Kidsville News - July 2010

KIDSVILLE NEWS - PAGE 3JULY 2010 WWW.KIDSVILLENEWSTN.COM

Dear Kids,

July is here, and I’m looking forward to watching the fi reworks on Independence Day! The birthday of our country is a special holiday, and my family always celebrates with some homemade ice cream. You’ll fi nd a great recipe in Kidsville Kitchen.

You also might notice another theme in this issue. Our Come Out and Play article explores rodeo, we have an interview with a rancher for What’s It Like to Be and our Wildville animal is the Gila monster. What’s the connection? Well, I just visited the Sonora Desert in Arizona, and July 24 is the National Day of the Cowboy!

I hope you enjoy this issue of Kidsville News! Keep reading, and be sure to visit online for more fun and games.

Hope you have a jubilant July!Your friend,

Copyright ©2007 by Kidsville News! Incorporated. All rights reserved. No part of this issue may be reproduced in whole or in part in any form without permission of the publisher or copyright holder. Neither participating advertisers nor the publishers will be responsible or liable for misinformation, misprints or typographical errors. The publishers reserve the right to edit any submitted material. Kidsville News! Incorporated is not responsible for unsolicited manuscripts, artwork, or other material. Children’s submissions should include name, address, telephone number, and permission to publish signed by a parent or guardian.

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The fi rst U.S. Zoo opened on July 1, 1874. The Philadelphia

Zoological Society had 1,000 animals in the zoo on opening day, and 3,000 visitors came to visit.

The poem “America the Beautiful” was fi rst published on

July 4, 1895, in a church publication. It was later set to music and is one of

America’s most patriotic songs.

Aviator Amelia Earhart planned an around-the-world trip in 1937. She completed 22,000 miles of the journey when her

plane disappeared on July 2. It was never found.

The anniversary of man’s fi rst landing on the moon is July 20, 1969. Two U.S. astronauts, Neil

Armstrong and Edwin Aldrin Jr., landed the module Eagle on the moon from the Apollo XI. They brought back photos and rock samples.

All of us have a birthday. It’s a time to celebrate the day that we were born and the joy over our existence. Our nation has a birthday, too! Our

nation’s birthday is coming up on July 4! Happy Birthday, America!

Do you know how our country, the United States of America, was born? The birthday of the United States of America is known as Independence Day, or the

Fourth of July. On July 4, 1776, the Continental Congress adopted the Declaration of Independence. This meant that the colonies were separating from Great Britain and becoming an independent country.

So what led to the birth of our nation? In 1750, there were 13 small colonies in America. Each colony was separate, but they were all ruled by the king of England. The colonies had to send money to England to pay taxes. All of the laws and rules were also made in Great Britain, and there was no representation or input from the people of the American colonies. The people of the colonies began to believe that they should be independent and not ruled by a king who lived across the ocean. They wanted to be free to choose the kind of government they wanted. The king refused to give up the American colonies and sent ships fi lled with soldiers to America.

The colonies realized that in order to fi ght the king and his army, they would need to unite. Each colony chose men to go to Philadelphia and meet. This was called the “First Continental Congress.” They drafted a letter to the king and asked him to change unfair laws and to send his soldiers back to England. Instead, the king sent more soldiers to America, and the Revolutionary War began.

The Declaration of Independence was drafted by Thomas Jefferson in June of 1776. In the Declaration, Jefferson expressed the feelings of the American people. It explained the ideals of individual liberty through “self-evident truths,” proclaiming that all men are created equal, that they are endowed by their Creator with certain rights, and among these are life, liberty and the pursuit of happiness. The document also explained that governments are created to help ensure these rights.

When a government abuses the people and denies their rights, it is the duty of the people to remove or change that form of government. The Declaration listed grievances against the King and how the government of

Great Britain was infringing on the rights of the people, and justifi ed the separation of the colonies from Great Britain.

On July 4, 1776, the Declaration of Independence was adopted. The ringing of the Liberty Bell in Philadelphia signaled that a new nation had been born. It was fi ve more years before the British surrendered at Yorktown, Virginia, in 1781. The United States of America was fi nally a free nation!

All Americans are encouraged to read the Declaration of Indepen-dence, to understand better the rights that our forefathers fought for so that we can live the lives that we do today. Have you read it?

Happy Birthday, America!

by the numbers!

2.5 Million people living in the 13 original colonies back in 1776. (Historial Statistics of the United States: Colonial Times to 1970)

30 Number of places in America with “liberty” in their names. (Examples are Liberty, Missouri, Liberty, North Carolina and North Liberty, Iowa.)

150Number — in millions — of hot dogs estimated to be eaten at July 4th celebrations.

5.2 Million dollars are spent importing American fl ags, as of last count in 2004. Most of the fl ags are made in China.

50percent of America’s potatoes are grown in either Idaho or Washington. Potatoes are common foods at July 4th celebrations, usually in the form of potato

salad or potato chips!


AR UND THE W RLD Spain

In the city of Pamplona, Spain, young men run through the streets being chased by bulls! This event takes place as part of the festival of San Fermin. On the morning of July 7, runners gather at the starting line at the bottom of Santo Domingo. Then a rocket explodes, and some fi ghting bulls are released onto the streets. The bulls run

along the narrow street half a mile to a bull ring. The

runners run in front of the bulls, getting as close as possible but trying to avoid getting gored by their sharp horns!

CanadaJuly 1 is celebrated as Canada Day, Canada’s birthday or national day. It was also for-merly known as Dominion Day. This special day commemorates the confederation in 1867 of Upper and Lower Canada and some of the Mari-time Prov-inces into the Dominion of Canada. The anniversary is celebrated with music concerts, games and activities for the whole family and a spectacular fi reworks show.

FranceThe French love to celebrate on July 14, Bastille Day. The fall of the Bastille prison marked the beginning of the French Revolution in 1789. The people of Paris stormed the Bastille prison and freed the political prisoners, who were placed there by order of the King. Although there were not many prisoners, the storming of the Bastille was a symbol of defi ance to the King and the monarchy. Now, the French national holiday is celebrated by dances, parades, dinners and fi reworks.

