Page 42 • FEBRUARY 2010 • The Sandoval Signpost • Serving the community since 1988

—“Animals/Animal Services,” continued on right column

ANIMALS / ANIMAL SERVICES ANNOUNCEMENTS

ANIMALS / ANIMAL SERVICES

—CONTINUED—

TWO BIT FARM AND TACK REPAIR. Horse boarding, training, and sales.

Manure delivery available. www.twobitfarm.com or 867-9139

~ THE ANIMAL HOTLINE ~~ THE ANIMAL HOTLINE ~A NONPROFIT COMMUNITY SERVICE FOR LOST & FOUND PETS.

Listings are free and published in the Signpost.Call Dave—867-6135

WILDLIFE REHABILITATOR. Injured or orphaned birds,mammals, or snakes. Call Linda Perini at 867-8317 for as-sistance.

ALL CREATURES PETSITTING. Loving, fun care. Vaca-tion, business, emergencies. Placitas/Bernalillo. Call Karenat 977-0426.

TROUBLED OR FRIGHTENED ANIMALS? Please callto learn about an experimental Oriental relaxation tech-nique that has shown exciting results helping many typesof animals. Diane 270-1705.

C H I L D C A R E

BUILDING MATERIALS

ROMERO LUMBER• Big savings on #2-9’ landscaping RR Ties.

Also 1’-9’ in Grades 1 & 2 • Santa Fe Brown and Sedona Red gravel

• Flagstone in stunning colors • Designs available on flagstone. East Mountain cement—cart-away

Delivery Available VISA / MASTERCARD836-4107 (Albq.) or 832-4604 (Edgewood)

PAWS N’ CLAWS PET SERVICEIN-HOME PET CARE

Serving Corrales, Placitas, Rio Rancho

PET SITTINGPET WASTE REMOVAL Plant care/Home cleaning

Insured/Bonded

(505) 440-0875PawsNClaws01@aol.com

DOG WALKING, PET SITTING. We love them … whenyou have to leave them! Animal People LLC. Established in1997, Insured, Pet First Aid Certified. Serving: Bernalillo,Corrales, Placitas, and Rio Rancho. www.animalpeople.us,jhglowski@animalpeople.us - call Janice: 867-4228.

—“Announcements,” continued next column

Serving Placitas, Bernalillo, Rio Rancho, Santa Ana Pueblo and Sandia Pueblo, New Mexico

SIGNPOSTSIGNPOSTT H E S A N D O V A L

To PLACE A CLASSIFIED adin this section, email or faxyour ad inquiry to:

classifieds@sandovalsignpost.com or (fax) 505-867-3870.

Visit : www.sandovalsignpost.comto view ad rates or call the Signpost office at505-867-3810 for details.

(Includes free monthly posting onthe Signpost Web site.)

(Stock up and Save )

A-1 FIREWOODCOLD WEATHER RATES!

•SPLIT PIÑON, CEDAR, JUNIPERU PICK UP $175 A CORD

1 CORD $185 DELIVERED2 CORDS $180 EA. DELIVERED

3 OR MORE $175 EA. DELIVERED

•CEDAR/PIÑON/OAK MIX (1/3 EA.) $275 DELIVERED

(505) 242-8181 • 3134 BRIDGE SW., ALBUQUERQUE

BOARD, TRAIN AND EXERCISE YOUR HORSESIn north Bernalillo bosque.

Enclosed stables with paddocks, pastures, arena, tack house, and access to MRGCD canal roads.

Prices negotiable depending upon services provided. Call 867-0987

Zia FarmHorse Boarding

Board, train and exercise your horses in north Bernalillo Bosque

•

•

GEORGIA’S CHILDCARE. Infants - 12 yrs. Full-time andpart-time. Drop-ins available. 20 years experience. Monday- Saturday 6 a.m. - 6 p.m. 867-3250.

Responsible young lady

will care for your pets and horses.

