next year. Those who have 30 to 39 quarters will pay $244 per month. 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) 2008 King Features Synd., Inc.

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Tidbits® of Branson Area

ALL THE PRESIDENTS’ TIDBITS:

ANDREW JOHNSON Nobody seemed to like Andrew Johnson. Southerners didn’t care for him because he supported the Union during the Civil War. Northerners didn’t care for him because, well, he was a Southerner. And Congress didn’t like him because he wasn’t Abraham Lincoln. •

Andrew Johnson was born in Raleigh, North Carolina, on December 29, 1808. His father died when Andrew was only three, causing great hardship for the family. He never attended school, but did teach himself to read and write. As a teenager, he became apprenticed to a tailor. In this situation, he learned the trade from a professional tailor in exchange for committing himself to working for that tailor for a prescribed period.

•

Unhappy with his situation, Johnson left his apprenticeship and moved west to Tennessee, where he put his tailoring skills to use. At 18, he married Eliza McCardle, who helped Andrew expand his education in hopes of a more advanced career. The tutoring paid off, and over the next 25 years, Johnson served governments local (as mayor), statewide (as governor), and national (as a congressman).

•

When Tennessee seceded from the Union in 1861, Johnson was the only congressman from the state who refused to give up his seat in Washington. President Abraham Lincoln took note of his dedication, and when federal troops took control of the state, Johnson was rewarded with a role as military governor. His efforts helped the United States win the Civil War, and when Lincoln ran for reelection in 1864, he asked Johnson to replace Hannibal Hamlin as his running mate. They won the election, but Johnson had only six weeks to adjust to life as vice president when John Wilkes Booth unceremoniously “promoted” him by assassinating Lincoln.

•

In reality, Johnson had originally been a secondary target of Booth’s assassination conspiracy. The plan included murdering the president and vice president as well as Secretary of State William Seward. While Seward was critically injured (but survived), the man responsible for attacking Johnson – George Atzerodt – chickened out. FRIENDLY BAPTIST CHURCH 2751 KIRKLAND DRIVE BRANSON, MO 65616

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One of the most beautifully relaxing instruments to listen to and to play is the flute. It is a musical instrument of the woodwind family and unlike other woodwind instruments, a flute is a reed-less wind instrument that produces its sound from the flow of air against an edge. In its most basic form, a flute can be an open tube which is blown li ke a bottle. The flute has been dated to prehistoric times. It has appeared in different forms and locations around the world. A three-holed flute made from a mammoth tusk (from the Geißenklösterle cave in the German Swabian Alb - dated to 30,000 to 37,000 years ago) was discovered in 2004. Two flutes made from swans’ bones excavated a decade earlier (from the same cave in Germany, dated to circa 36,000 years ago) are among the oldest known musical instruments. The pan flute was used in Greece from the 7th century BC, and spread to other parts of Europe. A flute produces sound when a stream of air directed across a hole in the instrument creates a vibration of air at the hole. The player changes the pitch of the sound produced by opening and closing holes in the body of the instrument, thus changing the effective length of the resonator and its corresponding resonant frequency. By varying the air pressure, a flute player can also change the pitch of a note by causing the air in the flute to resonate at a harmonic other than the fundamental frequency without opening or closing any holes. A musician who plays the flute can be referred to as a flute player, a flautist, a flutist, or a fluter. During the later half of the 18th century, as the first orchestras were being formed, the concert flute was featured in symphonies and concertos as well as an established member of the orchestra. The 20th century saw a revival of the recorder, while the concert flute and tin whistle continued to be popular. The invention of plastics in the 20th century gave birth to the tonette, a fipple flute used in music education, but it soon fell out of use, replaced by plastic recorders. About the author: David Lomascola is an adjunct professor of piano at the University of Nevada, Las Vegas. He currently resides in Branson, Missouri where he performs his David Lomascola Show featuring his million dollar piano at the Branson Star Theatre. You can learn more about Lomascola on line at www.Lomascola.com.