Gila Monster What would your life be like if…… you could hardly move whenever it got cold?… you had to bask under the sun on a bed of hot rocks?… you couldn’t eat until your body warmed up?That’s how the Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum explains the

life of a lizard in the Sonoran Desert. During the hot summer months, they must be careful not to get too hot. They move back and forth from sun to shade in order to control their body temperature. Then, in the winter when it gets too cold, they hibernate.

The Gila monster is one of only two venomous, or poisonous, lizards in the world! It is found in deserts locat-ed in the Southwestern United States, especially in western and southern Arizona, and northwestern Mexico. It is one of the sole survivors of an ancient group of lizards known as the Monstersauria. It is a very large lizard and usually

reaches about 18 inches in length. The Gila monster ordinarily has a large head, bulky body, a thick tail it uses to collect food and short legs with strong claws. The texture of its skin consists of beadlike scales, and its movements are slow and clumsy. A combination of brown or black with orange, pink, yellow or dull white makes up its marbled color.

The Gila monster eats young birds, mammals and eggs and has a low metabolism, making its eating patterns similar to that of a snake. Gila monsters typically eat their entire food supply for a year within three to four months. In fact, young Gila monsters can eat up to 50 percent of their body weight in one feeding (if you weigh 80 pounds, imagine eating 40 pounds of food for dinner!). The Gila monster spends most of its time underground in burrows.

Sources: Arizona-Sonora Desert Museum, www.desertmuseum.org; The Columbia Encyclopedia, encyclopedia.com; Dictionary.com, Animal-World, animal-world.com. Research assistance, Ashley Young.

Kingdom: AnimaliaPhylum: ChordataSubphylum: VertebrataClass: ReptiliaOrder: SquamataFamily: HelodermatidaeSpecies: Heloderma suspectum


It’s time to get out your globe! You need to know about the imaginary lines on globes and maps. These lines are called lines of latitude and longitude, and they tell a pilot or ship’s captain exactly where in the world a certain place is located. Basically, latitude lines (also called parallels) are the horizontal lines on your map. Lines of longitude (also called meridians) are the

vertical lines that run from the North Pole to the South Pole. This mapping system is written in degrees and uses the symbol °. Get ready to travel the world!

Get out your globe, fi nd longitude 30° E, latitude 27º N, and you will fi nd the country of Egypt. Egypt’s offi cial name is Arab Republic of Egypt, and it is located in northern Africa. Egypt is near the

Mediterranean Sea between Libya and the Gaza Strip and the Red Sea, north of Sudan, and includes the Asian Sinai Peninsula.

In terms of size, Egypt is slightly bigger than three times the size of the U.S. state of New Mexico and has hot, desert-like

weather, with dry summers and mild winters. Egypt's terrain is an immense desert plateau interrupted by the Nile valley and delta. Its population is 80,471,869 people.

Egypt arose as a unifi ed kingdom around 3200 B.C. From there, dynasties, or empires, took control and ruled Egypt for the next three thousand years. Persians conquered the last dynasty in 341 B.C. and were replaced by Greeks, Romans and Byzantines. In the seventh century, Arabs introduced Islam and the Arabic language to Egypt and ruled for the following six centuries. The Mamluks, a local military group, took over around 1250 and continued their rule after the Ottoman Turks won

favor in 1517. Through the completion of the Suez Canal in 1869, Egypt developed into an important transportation point for the world, but fell heavily into debt. Britain gained control of Egypt’s vulnerable government in 1882, and allegiance to the Ottoman Empire continued until 1914. Egypt fi nally gained full sovereignty through the overthrow of the British-backed monarchy in 1952 and remains independent today.

Sources: CIA The World Factbook “Egypt”; Map of Egypt. http://wwp.greenwichmeantime.com/time-zone/africa/egypt/map.htm. Article written by contributing writer Ashley Young.

WHERE IN THE WORLD IS...EGYPT?

Where in the World Word

delta [del-tuh], a fl at plain of sandy soil de-posit between branches of the mouth of a river


I recently had the opportunity to visit Tucson, Arizona, home of the saguaro cactus and beautiful mountains. While I was there, I met a real live dude rancher. Russell True and his brother Michael own White Stallion Ranch, which was started by their parents. Three generations of the True family work hard on the ranch to give their guests the real feeling of the Old West. White Stallion Ranch is on 3,000 acres of wide-open land at the foot of the rugged Tucson Mountains, adjacent to the Saguaro National Park. Here, ranch hospitality is blended perfectly with the comforts of a top resort, on a real working cattle ranch.

TRUMAN: What does it take to become a dude rancher?

RUSSELL: I think to do it well it takes a wide range of experience. Some people, like my parents who bought a ranch, learned it the hard way — they got in, applied their work ethic, their good minds, and just fi gured it out. To really do this job well, you need to have horse experience, hospitality experience — both hotel and restaurant — and some business experience and training. You also have to be good with people on both sides of the fence, folks that work for you and guests. We have a wide variety of guests: different ages, with families, without familes, Europeans, Asians. You also have to be good at maintenance. The smaller your ranch is, the more diverse you must be because you can’t hire people to do everything.

TRUMAN: When and why did you fi rst become interested in this profession?

RUSSELL: Really I was born into it. My parents bought the ranch when I was fi ve. When my family bought it there were 30 ranches in Tucson; today there are two. We chose it in the sense that we stayed — for me and my brother, it’s the only thing we’ve ever done. We went to college and came back here. We both studied business and fi nance, and the general busi-ness education is very helpful. But I wish I’d gone to hotel school. Sometimes dude ranchers forget they are running a hotel, but you are — you have to have good rooms, good food. You’ve got to get the whole hospitality part done correctly. My son is at hotel school now, and the plan is that he’ll come back to the family business one day.