Call Meredith 463-3362 or lynxRN@gmail.com

Annie GrossPh: 505.867.1991

Cell: 505.818.7844aupaw@comcast.net

Pet WalkingPet Sitting

Doggie LimoHorse Care

Insured and Bonded

Certified in Pet First Aid

Serving: Algodones, Bernalillo, Corrales,

Placitas, Rio Rancho

Lending the extra paw

Pet Walking

Pet Sitting

Horses & All Farm Animals too

PROFESSIONAL PET AND HORSE CARERepublican Party of

Sandoval County Announces

The Precinct Caucuses and Pre-Primary County Convention

To be held on Saturday, February 20th, 2010 at 9:00 a.m.Registration begins at 8:00 a.m.

Sandoval Transit Center, Bernalillo, New Mexico

(Sandoval County Rail Runner Station, Rail RunnerAvenue south of Highway 550)

The purpose of this convention is to elect dele-gates to the

Pre-Primary Republican State Convention.

ANNOUNCEMENTS

—CONTINUED—

Gutierrez Custom Metal

Call Joe Gutierrez at 363-2005

❖ Add a custom look to your ...Home • Existing wrought ironHeadache rack, Gates, Etc.

❖ Endless Designs❖ Wrought Iron Service Available

FOR SALE: HOMES/LAND

HEALTH / SPIRIT

—CONTINUED—

FOR SALE: MISCELLANEOUS

HEALTH / SPIRIT

—“For Sale: Homes/Land,” continued next column —“Health/Spirit,” continued next column —“Health/Spirit,” continued next page

I OFFER PROFESSIONAL COUNSELING SERVICES topeople who want to create a life of greater health, happi-ness, peace, prosperity, and awareness of the Spirit within.My approach is practical and supports you in being au-thentic, learning from your experiences, and living lifewith more meaning, purpose, and joy. For an appoint-ment, call Shara Moscinska, MA, LPCC, at 505-385-1932.Conveniently located next to The Merc, I accept most in-surance (Presbyterian, Lovelace, SCI, BCBSNM, Medicaid,and others) and offer a complementary 45-minute consul-tation.

AT THE VILLA...Yoga Yoga Yoga. 1st Saturday of themonth 8:30-9:45. Call Mary Alice, 867-0104.Circle of Light Meditation - Wednesday morning. Call Bar-bara - 867-0029. Control your pain without drugs. Sched-ule a complimentary treatment on the WellnessProfrequency modulator. Call June - 867-6842.

MASSAGE IN PLACITAS BY APPOINTMENT: Cate A.Clark, LMT 4607, NCBTMB, ABMP. Deep Relaxation-Restorative Hot Stone Massage; Deep Tissue; Cran-ioSacral; Lymph Drainage Therapy; and Reflexology. RiverStone 867-3778. www.riverstonecate.com.

CLASSIFIED ADS—CONTINUED—

The Sandoval Signpost • Serving the community since 1988 • FEBRUARY 2010 • Page 43

PIANO LESSONS AND MUSIC THEORY. Elementaryto intermediate level. BA Music UNM, Member MTNA.Call Clara Young at 867-3794.

C L A S S E S

FOR SALE: HOMES/LAND

—CONTINUED—

CASH! SOLD REAL ESTATE? CARRIED FINANCING?I will buy your mortgage/contract. Call for quote. Pat O’Brien (505) 823-2877.

Theodore L. Varoz, DPMAdvanced Foot & Ankle Specialists LLCBoard CertifiedAmerican Board of Multiple Specialities in Podiatry

Phone: (505) 345-85291204-C Candelaria Rd NWAlbuquerque, NM 87107

Podiatric Medicine & SurgeryDiabetic Foot & Wound Care

Cryo-Star Surgeon

DRAFTING SERVICESAccurate and impartial measuring and computer-

generated drafting done to scale by professional staff.

Drawings include floor plan, room dimensions, overall square footage. Services start at 50 cents/sq.ft.

3D plans and quick turnaround available.