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For Advertising Call 1.417.230.7055 ANDREW JOHNSON (continued): • As president, Andrew Johnson hoped to bring Southern states back into the fold quickly – starting with Tennessee. Unfortunately for him, Congress was flled with men who wished to punish the former Rebels with heavy-handed Reconstruction efforts. The president was constantly at odds with Capitol Hill, slapping vetoes on many measures and seeing others overridden by Congress. Johnson further infuriated the government and the public by supporting Seward’s efforts to acquire Alaska from Russia. While the purchase would later prove its importance, it seemed of little use in post-Civil-War America, where pundits referred to the action as “Seward’s Folly.” •

Opponents soon collected enough evidence to impeach Johnson, but he was acquitted of charges by a single vote. He’d lost the faith of his party, however, and was not selected to run in the next presidential election in 1868. Andrew returned to Tennessee the following year, but fve years later, he found himself in Washington again after the Volunteer State elected him to the U.S. Senate. (In fact, he’s the only former president who went on to serve as a senator.)

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Tidbits® of Branson Area Peanut Butter Sweet Potato Bake

How many times slugger Adam Dunn had at

Sweet Potato vs. Yams -- there is a difference. Yams are moister than sweet potatoes and have darker skins. Sweet potatoes are versatile and are often baked, candied or made into pies. It’s best not to boil them, as they’ll lose much of their favor.

least 190 strikeouts in a major-league season? Colorado’s Troy Tulowitzki set an N.L. rookie record in 2007 for most home runs by a shortstop with 24. Who had

1/2 cup unsweetened orange juice 1/4 cup Peter Pan or Skippy reduced-fat peanut butter 2 tablespoons Brown Sugar Twin 3 cups (16 ounces) sliced cooked sweet potatoes 1/2 cup miniature marshmallows

held the mark? Central Michigan QB Dan LeFevour in 2007 became the second Division I-A player to throw for more than 3,000 yards and rush

Preheat oven to 350 F. Spray an 8-by-8-inch baking dish with butter-favored cooking spray. In a large bowl, combine orange juice, peanut butter and Brown Sugar Twin. Add sweet potatoes. Mix well to coat. Pour mixture into prepared baking dish. Bake for 20 minutes. Sprinkle marshmallows evenly over top. Continue baking for 5 minutes or until marshmallows start to melt and are lightly browned. Divide into 6 servings.

for more than 1,000 yards in the same season. Who was the first to do it? Four NBA franchises have won at least four NBA titles. Name them. How many times has Chris Chelios been part of a Stanley Cup-winning team? When was the last time an American male

• Each serving equals: 135 calories, 3g fat, 4g protein, 23g carbs, 90mg sodium, 22mg calcium, 3g fber; Diabetic Exchanges: 1 Starch, 1/2 Fat; Carb Choices: 1 1/2.

won Olympic gold in the 5,000-meter race? Who is the only golfer to be named LPGA player of the year as a rookie?

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enough that it will stick on the window. Paint as normal, then just peel off. No tape required. Painter’s tape is getting pretty expensive, if you ask me.” -- V.L. in Delaware Getting that( c)thermos out of storage? Freshen 2008 King Features its smell with a half-cup o f baking soda. Shake it around and let it sit overnight. Got stains? A few tablets of Alka Seltzer will do the trick. Fill the bottle two-thirds full with hot water, plop in the tablets and let them do their work. Use a bottle brush to scrub, and then rinse. “I like to make my own baby food, but doing it for every meal was tedious. Now I just make a large batch of each kind, freeze it into ice-cube trays and, when they are frozen, pop the cubes out into labeled freezer bags. I defrost just what I need quickly and easily, and I have a much greater variety this way.” -- D.M. in Washington “If you are painting around windows, cut newspaper to ft the window, then dampen