TRUMAN: What do you do each day? What’s a typical day like?

RUSSELL: There is really essentially no typical day. I do all sorts of things. But a typical day is probably going to start with me heading to the kitchen to cook breakfast with the chef; then I go to the corrals and make sure everything is moving out there. I’ll hit my desk at some point and do paperwork and e-mails. My brother and I divide our responsibilites, so I do most of the marketing and go to meetings, and he is more of the behind-the-scenes guy. I’m also president of the Dude Ranchers Association, so I travel with that some. I take trail rides, manage the corral, and although our shoer [the person who puts horse shoes on the horse] is contracted, I had to shoe three horses the other day because it needed to be done. My day is pretty diverse, and that’s part of the fun for me.

TRUMAN: What is the hardest part of your job?

RUSSELL: I think that historically, the hardest part is dealing with the crew. But since the economy has taken its huge downturn, our crew is really, really good, and essentially there is no turnover. Managing the folks that work here is historically the hardest part, but today it’s more of contending with government coming at you from all different angles, dealing with regulations and such. We are very small, and government is very big, so that is always a challenge.

TRUMAN: What is the best part of your job?

RUSSELL: I love the diversity. Where else do you get to live in one of the prettiest places in the country and meet people from all over the world? Two weeks ago, we had people from six countries here. You meet these amazing people who come here for all kinds of reasons, some to learn to ride horses, some to get a suntan, some to meet other people. I have all this cool stuff around us and get this unique interaction with this group of pretty cool people.

TRUMAN: I understand that you get to meet some very special kids, too, through the Make a Wish Foundation (an organi-zation that grants wishes to children with life-threatening medical conditions).

RUSSELL: Yes, we’ve done a lot of them. I have kids, so if you are a parent, there is abso-lutely nothing worse than a sick kid — a gravely ill kid. It is heart wrenching, and some of these kids aren’t going to get a fair chance at life. But some of these kids have had pretty miraculous recoveries. One kid was so sick she couldn’t come

here without her doctor coming with her, and we told her, “When you get better, you come back and see us.” Two years later she did. It was a tremendous experience to see her recovery. It is just uplifting to see these sick kids who come through Make a Wish and other organizations. I have never seen one of them feel badly for themselves — they are just happy to be here and upbeat and excited to have the opportunity. They never feel sorry for themselves. It renews faith in humanity at its most innocent.

TRUMAN: What’s like to work with horses all the time?

RUSSELL: The average-size horse weighs 1000 pounds, and we have some that are 800 and some that are 2000 pounds. But most people don’t realize that this half-ton animal is pretty fragile. It’s surpris-

ing: 1. They have some fl aws, like they can’t throw up, so if they get an intestinal disorder, it could kill them. And a broken leg or damaged leg could be the

end for them. And 2. They are afraid of everything — even though they essentially have no natural predators, they are a prey animal, and a piece of Kleenex can spook them. They are very fearful and react to the other horses around them. Everything you do with horses involves keeping them healthy and coping with them being fearful. The thing that is really cool, is that horses mirror people, so if you’re tense, they are tense; if you’re afraid, they’re afraid. Horses have been used for quite a while in a va-riety of ways to help people with handicaps, but now they are also being used to just help people discover their strengths and weaknesses. Horses are like people; they are each unique. Some are more fearful, some want to run fast and some want to walk slow. My older son plays polo and rides ropes, and he is a very calm, even person, and the horses absolutely love him and calm around him.

TRUMAN: You help other people have amazing vacations, but what’s your idea of a great vacation?

RUSSELL: I learned early on with my own family that our best vacation was visiting other dude ranches, somewhere different, where there are pine trees and you can go fi shing. There is no stress about worrying where your kids are. As an adult, I like to do everything. I’m a huge fan of Europe, so I can go to London twice a year. It’s so different from my regular life. I took my older son to Africa, my younger son to New Zealand and Australia. And, I love to see our own country.

TRUMAN: What advice would you give to kids who are interested in this profession?

RUSSELL: Get out and do it. As a young person, when you are old enough (16-18), go out and get a summer job at a dude ranch. I can guarantee you it will be one of the best jobs you will ever have, in one of the prettiest spots, and you’ll do things you never thought you could do, see nature at its best, meet people, and you’ll get a sense of whether this very specifi c, different type of life is for you. There’s a lot of skills involved, but none of them is rocket science, so go out and get a feel for whether or not this is something you would like to do. This is real — it’s not a Wii horse ride — this is the real thing.

TRUMAN: What an amazing career! Thanks for sharing with Kidsville News!

A DUDE RANCHER?

Above: Russell True. Left: Guests head out on a trail ride at White Stallion Ranch.


Answers: 1. charcoal 2. barbecue 3. yard 4. temperature.

Barbeque Word ScrambleUnscramble the words to complete the sentences.

1. Many people prefer to grill over L H R C A A O C.2. People often use the word A E B Q R B U E

and grill interchangeably.3. Grilling enables you to entertain in the R Y D A.4. Cook foods to the right M E P T E T U E R A R.

Source: www.metrocreativeconnection.com

Math PuzzlerTry to fi ll in the missing numbers. Use the numbers 1 through 9 to

complete the equations. Remember: Each number is used only once. Each row is a math equation. Each column is a math equation.

Remember that multiplication and division are performed before addition and subtraction.

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© Cool Kind Kid.


Truman

Coloring CornerThe birthday of our nation is July 4. How would you decorate the birthday cake for our country? Draw your decorations on the cake below!

Truman’s TrickyPicture

Find these items!

Be sure to fi nd Truman’s hat! For more

puzzles and games, visit www.kidsvillenews.com.


It’s “Cool” to Live The Golden Rule By Barbara GilmourHello, again! Tanner, Truman the Dragon and their friends are

learning more about being a “Cool Kind Kid.” The kids thought meet-ing Truman and having a dragon for a friend was very cool. Truman told them that he likes having kids for friends. He said he was excited to learn how to be “cool” and “kind.” He tries to be kind most of the time, but sometimes it’s hard.