Call Max Vasher at REX Drafters • 505-615-0696

SPANISH INSTRUCTIONFun, non-traditional classes with

emphasis on oral communication. www.sospanyol.com

ARCHITECT OFFERING 1.2 ACRES in high mesa area ofPlacitas. Large building site with underground utilities.Breathtaking panoramic view potential. Gorgeous unob-structed views of Sandia mountains with numerous Ju-niper trees on lot. Custom plans available. $130,000. Call707-935-7585 or email wharrhoff@comcast.net

HOUSE/STUDIO COMPLEX FOR SALE - RamblingRanch 2525sf home 4bedroom, 2.5bath, 2car oversizedgarage on 1.57 acres on Cedar Creek in Placitas. 1,000sfseparate studio. Placitas views. Heartland New Mexico,Inc. 867-4077 Nancy Ullery.

LOT FOR SALE WITH OLD ADOBE BARN. Nearly lev-el 1 1/2 acres with old adobe barn. $130,000. Utilities in-cluded! Just off paved road. West of the Village of Placitas.Placitas Realty 867-8000 Dave 263-2266

8 ACRES IN PLACITAS $250,000. Mostly level/gentleslope. Easy access! Beautiful Sandia views! Commercial po-tential too. Placitas Realty 867-8000 Dave 263-2266

PLACITAS $415,000 Beautiful 3BR, 2BA, 2225 sf. on pavedrd. Beams in every room! Exposed adobe! Views ofCabezon, sunset & Sandias! Community water. PlacitasRealty 867-8000 Dave

BANK REPO. Acre lot in Anasazi Meadows. Communitywater. $149,000. The banks loss is your gain. View of citylights, mountains and mesas! Placitas Realty 867-8000 Dave263-2266

NEXT TO CIBOLA NATIONAL FOREST! New, custom 4BR in Placitas with unobstructed views, backing up to Na-tional Forest! Green built 4383 sq ft pueblo style on geor-geous acre lot! Giant Sandia views! Cook's kitchen! FormalDR! Media room! 3 1/2 baths! Huge portal! 4 car garages!Exposed beams! Radiant heat! Refrigerated air! $1,155,000.Placitas Realty 867-8000 Dave Harper 263-2266

ACRE LOTS $69,000-99,000. All level, acre lots in Placitas.40 lots available. Next to thousands of acres of Public Land!Bring your horses! Underground utilties. Water included.360 degree views. Owner/Broker, Dave 263-2266 PlacitasRealty 867-8000

CONVENIENT 1 ACRE LOT IN PLACITAS $85,000. Just5 minutes from I-25. Community Water. Paved road. Closeto Forest too. Must sell. Placitas Realty 867-8000 Dave 263-2266

1130 CALLE MADERA, BERNALILLO, New stucco, win-dows, appliances, countertops, bathroom fixtures, tile, car-pet, paint, etc. 3-bedroom. $109,900. First time homebuyergets up to $8,000 from government. Scott Goff 944-5131,Charles Bombach & Co. Realtors.

$3,900 DOWN $449/MO OWNER FINANCE Handyman2223 square feet home, 1260 Calle San Lorenzo, Bernalillo.$64,900. Charles Bombach & Co., Scott 944-5131.

~ HEALING WINDS OF PLACITAS ~Massage Treatments for Healing, Relaxation,

and General Well Being • Lic. #1226

Christina Wright Swank • In Placitas since 1979505-867-9541 • 505-280-3739

bosquehands@gmail.com

SUNDAY MORNING TAI CHI CLASS meets at Bernalil-lo Recreation Center in downtown Bernalillo from 9-10a.m. Tai chi’s slow, powerful movements increase corestrength, posture, and balance. Classes are $30 per month.For more information call 792-4519.

Defensive driving specialist—UPSUPS trainedAlbuquerque High

Mar. 22 - April 8

7:00 P.M. - 9:00 P.M.

Bernalillo

Feb. 22 - Mar. 11

7:00 P.M. - 9:00 P.M.

See website for details — www.coachalsdrivingschool.com

Coach Al’SDRIVING SCHOOL

Al W. Guadagnoli(505) 771-8334 Cell (505) 573-1824

•Sliding Scale Available•

Depression.

Regain your balance,your self-esteem,

and your peace of mind.

Holistic Psychotherapy &Homeopathic Consultationwith Adults & Adolescents.

Judith Acosta, LCSW, CHT

505-771-2282www.wordsaremedicine.com

A Treat for the New Year

YOGA Wednesdays 9-10 a.m.