“I keep a travel container of baby wipes in the car for use after flling the tank with gas. Now that it’s all pay at the pump, I hardly go inside and am not able to wash my hands off. Just a quick wipe and my hands are clean, and I can toss the wipe right there at the pump.” -- J.S. in Texas “I have a very pretty pot that I keep beside my kitchen sink. It’s flled with baking soda. Whenever I am working with foods that are smelly or strong, I can open the lid and it helps a little. Also, I just dip my damp fngers into the baking soda and use it to scrub the smell from my hands. The bonus is that it makes my hands feel softer.” -O.O. in Iowa Send your tips to Now Here’s a Tip, c/o King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 328536475 or e-mail JoAnn at heresatip@yahoo. com. ( c) 2008 King Features Synd., Inc.

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By Bonnie St. Clair

The man who would become King Henry VIII of England was born in 1491. He was the second son of Henry VII and Elizabeth of York. Henry’s older brother died before his father did, which left the young man next in line for the British throne, which he assumed in 1509. • No matter what else Henry VIII accomplished during his rule, he will always be remembered for being what would today be called a “serial husband.” He went through wives like some men go through socks and ended up with a grand total of six trips to the altar. Henry had been raised a Catholic, which left him with a dilemma when he was itching to leave his frst wife (since the Church frowned on divorce.) He neatly solved the problem by forming a new religious entity, the Church of England. • Catherine of Aragon had married Henry’s older brother, Arthur, in 1501. Arthur died of what was called “sweating sickness” six months later. Henry VII was determined to keep Catherine and her substantial dowry in the family, so once young Henry was old enough to wed, his older brother’s widow became his wife.

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Tidbits® of Branson Area

Economy Puts Strain on Pet Owners

1. Twice -- he did it in 2004 (195) and 2006 (194). 2. The Chicago Cubs’ Ernie Banks, with 19 in 1954. 3. Texas’ Vince Young in 2005. 4. Boston (17), the Los Angeles Lakers (14), Chicago (six) and San Antonio (four). 5. Three times -- 1986 (Montreal), 2002 and 2008 (Detroit). 6. Bob Schul did it in 1964. 7. Nancy Lopez in 1978.

By Samantha Mazzotta Q: I live on a fxed income, and with rising prices and this poor economy, I worry about being able to pay the bills. The one thing I never want to skimp on is caring for my two cats, Farley and Socks. But I am worried about having enough money for vet bills should they fall sick. What can I do? -- Gloria in Los Angeles A: These really are worrisome times, and pet care can fall by the wayside when pet owners are trying to pay for necessities. However, there are lowcost services available for pet owners, especially in big cities. The American Animal Hospital Association (www.aahahelpingpets.org), through its Helping Pets fund, can help pay for part or all of a pet’s veterinary care. Larger pet hospitals often offer programs for pet owners with limited means. Universities that teach veterinary medicine might offer discounted services. Contact one in your area and ask what programs it offers. Keep an eye out for coupons and discount programs offered by local veterinary clinics. These offer things like free offce visits and discounts on routine services. Senior services in many towns and cities organize sessions to give rabies shots and other necessary vaccinations, for free or little cost. In short, there are programs out there to help owners pay for their pets’ medical costs, but they are not always widely advertised. The best thing to do is start looking for low-cost care options now, while your pets are healthy and you have time to sift through the information. Talk to your regular vet and friends who have pets, call your city or county animal shelter and senior services department, ask the manager of your favorite pet store -- there are many resources available. Send your tips, questions and comments to Paws Corner, c/o King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 328536475, or e-mail them to pawscorner@hotmail.com. (c) 2008 King Features Synd., Inc.

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Page 11

HENRY VIII (continued): •

•

When Henry assumed the throne, Catherine not only became Queen of England, but also an expectant mother. Sadly, the child was stillborn. She gave birth to a son in 1511 who died 52 days later. Her daughter, Mary, was born in 1516 and thrived, but by then Henry had taken on a mistress, Anne Boleyn, who worked for his wife. Catherine was now too old to have another child, and Henry wanted a male heir, so he petitioned the Pope for an annulment. The issue was ultimately settled when Anne became pregnant, and Henry took matters into his own hands by forming a new church and divorcing Catherine.