Do you try your best to be kind, too? Truman, Tanner and the other kids all agreed that being kind wasn’t always easy. Some kids laughed at them when they were nice. Other kids called them names and hurt their feelings.

Do kids tease you when you try to be kind? They have it all backwards! “Kind” is the “cool” way to be. Are there kids at your school who think hurting someone’s feelings is okay? How uncool! Do kids in your neighborhood have fun picking on others, especially little kids? That makes them look “little.” Are kids bullying on your bus? They have no idea how far from cool they look.

Last time, we talked about manners and how they can help us learn to be “Cool Kind Kids.” Manners teach us how to treat other people. They show us how to be “kind” and “cool.” They help us have more friends. You’ll remember that we also talked about The Golden Rule and said it was the basis for good manners. What have you heard about The Golden Rule in school or at home? Many people in the world think it’s an important rule to live by. It says, “Treat others the way you want to be treated.”

What if a friend punches you in the arm, and you punch him back? Is that The Golden Rule? Or, is that “Treat others the way they treat you”? See the difference?

Tanner, Truman and the other kids are going to create some role-plays or skits to show the difference. Their fi rst set of role-plays will show kids treating their friends the same way the friends have treated them —“he did it to me, so I can do it to him!” In these role-plays, kids are mean and hurtful. Then they’ll create a second set of role-plays showing the same situation but with people acting out The Golden Rule — “Treat others the way you want to be treated.”

You can write role-plays just like theirs. Maybe your parents, brothers, sisters, or some friends will want to help you. When you’re writing your role-play, ask yourself, “How do I want to be treated? Do I want to be teased, picked on or bullied? Or, do I want to be treated with kindness and respect?” Kids who think The Golden Rule is a cool rule are learning how to be “kind” and “cool.”

Send in your Golden Rule role-plays to [email protected]. You could win a “Cool Kind Kid” CD, see your role-play printed in Kidsville News! and get some cool gifts from Truman. Be sure to include your name, age and address and your parents’ permission.Barbara Gilmour, Tanner’s grandmom, is the creator and developer of the Tanner’s Manners: Be a “Cool Kind Kid” Social Skills, Character Values and Anti-Bullying Elementary School Curriculum; the “Cool Kind Kid” Camp Kits and the award-winning “Cool Kind Kid” Audio CD. Along with co-authors Dr. Sydelle Mason and Dr. Wendy McDermott, the “Cool Kind Kid” team is committed to helping kids reject bullying and violence by offering them the social-skills tools they need to redefi ne “cool.” © Cool Kind Kid 866-KID-KIND www.CoolKindKid.com


Quick! Can you name the offi cial state sport of Wyoming and Texas? It’s rodeo! Rodeo is a popular professional sport involving horses and other livestock and consisting of events like roping, bronc riding, steer wrestling, barrel

racing and bull riding. The word rodeo comes from the Spanish word, rodeo, which is

often translated in English as “round up” and was fi rst used around 1834. Rodeo events originated from tasks of the Spanish vaqueros or cowboys in cattle ranching, such as moving cows to different pastures or to market. In the 1820s and ‘30s, informal “rodeos” in the western U.S. and Mexico allowed cowboys and vaqueros to test their work skills against each other. The fi rst rodeo competition occurred in Cheyenne, Wyoming, after the Civil War, and the fi rst professional rodeo to charge admission and award trophies was held in Prescott, Arizona, in 1888. Between 1890 and 1910, rodeos sometimes featured Wild West Shows with stars like Buffalo Bill Cody and An-nie Oakley. Rodeos became popular across the U.S. and even took place in Madison Square Gardens in New York City. And rodeos were not just for men! “Prairie Rose” Henderson fi rst competed in 1901, and today, women’s barrel racing is a competitive

event in professional rodeos. Rodeos include timed and rough stock events. Roping, which

involves throwing a rope with a loop, called a lariat or lasso, over a calf’s head or cow’s horns or legs; barrel racing, where a rider races around barrels on a horse without knocking them over and steer wrestling or “bulldogging,” where a cowboy jumps off his running horse and wrestles a steer by the horns to the ground, are all timed

events. Bronc riding and bull riding are rough stock events. As you might imagine, rodeos involve many rules for the many different events, and several professional associations exist. The

oldest, formed in 1929, is the Professional Rodeo Cowboys Association (PCRA). Others include the Professional

Bull Riders (PBR) and the Women’s Professional Rodeo Association (WPRA), as well as organizations for youth, high school and college competitions. Rodeo arenas must be at least 100 feet by 175 feet, and all events require medical professionals present for both people and

animals. And if you want to “rodeo,” don’t forget your Western hat and boots! They, too, are required.Sources: http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rodeo;

http://rodeo.about.com/od/history/a/rodeohistory1.htm and http://www.igra.com/Resources/RodeoR-

ules/RodeoRules.htm#I.

COME OUT AND PLAY!Lassos, Broncos and Steers, Oh My!

Art Gallery

Ever wonder who came up with the idea for a mobile like the one hanging above your little sister or brother’s crib? The inventor was Alexander Calder, and he was a famous American sculptor.

Alexander (Sandy) Calder was born into a family of artists on July 22, 1898, in Lawton, Pennsylvania. His father was a sculptor who created large sculptures all over the country. Because of that, the family moved a lot when Alexander was a child.

Alexander’s parents encouraged their son’s creativity. From the time he was in elemen-tary school, he had his own workshop space. Yet, although he was a talented artist, Alexander wanted to be an engineer. After high school, Alexander attended Stevens Institute of Technology in New Jersey. He graduated in

1919 and worked a series of different engineering jobs before deciding that what he really wanted to do was be a professional artist like his parents.