Begin January 13

505-507-7481

Register now

Fehrunissa Willett

Friendly, Caring, Competentnourishwellbeing@hotmail.com

6-7 p.m.

RECYCLING

HOUSECLEANING—CONTINUED—

Tom MankowskyLAWN SPRINKLERS

Repairs / Installation • 892-7215 or 250-0301

Lic.#29769

Page 44 • FEBRUARY 2010 • The Sandoval Signpost • Serving the community since 1988

CLASSIFIED ADS—CONTINUED—

REMINDERPlacitas Recycling CenterOpen: Saturdays, 8–11 a.m.

The Placitas Recycling Center is located on the north side of Highway 165,

one-half mile east of I-25.The Center accepts: corrugated cardboard,

brown paper bags, newspaper, mixed paper, polystyrene peanuts (double bagged),

white office paper, aluminum, no. 1 & 2 plastic

Sign-up at the Center to volunteer.Visit: www.placitasrecycling.com

RENT/LEASE

OFFICE/WAREHOUSE SPACE AVAILABLE INBERNALILLO. Four separate office spaces ranging in sizefrom 120-418 sf. Individual phone line & data ports avail-able. Utilities included. Utilities included. For appoint-ment and pricing call David 505-771-1003.

—“Housecleaning,” continued next column

PRIVATE VACATION CASITA for rent in Placitas Village.Furnished. Sleeps 4. Available for out-of-town guests, holi-days, getaway, etc. Daily/weekly/special event rates. Call440-7358 for details.

L A N D S C A P I N G

Ryan & Alex’s Landscaping We’re hardworking local students doing…

• Tree Trimming / Removal • Transport • Property Clean-Up • Welding • Other Jobs Upon Request

• Bobcat Services • Heavy Equipment • Debris Hauling • General Landscaping • Decorative Rock

Contact Ryan @ 505-239-6657 or Ryan@RyAxServices.com

Dependable CleaningWeekly, Biweekly or Monthly Cleaning for

House & Office. Experienced, Honest, Good References.867-6626 • Free Estimates

“KATIE, THE CLEANING LADY”—How long have youbeen looking for a “good” housecleaner? I take pride inmy housecleaning! General housecleaning including: fanblades, floor boards, blinds. Very detailed in my work and“will not disappoint you!” Experienced and reliable. Freequotes. Weekly, bi-weekly, monthly. 505-604-6195.

(505) 771-071021 Sage Hill Dr. Placitas, NM 87043

PROPERTIES

SHEILA HAMMACK GRI., Qualifying Broker

Property Management andother Real Estate Serviceswww.HammackProperties.com

For RentPlacitas Office Space Starting at $250 a month

03 Homesteads RoadCall Jon @ 507-5145

FOR RENT IN PLACITAS, "rainbow valley"- charming,small, adobe house-1000 sq.ft., 2 BR,1 bath, greenhouse,hot-tub, garden area, W/D,- $800 per month + utilities &DD, references required- call 867-5562 for info, availablemid-end Jan.

WANTED HOUSE FOR RENT IN PLACITAS. Quiet,neat, considerate, non-smoker. Call Rosanna, 9 a.m. to 9p.m., 867-4109.

FOR RENT- PLACITAS TOWNHOME. 2 bed/2 bath/garage. brick flrs, kiva, w/d, views, outdoor spaces.Petsok. $1100/month. Available March 1. 404-8129 or 867-4011.

HOME FOR LEASE 3 bedroom house, built in appliances,totally remodeled, secluded area. 1 year lease. $1,200per/month. First and last month’s rent. Damage deposit.Available February 1. Call 505-363-6246.

AVAILABLE FOR RENT from Heartland New MexicoProperty Management: Placitas 4 bedroom 4 bath 3 cargarage 2943 sq ft $1700 / Santiago area in Bernalillo 3 bed-room 2 bath 4 car tandem garage 1752 sq ft $1400 incl. util.Call 867-4077 or Wayne @ 440-0989

HEALTH / SPIRIT

—CONTINUED—STRESS RELIEF: Restore your energy using a gentle heal-ing technique to quiet anxiety, frustration or fears. Fre-quently pain subsides. Call to learn if this technique mightwork for you. Diane 270-7105.