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Anne Boleyn became Henry’s second wife and bore him a daughter, Elizabeth, in 1533. She felt pressured to produce a male heir, but her next two pregnancies ended in miscar iages. Henry had already turned his attentions to one of her ladies-in-waiting, Jane Seymour. Royal courtiers rounded up some male acquaintances of Boleyn’s and “persuaded” them to confess to having had adulterous relationships with her. Anne Boleyn was convicted of adultery and treason and executed in 1536. r

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Less than a month after Anne’s death, Henry married Jane Seymour. Unlike her predecessors, however, she was never offcially pronounced Queen. She did produce a son in 1537, who was christened Edward (he became King Edward VI in 1547). Sadly, the birth was a diffcult one, and Jane died of the resulting complications two weeks later. Henry VIII waited a little over two years after Jane’s death before marrying again. This time his choice of a bride was politically arranged. England needed to strengthen its ties with France, and the Duke of Cleves was an important ally in this mission. His daughter Anne was dispatched to England and became Henry’s fourth wife in 1540. Shortly after marrying her, he looked for an escape. She looked noth ing li ke the fattering o il painting he 'd been given, and the couple had nothing in common. In order to sa ve her own neck, Anne testified that the marriage had never been consummated, and thus enabled the King to secure an annulment. A Computer ·

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Henry next married 19-year-old Kathryn Howard, who openly cheated on her 49-year-old husband. Her infdelities led to her execution, and Henry’s fnal wife was Katherine Parr, who had the good fortune of outliving her husband. ®

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Passenger oxygen masks on airplanes provide a continuous supply of oxygen, rather than “oxygen on demand” (which only fows when you inhale). That’s why the little plastic bag attached to the mask only infates when you exhale.

Creating a gym in your home may be easier than you think. No longer are large, expensive pieces of equipment the only option in bringing the gym home. With the purchase of a jump rope, resistance bands/tubing, a medicine ball and stability ball, you can create a fully functional gym in your house. These items are inexpensive, take up minimal space and can be used to perform hundreds of exercises. The following are sample exercises using a jump rope, resistance band, medicine ball and stability ball: • Jump rope: Great for cardiovascular training. • Resistance band: Bicep curls (works front of arms). Hold handles and place bands under your feet. With your palms facing forward, bend your elbows bringing your palms toward your armpits. Lower, then repeat. • Medicine ball: Overhead tricep extension (works back of arms). With feet staggered and shoulder-width apart and ball grasped between hands, extend your arms directly overhead, close to your ears. Lower the ball by bending your arms directly behind your head until your arms are at a 90-degree angle. Extend your arms, and then repeat. • Stability ball: Wall squats (works legs and glutes). Find a sturdy empty wall and place the ball against it. Place your middle to lower back against the ball. Walk your feet slightly forward, still keeping the ball behind you. Lower yourself slowly toward the ground no lower than 90 degrees. Press through your heels and straighten your legs to stand back up. Repeat. Complete one to three sets, 10-15 repetitions of each of these exercises. Remember to breathe and support your abdominals and back through each repetition. Be sure to talk with your physician or ftness professional about developing a ftness program that can be done at home. He or she can instruct you on what weight and size equipment can best aid you in reaching your ftness goals. The purchase of ftness equipment alone will not make you ft, so it is extremely important to receive proper instruction of how and when to use the equipment you have selected. Do not invest in any equipment until you have a plan to utilize it. Slowly grow your collection of ftness equipment. Purchase one piece of equipment and incorporate it into your ftness plan, then add another. As with large ftness equipment, if you don’t put it to use, it will just collect dust. Fitness equipment can be found at most sporting-goods stores. Two companies that I recommend are Spriproducts, Inc. (1-800-2227774, www.spriproducts.com) and Perform Better (1-888-556-7464, www.performbetter.com). Both companies carry a large assortment of high-quality fitness equipment. Always consult a physician before beginning an exercise program. If you have a ftness or training question, write to Andrea in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. (c) 2008 King Features Synd., Inc.