In 1923, Alexander moved to New York City and took classes at the Art Students League. He also worked as an artist for the National Police Gazette magazine. In 1925, he spent two weeks with the circus, where he drew pictures of circus scenes for the magazine. This experience left a huge impression on him and greatly influenced his art. In 1926, he left school and New York behind and moved to Paris, France. There he created Cirque Calder, a one-of-a-kind art exhibit

of a circus made from wire, cloth and other materials. As part of the artwork, Alexander would give shows where he moved the pieces to create a circus performance.

Word spread about the artist who put on sculpture performances. In 1928, he had his first major exhibit in New York. Although the exhibit included paintings,

Alexander realized he really liked creating sculptures best. He continued building them and began playing with more abstract ideas. No longer did his sculptures look exactly like people or animals. Instead they were freeform. In 1931, Alexander started making truly movable sculptures. He added cranks and motors to these pieces and called them “mobiles.” Soon, he saw that it was possible to make mobiles that could move with the air so he stopped adding the motors. Alexander also designed large outdoor sculptures, many of which were like mobiles and had parts that moved with the wind.

As his fame rose, Alexander continued making mobiles both large and small. During his long career, he had exhibits in major museums and galleries and

made sculptures for places like Aztec Stadium in Mexico City and John F. Kennedy International Airport (then Idlewild Airport) in New York.

Alexander died on November 11, 1976, in New York. He was 78.Written by Tamar Burris, a former elementary school teacher who now works as a

freelance writer and curriculum developer for PBS, the Discovery Channel and other edu-cation-related companies. Sources: Calder Foundation: Calder’s Life, http://calder.org/life/page/biography.html; The Solomon R. Guggenheim Foundation: Artist Biography Alexander Calder, http://www.guggenheimcollection.org/site/artist_bio_26.html.

Alexander Calder: A One-Man Art Circus

Flamingo, 1974, in the Federal Plaza, Chicago, IL.


Math Puzzler

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Red, White & True Mysteries

His name was Marion, and he was born in Winterset, Iowa,

exactly one hundred years ago. I wasn’t sure where that was, so I looked it up. Turns out that it is between Missouri and Minnesota. (As for Winterset, it is roughly 30 miles southwest of Des Moines.)

His father, Clyde, was the son of a Civil War veteran. Clyde and Mary had one other son named Robert, and they were of Irish descent. The family moved to Glendale, California, which is not too far from the Rio Grande, when he was 11 years old.

His great-nephew, Tommy Morrison, is a professional boxer, who starred in one of the Rocky movies. I think it was Rocky 16, but I could be mistaken.

Marion’s voice was as distinctive as Paul Harvey’s, but he wasn’t a radio star. No, Marion Morrison was an actor. In fact, his father ran a drugstore that was housed in the same building as a movie theatre, and young Marion was allowed to see several movies a week as a boy, for free. This no doubt instilled in him a love of movies.

He became one of the most popular actors of all time, and there probably isn’t a person in this country who hasn’t heard of him. He made more than 175 movies in his 50-year career, which began in the 1920s with silent movies, and some of his movies are still being shown on TV, more than 30 years after he made his last movie in 1976.

He won an athletic scholarship to play football at USC. I don’t know what his team’s record was when he played, but I do know that his team wasn’t one of The Undefeated. An injury cut short his college football career. Marion was too scared to tell his coach how he injured himself — it was a bodysurfi ng accident — and he lost his scholarship and had to get a job in order to pay for school.

While he was in school in the late 1920s, he worked at a few of the local fi lm studios. He then went to work as a prop man, earning $75 per week.

In 1930, he got his fi rst starring role in a western movie, The Big Trail. He went on to become nearly synonymous with western movies, and he still went by the name of Marion at that point. This fi rst fi lm was a box offi ce failure, but something good came out of it. The direc-

tor and the studio head gave him his stage name that is now known all over the world — and Marion wasn’t even at the meeting when they gave him his new name!

Marion’s movies required him to ride occasionally in a Stage-coach; since he stood about 6’4” and loved riding horses, you could say that he always stood Tall in the Saddle. Speaking of horses, his friend James Arness also rode one in the TV show, Gunsmoke. It was Marion Morrison who recommended James Arness for the role of

Matt Dillon. Marion became such a star that he even had an airport named after him (in Orange County, California), as well

as an elementary school (in Brooklyn, New York) and a trail (in a state park in Washington).

Marion was married three times, all to Hispanic women. He was divorced three times, too. He had four daughters and three sons, and these seven kids

produced 18 grandchildren. There are many things for which Marion Morrison

is known, but you know him by both his nickname and his stage name: The Duke, John Wayne.

He starred with legendary actresses such as Marlene Dietrich, Katharine Hepburn and Maureen O’Hara. It was O’Hara who once said, “No other description for John Wayne is necessary than this:

American.” There’s one other thing that you should know about the Duke:

His drawl and the way he walked were not natural. The man born as Marion Morrison made them a part of his character when he became an actor.

And how did he get the nickname of Duke? That was the name of the dog he had as a child. The dog was known as “Big Duke” while Wayne was known as “Little Duke!”

As for all the italicized words in this story, those were the titles of some of his most popular movies.

© 2010 Paul Niemann. This story is part of the Red, White & True Mysteries series by author Paul Niemann. For more information, please visit www.InventionMysteries.com.