MIRACLE TOUCH BODYWORK AND HEALING.Trained in Multiple Modalities. Satisfaction Guaranteed.Located in Placitas. Call Erika @ 771-3729 or visit world-healing.us Lic.# 4239.

LEARN TO MOVE WITH BETTER BALANCE, reducedstress, improved posture and less pain. Dr. Feldenkrais de-veloped the Feldenkrais®Method exploring relationshipsbetween the way we move and the way we think. Homevisits, call Kristina Varjan 867-1177. CertifiedFeldenkrais®Practitioner.

HELP WANTED

PART-TIME NURSE NEEDED in the town of Bernalillo.Are you Caring and Compassionate? Salas Care, Inc. islooking for a part-time RN or LPN (4-10 hours per week).Please call Margaret at 235-3339 or Jeannette at 280-5714 fordetails. Please call Monday through Friday 9am-5pm.

HOUSECLEANING

ROSA’S HOUSECLEANINGROSA’S HOUSECLEANING~ Family Business in Bernalillo ~

Licensed • Free EstimatesReferences Provided

771-0735 379-8652

To Meet Your Home’s Needs

The Home SolutionFULL-SERVICE HOUSEKEEPING

Serving the Placitas area for 17 years.Licensed, Bonded, & Insured

Call Michelle 363-0132 or Tempi at 363-6246

MODERN BERNALILLO OFFICE SPACE, 2000 sqft, 4bthrm, central, alarm, dataport, prkng, can be four officesor one, avail 4/1/10. Ed 440-3208.

PROOF-READER WANTEDThe Signpost is looking for an individual with a keen eye.

Please submit resume to email@sandovalsignpost.com

S E R V I C E S —CONTINUED

The Sandoval Signpost • Serving the community since 1988 • FEBRUARY 2010 • Page 45

—“Services,” continued next page

InteriorExterior

Reasonable Rates

Jean Eichberger • 867-2646

TumbleweedPainting

Commercial & Residential Repair

KAST CONSTRUCTIONdrywall • tile • paint & more

480-4069licensed & bonded GB98

Specializing in:•Residential•Commercial•Additions•Remodels

Brook Cleff ph. 505-259-0559

“An experienced builder conducting businesswith integrity, courtesy and respect for the

home owner and the community.”

401-0802Schedule Today!

Insured & Bonded • NM Lic. #86516

Constancia Contracting& Stone Work

Complete Landscaping

Walls—Adobe, Block, Rock

Fences—Coyote or Cedar

Gravel & Tractor Work Available

B & E HOME REPAIR, INC.NM Contractorʼs Lic.#81608 Bonded & Insured No Job Too Small

Specializing in Water & Fire Damage Repair Insurance Repairs & Handicap Modifications

Bernie & Elaine Office (505) 771-8204

Placitas Heating & Air Conditioning, LLC

Call David Dapolito at 771-2213 or 270-2891

Servicing All Residential and Commercial Systems.

Licensed and Bonded.

Exclusively Serving the Placitas Community.

Cleff Custom Homes

General Contractor

Tim Trujillo Roofs and Roof Repair

~ 350-3313 ~

Whelchel Landscaping and Construction Co.A Landscaping expert, specializing in all aspects

of Landscaping and Outdoor Living.

I will work with you from the design phase through the completion of the project

If you can Imagine it, We can create it….

Call Bill at 221-8052Free Estimates *References and Pictures upon Request

Licensed, Bonded, and Insured • Lic. # 60178

Sprinkler and Drip Systems • Concrete, Flagstone, and Brick Work

Block Walls, and Stucco Work • Kiva Fireplaces, Banco Seating,

Outdoor Kitchens • Portals, Patio Covers, and Decks

Additions and Remodels • Retaining Walls, and Terracing

Sod, Gravel, and Planting

DESERT FLOWER CLEANINGCarpet - Furniture - Specialists

Wool - Silk - Area Rugs Tile - Grout - Stone

867-4493 • www.desertflowercarpetcleaning.com

RRJ Heating & Air Conditioning, LLC

Genaro MartinezHVAC CertifiedState of New Mexico Journeyman Refrigeration LicensedCommercial Refrigeration Certified Degreed Engineer

(505) 259-0244Serving Placitas, Bernalillo and Surrounding Areasrrjheating_airconditioning@comcast.net

PLACITAS HANDYMANARE YOU TIRED OF:

No shows?Looking for someone for small jobs?