Thumb Talk I’ve had to learn to speak my kids’ language. It is a silent vocabulary; spoken through their thumbs. Instead of having their eyes aff xed on each other, on sporting events or on the movie screen, kids are drawn to the small, back-lighted gadget in their hands while their thumbs type away pithy lines of code only their kind understand: BCNU (be seeing you); L8R (later); h2cus (hope to see you soon); and g2g (got to go). Text messaging -- if you do not learn how to send or receive it, you are in the Dark Ages, according to my two children. My husband and I noticed that our children were not talking on their cell phones to their friends anymore. The phones were always nearby, but the kids only picked them up to glance at them and then peck away at the tiny keyboard. We found out the hard way that a lot of conversing was going on despite the silence. Our daughter tried to warn us, “Mom. Dad. We really should get unlimited text messaging.” How many messages could the kids send in a month (dumbest question a 21st-century parent can ask)? How

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much of a satisfying conversation can you have with your thumbs? We received the bill. Our hair fell out. We had been warned; our daughter -- the prophet -- said the bill would be shocking. No kidding. I picked my husband up off the f oor, called the cell phone company and did what any smart parent in this day and age would do. We are now an unlimited text-message family. Another thing I noticed with my teens and their friends: If you want them to respond to you quickly, you must text message. Therefore, this awkward, technologically handicapped 40-year-old mother decided that old dogs/old moms could learn new tricks. I now can type quickly with my thumbs. Mrs. Brown, my high-school typing teacher, would be so proud. I’m even learning the text messaging shorthand. Mrs. Fields, my high-school shorthand teacher, would be so proud (I have never even needed to use Gregg’s shorthand since high school, but that’s another column). Parents are always encouraged to f nd ways to communicate with their children. Techniques are evolving with technology -- as are our thumbs. Write to Taprina Milburn in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. (c) 2008 King Features Synd., Inc.

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Help for First-Time Homebuyers As part of the Housing and Economic Recovery Act of 2008, those who want to buy a home will get some help. The biggest item in the legislation is the credit of up to $7,500 that can be given to f rst-time homebuyers. But that “credit” needs to be looked at closely. Although it looks like a tax credit, the program is actually a loan that you’ll claim on your tax return. As such, it becomes an obligation that you’ll owe to the Internal Revenue Service over a span of 15 years. Specif cs of the program: • Single taxpayers must make less than $75,000 (and married couples less than $150,000). • The allowed credit is up to 10 percent of the cost of the house. • The credit amounts to a zero-interest loan. • You must buy your home between April 9, 2008, and July 1, 2009. (The date is determined by the closing date.) “First-time buyers” means you haven’t owned a principalresidence home for three years. If you owned a vacation home, you’re not disqualif ed. You’ll begin making payments to the IRS two years after you claim the credit. Payments will be made via your tax payments, although the specif cs haven’t been ironed out yet. Some considerations to think about: Even though this is given as a tax credit, it really is a loan, and you’ll owe money to the IRS. If you don’t pay, the standard IRS penalties and interest will kick in. If you sell your home, the money becomes due. The IRS doesn’t need to be paid directly out of proceeds from the sale, but you will immediately be obligated to pay back the balance that you owe. (If you sell and your prof t is less than the amount you owe the IRS, the balance that you owe is forgiven.) The same situation would apply if you move but don’t sell. Let’s say you move to a smaller place and rent out your home. When the home is no longer your main residence, the money becomes due to the IRS for that tax year. To learn more about the homebuyer credit as well as other provisions of the act, go to www.federalhousingtaxcredit.com. David Uff ngton 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 32853-6475, or send e-mail to columnreply@gmail.com. (c) 2008 King Features Synd., Inc.