Former Football Player Becomes National Icon


At the Movies

Despicable Me (In Theaters: July 9)Good and bad fl ip-fl op in this 3-D computer-generated animated kids’ movie about an evil inventor named Gru (voiced by Steve Carell) who plans on stealing the moon from the sky. However, an evil upstart villain who calls himself Vector (voiced by Jason Segel) threatens to beat Gru to the punch. To get inside his arch enemy’s hideout, Gru adopts three little orphaned girls named Margo (Miranda Cosgrove), Edith (Dana Gaier) and Agnes (Elsie Fisher) to help him. Gru already has an army of little yellow creatures who build his collection of devices that include things like a “freeze-ray.” Could it be that Gru has a bigger heart for raising three little girls than disrupting the world’s peace? Rated PG for rude humor and mild action. (Universal Pictures)

Cats & Dogs: The Revenge of Kitty Galore (In Theaters: July 30)Kitty Galore (voiced by Bette Midler) is a hairless super-spy Sphinx cat with plans to enslave all mankind after going rogue from her secret cat spy organization, called MEOWS. With the help of a smarmy cat named Mr. Tinkles (voiced by Sean Hayes) and a group of mice helpers, Kitty is on a dangerous roll. It’s only if cats and dogs, and a certain pigeon named Seamus (Katt Williams), can work together to stop the evil Kitty that the world of humans and animals stands a chance. Diggs (James Marsden) and Butch (Nick Nolte) are the two dogs paw-picked by the secret Dogs HQ spy team to lead the mission. This 3-D live-action adventure comedy also features the voices of Roger Moore and Neil Patrick Harris in a space-age animal comedy where dogs fl y with the help of fancy gadgets that make James Bond look unprepared. Rated PG for animal action and humor. (Warner Bros. Pictures)

The Sorcerer’s Apprentice (In Theaters: July 14)Sorcerer Balthazar Blake (Nicolas Cage) has been searching the world over for college student Dave Stutler (Jay Baruchel) to study as his apprentice. Once Dave accepts his fate, there is no turning back. Modern-day Manhattan is the setting where Dave learns to battle a gathering group of dark forces that include one very tricky fellow named Maxim Horvath (Alfred Molina), who wants to conquer the world. The story makes room for romance when Dave meets Becky (Teresa Palmer) as he masters the art and science of magic. Flashy special effects bring to life a giant metal eagle and a fi re-breathing dragon in this action adventure fantasy where anything is possible. Rated PG for fantasy action violence, some mild rude humor and brief language. (Walt Disney Pictures)

Movies on DVD

The Red Shoes (In Stores: July 20)Credited with making more little girls want to become ballerinas than any other movie in history, Michael Powell’s 1948 classic is a very special family movie. The red-haired Vicky Page (Moira Shearer) is an ambitious young dancer who gets accepted into a respected ballet company led by a very demanding man named Boris. Vickie falls in love with the company’s composer Julian but is confl icted over her overpowering desire to dance. Filmed in brilliant Technicolor that excites the eyes, The Red Shoes is an unforgettable dance movie that peaks with a 17-minute dance performance based on a Hans Christian Andersen folktale. While you might think The Red Shoes is old-fashioned, it is a truly great movie that kids and grown-ups will want to watch more than once. Not Rated. (The Criterion Collection)

Cole Smithey, also known as “the smartest fi lm critic in the world,” has been a fi lm critic for 11 years and writes for over 50 publications, in print and on-line. Truman loves to watch movies and has the highest appreciation for great popcorn.


BOOKSHELF

PARENTOWN

Rocky Mountain National Park: Peril on Longs PeakAuthor/Illustrator: Mike Graf, Marjorie Leggitt (illustrator)Publisher: Fulcrum PublishingAge Range: 8 to12From the Publisher:In the seventh book in the Adventures with the Parkers series, the family heads to Colorado to visit the high peaks of Rocky Mountain

National Park. When the snow clears, the park’s many famous sites are on display: Trail Ridge Road, spectacular wildfl owers, elk, waterfalls and unique alpine tundra. The family’s big adventure? A hike up Longs Peak, a Colorado “fourteener.” But afternoon storms pelt the family during their training hikes, and they begin to question the wisdom of a nighttime summit ascent. Mike Graf, a national park fanatic, is an instructor at Chico State University and a local weatherman.

Big Buckaroo’s Little SisterAuthor: Rachelle (Rocky) Gibbons PetersonPublisher: Tate Publishing & Enterprises, L.L.C.Age Range: 9 to 12From the Publisher: He’s an All-American Cowboy and rodeo star, and he always knows what to do in any situation. He’s Big Buckaroo! While Big Buck is the town hero, no one looks up to him more than Little Sis. She wants to be just like her big brother. But how can she ever prove herself? During the Fourth of July celebration, Little Sis fi nally gets her chance to show everyone that she is someone, too! This book is an eLIVE book, meaning each book contains a code to redeem a free audio book download from the Tate Publishing website!

A SECTION ESPECIALLY FOR PARENTS

TM

Tales of a Fourth Grade NothingAuthor: Judy BlumePublisher: Penguin GroupAge Range: 8 to 11From the publisher: Living with his little brother, Fudge, makes Peter Hatcher feel like a fourth grade nothing. Whether Fudge is throwing a temper tantrum in a shoe store, smearing smashed potatoes on walls at Hamburger Heaven or scribbling all over Peter’s homework, he’s never far

from trouble. He’s a two-year-old terror who gets away with everything — and Peter’s had enough. When Fudge walks off with Dribble, Peter’s pet turtle, it’s the last straw. Peter has put up with Fudge too long. How can he get his parents to pay attention to him for a change?

How I Spent My Summer VacationAuthor: Mark TeaguePublisher: Random House Children’s BooksAge Range: PreschoolFrom the Publisher:Some kids spend their summer vacation at camp. Some kids spend it at Grandma’s house. Wallace Bleff spent his out west...on a ride, a rope, and a roundup he’ll never forget.


PARENTOWN’S KIDSMART

Today’s young families arguably have it tougher than any generation in recent memory. With the global economy on the rebound, many young families face an uncertain future, one that depends largely on an uncertain job market and a housing market that is increasingly unpredictable.

That uncertainty makes it all the more important that today’s young families gain control of their fi nances, a task that many families fi nd is easier said than done. While managing fi nances can seem intimidating, that doesn’t have to be the case. Young families can gain greater control of their fi nances with a few easy means to managing money.

• Conduct a spending survey. One of the easiest ways for families to lose track of their fi nances is to take a casual approach toward spending. Nearly every family has similar major expenses, including a mortgage, car payment, tuition, etc. However, where many families falter is in their approach to spending on the small stuff. Daily spending can add up over time, so families looking to save should survey how they’re spending money on a day-to-day basis. Chances are there are daily instances of unnecessary spending that, if stopped, can add up to big savings over time.

• Make saving part of the routine. Even if it’s only a minimal amount, families should get into the habit of paying themselves each month. Treat a savings account like a monthly bill, depositing a predetermined amount each month, and even more in certain months when it’s affordable. Saving for the future can be daunting, but when saving is perceived as a monthly responsibility, it can get easier. And once a family makes saving a part of its routine, saving for the future starts to grow less daunting and more feasible.

• Don’t be caught off guard. One of the things families fear most is being caught off guard by a major expense, such as an illness, problem with the house or accident. However, families, especially those with children, should always expect the unexpected and have a substantial amount of money set aside specifi cally for emergencies. When caught off guard, families without substantial savings set aside often must do something drastic, be it using high-interest credit cards or borrowing against retirement accounts. Neither of these is an ideal solution, so young families should begin putting money aside for emergencies as soon as possible.

• Use credit responsibly. Good credit is a major plus for young families, but a credit rating, be it bad or good, is always fl uctuating. Families who consistently use credit wisely, paying bills on time and, preferably, paying full balances whenever possible, will continue to benefi t from a good credit rating. However, families who have good credit today won’t necessarily have good credit tomorrow. Using credit responsibly is an ongoing process, but it’s one that pays big dividends, particularly for young families.

Information courtesy of metrocreativeconnection.com.

Financial Tips for Young Families

Consejos fi nancieros para familias jóvenes

Las familias jóvenes actuales confrontan más difi cultades que cualquier generación de los últimos tiempos. Debido a la recuper-ación de la economía global, numerosas familias jóvenes enfrentan un futuro incierto, que depende enormemente de un mercado laboral también incierto, y un mercado de viviendas cada vez más impre-

decible.Esa incertidumbre le otorga más importancia a que esas

familias tomen control de sus fi nanzas, una labor que se dice fácil, pero resulta realmente difícil. Si bien el control de las fi nanzas

pudiera infundirnos temor, en realidad no debe ser así. Las familias jóvenes pueden tener un mayor control de sus fi nanzas con algunas medidas fáciles de administrar su dinero.

• Realizar un análisis de gastos. Una de las formas más fáciles para que las familias le pierdan la pista a sus fi nanzas es la adopción de un método informal de gastos. Casi todas las familias tienen gastos importantes similares, tales como hipotecas, pagos de automóviles, educación, etc. Sin embargo, donde fallan muchas familias es en los gastos de adquisición de cosas de menor importancia. Los gastos cotidianos se acumulan con el tiempo, por lo que las familias que deseen ahorrar deben analizar cómo gastan su dinero día a día. Existen muchas posibilidades de que descubrirán gastos cotidianos innecesarios que, de eliminarse, se convierten con el

paso del tiempo en grandes ahorros.• Que el ahorro sea parte de la ru-

tina. Aunque sean cantidades mínimas, las familias deben crear el hábito de pagarse a sí mismas cada mes. Las cuentas de ahorro deben asumirse como una deuda mensual, depositando cada mes una cantidad determi-nada previamente, e incluso más en determi-nados meses de mayores ingresos. Ahorrar para el futuro puede ser una tarea desalenta-dora, pero cuando los ahorros se consideran una responsabilidad mensual la labor es más fácil. Y una vez que las familias ahorran como parte de su rutina, los ahorros para el futuro comienzan a ser menos temibles y más factibles.

• Preparación para gastos imprevistos. Una de las situaciones más temidas por las familias es no estar preparadas para un gasto imprevisto, como una enfermedad, un problema con la casa, o un accidente. Sin embargo, las familias, especialmente aquellas en las que hay niños, deben esperar siempre lo inesperado, y contar con una cantidad sustancial de dinero reservada especialmente para emergencias. Si no están preparadas, las familias que no cuenten con ahorros sustanciales toman a menudo medidas drásticas como usar tarjetas de crédito con altas tasas de interés, o extraer dinero de cuentas de retiro. Ninguna de las anteriores es una solución ideal, por lo que las familias jóvenes deben comenzar a ahorrar para emergencias lo antes posible.

• Usar responsablemente el crédito. Aunque un buen crédito es factor indispens-able para las familias jóvenes, el historial de crédito, ya sea malo o bueno, es siempre fl uctuante. Las familias que usan consistentemente el crédito inteligentemente, pa-gando sus cuentas puntualmente y en su totalidad siempre que sea posible, seguirán benefi ciándose de un buen historial de crédito. Sin embargo, las familias que tienen buen crédito hoy, no podrían tenerlo necesariamente en el futuro. El uso responsable del crédito es un proceso continuo pero que ofrece grandes dividendos, particular-mente en el caso de las familias jóvenes.

Information courtesy of metrocreativeconnection.com.


PARENTOWN’S KIDSHAPE

Explaining the Oil Spill to ChildrenWhat Effects Do Oil Spills Have on the Environment?

Your children have been hearing about the oil spill in the Gulf on the TV news and in the newspaper. But how do you answer their questions and help make sense of everything that you are hearing? Oil spills have profound and immediate effects on the environment. Plus, the damage slicks cause can be long-lasting.

In April 2010, an oil leak occurred from an underwater BP drilling well in the Gulf of Mexico. Five thousand barrels of oil (200,000 gallons) spilled into the ocean each day from a leak that the company said was notoriously diffi cult to plug quickly. At the time of press, remediation efforts were underway, but some experts anticipate that this spill has the potential to eclipse the Exxon Valdez oil disaster of 1989.

Oil spills certainly attract public attention while under the media spotlight. Environmental experts come out of the woodwork, and volunteers line up to help do whatever they can to protect the wildlife impacted by the oil. However, what are the ramifi cations of an oil spill, including what occurs once the media attention has dissipated?

What Is Oil?Oil is a natural substance formed over millions of years. It is thought

to be created by plankton, decaying matter, sand and rock under extreme pressure. This is crude oil straight out of the ground.

Although crude oil is of natural origin, the oil that is transported and pumped today may contain additives to help it perform better. Benzene, for example, is an important industrial solvent and precursor in the production of drugs, plastics, synthetic rubber and dyes and can sometimes be found in oil and as an additive to gasoline.

Oil is used to make gasoline, serve as fuel, form a basis for plastic products, and many other purposes.

Immediate Effects of an Oil SpillOil enters the marine environment daily through run off from

everyday living and from natural seeps. Generally, the planet can sustain itself in this type of situation. It’s when a large amount of oil is introduced to an area in a short period of time that serious ramifi cations can occur.

When a spill or leak occurs, most of the volatile compounds of oil evaporate quickly. However, the oil remains on the surface of the water, mixes with the water and becomes a different consistency. It can be a very sticky composition that some refer to as a “mousse.” The slick can quickly spread through water currents and wind.

Many fi sh are attracted to the oil slick because of its sweet smell and its resemblance to food. Other marine life simply may not know how to avoid the oil. There are a number of effects that can occur, depending on the animal:

* Oil can break down insulating fur or feathers in seals and marine birds, resulting in hypothermia.

* Marine life that breathes through gills can suffocate.* Oil can coat the body, making mobility diffi cult and resulting in

inability to forage for food or escape predators.* It may foul breeding grounds or result in mutation or death

of young.* Oil can taint algae and other marine food sources, resulting in

elimination of certain species of plants and animals.Longer Effects of an Oil SpillAfter the cleanup efforts have ceased and the attention on the spill

has slowed, oil can still have an impact on the environment. Eventually the oil can sink into the sea bed or remain under the water. This can impact burrowing animals, such as crabs or bottom feeders. Other marine life and birds may eat these animals and then become contaminated. The cycle of poisoning can continue for many years.

More Than Marine Life AffectedIt’s not just the animals that live in and

around the water that are impacted by an oil spill. It can have profound effects on humans, too.

* Cost: People often pay the fi nancial price for an oil spill. Costs of everything from plastic products to gasoline may rise as oil companies attempt to recuperate the lost money from the oil spill.

* Fishing: Individuals who make their living from the water could lose signifi cant portions of their income. Fishing may be banned in and around the oil spill area for an extended period.

* Tourism: Many coastal towns and cities make their living from the tourists who frequent the seaside. An oil spill close to the shore can spoil fi shing, boating and swimming in these areas.

* Contamination: Individuals who live by a spill may come in contact with the same toxins as the marine life. Oil may infi ltrate water systems or end up in the soil. Some oil additives can be carcinogenic. Also, inadvertently eating contaminated seafood can lead to poisoning.

How Oil Spills Are RemediatedWhile no two oil spills are the same, there are some common methods

of cleanup.* If there is no chance for coastal contamination, some oil is left to

break down by natural means and be dispersed by the currents and wind.* Skimmer nets are used to collect oil from the water’s surface.

Booms and other devices may be used to push oil into a centralized location for collection.

* Dispersants may be used to break down oil and have it biodegrade more quickly. Dispersants act by reducing the surface tension that stops oil and water from mixing. However, careful consideration must be given to dispersants and weigh the factors of how the oil will contaminate underwater sea life.

* Biological agents are introduced. These agents feed on components of the oil and break it down into harmless substances such as fatty acids and carbon dioxide.

* Animal life impacted by the spill may be collected, cleaned and tested for contamination.

Oil spills have the potential to be an environmental disaster if not quickly assessed and handled by professionals.

Information and image courtesy of metrocreativeconnection.com.


Wild About Blueberries!July is Blueberry Month! You can get big taste and

big benefi ts from a little fruit — wild blueberries. Wild blueberries get their color from naturally occurring phytochemicals, which are primarily responsible for antioxidant activity. Wild blueberries are antioxidant rich, making them a great choice for their nutritional benefi ts and disease-fi ghting potential. Wild blueberries are a different berry from cultivated blueberries. They grow naturally in the fi elds and barrens of Maine and Canada. They are smaller in size, have a unique sweet-tart taste and are only available frozen.

KIDSVILLE KITCHENTogether Time — Ask an adult for help with projects!

WILD BLUEBERRY ICE CREAM POPS Prep Time: Approximately 15 minutes, plus thaw and freezing timeYield: 6 PopsWHAT YOU NEED: •1 cup frozen wild blueberries •1 ounce milk chocolate chips •2 cups fat-free vanilla frozen yogurt, softened slightly HOW TO MAKE IT: Materials: small wooden or plastic sticks Thaw wild blueberries and purée. In a bowl, combine puréed wild blueber-ries, chocolate and frozen yogurt. Mix thoroughly.Rinse 6 standard muffi n cups with cold water and spoon in wild blueber-ry mixture, dividing it evenly between the cups (silicone muffi n cups need not be rinsed fi rst). Place a stick in the center of each “muffi n” and freeze until fi rm, at least 2 hours. Tip: Mixture can also be frozen with plastic sticks in small glasses or espresso cups.WILD BLUEBERRY LEMON JAM Prep Time: 25 to 30 minutesYield: about 8 half-pints WHAT YOU NEED: •5 cups frozen wild blueberries •1 package dry pectin •5 cups sugar •1 tablespoon lemon zest •1/3 cup lemon juice

HOW TO MAKE IT: • With adult help: Crush thawed wild blueberries one layer at a time, or chop frozen in food processor. • Combine thawed, crushed wild blueberries and pectin in a large saucepot. Bring to a boil, stirring frequently. Add sugar, stirring until dissolved. Stir in grated lemon zest and lemon juice. Return to a rolling boil. Boil hard 1 minute, stirring constantly. • Remove from heat. Skim foam if necessary. Ladle hot jam into hot jars, leaving 1/4-inch headspace. Adjust two-piece caps. Process 15 minutes in a boiling water canner. Courtesy of Family Features and the Wild Blueberry Association.

Kidsville News - July 2010

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