Price gouging just because you live in Placitas?

Al Wood

771-1102Swamp Coolers • Paint • Plumbing and More

FREE WATER ANALYSISComprehensive well water test package analysis and EPA recommended treatment. No charge to Placitas/Bernalillo

residents. Call Hydra Tech Well Monitoring for sample pick up.898-4343. www.hydratechnm.org

Thank you for your

support of

Signpost

advertisers!

•••

They work

hard to provide

you with

quality services,

close to home.

www.sandovalsignpost.com

RING BRICK & STONEInstallation of:

Floors • Patios • Garden Walkways Custom stone accent walls

Fireplace exteriors repair & refinishing

Doug Ring—891-0943Insured • Lic. #30536www.ringbrick.com

S E R V I C E S — C O N T I N U E D

Page 46 • FEBRUARY 2010 • The Sandoval Signpost • Serving the community since 1988

WANTED

PlacitasPool & Spa Service

CompleteService • Repair • Maintenance

867-6993Clip This Ad and Place on Refrigerator for Future Reference

✃

PC, LAPTOP, MAC, X-BOX REPAIRS: forsoftware/hardware installations, network/wireless se-tups, upgrades, repairs, back-up services and viruscleanups. On-site services, reasonable rates. Referencesavailable. Call Harris Associates, 792-3934.

• Backhoe Work• Bobcat Work & Hauling• Light Demolition• Driveways & Dirt Work• Sand & Gravel• Grading

WILLSONBUILDERS

867-2161

Lic. #055967

LOADER • DEMO • GRADINGPAD PREPARATION • BOBCAT

All Types of Excavation & Utility InstallationLicensed and Bonded • Lic. #86550 • GF09 • GS08

Water Systems Operations I #005931, #005932

505-867-3017 •Jacob Maes: 505-315-9640 / Johnny Maes: 505-604-2963

PO Box 361Placitas, NM

87043

Member: PlacitasChamber of Commerce

Bobcat work, backhoe work, driveway building

and repair, certified erosion control, retaining walls,

culvert installation and repair.

Free Estimates, Local References Call Cliff at 934-0795

www.cgroupnm.com • cgroupnm@yahoo.com

PLACITAS DIRTWORKS

WANTED: "OLD" VOLVOS ONLY in any condition, deador alive.$$$ Call Jeff at 505-440-7734.

M.A Dump / Trash Hauling&

MowingFree Estimate • 867-6626

DALE’S TREE SERVICE—Pruning, removals, stumps,hauling and mowing. 28 years experience. Dale Roberts,505-473-4129 or 505-977-1981.

INTERIOR DETAILING“For those little jobs you don’t have time to do!”

35+ years experience • Local references

VERY DEPENDABLE Grout•Caulk•Seal

HOME REPAIRSWAYNE ROHAR 867-5162

PROFESSIONAL REPAIR AND RESTORATION of yournative American Rugs. Free Estimates Call: 867-1177.

Q: Maybe you slept through chemistry, but you re-member Boyle’s law, right? “Reduce the pressureon a gas and it will expand.” For extra credit, applythis principle to inflatable bras in airplanes, digni-taries guzzling champagne underwater, and flierseating beans.A: The Associated Press reported about a flightwhere a sudden depressurization in the cabincaused a bosomy stewardess’s inflatable bra to be-gin expanding to, oh, about size 46, and climbing.Then a female passenger, seeing the stewardess’splight, handed her a hairpin that she used to stabherself repeatedly in the chest. A male passenger,mistaking the action for attempted hara-kiri, rushedforth and wrestled the stewardess to the floor.It took a while to restore order on the plane.

As for the dignitaries, they had gathered to cele-brate the completion of a tunnel under the ThamesRiver by imbibing a little bubbly on location. Nomatter that the champagne seemed lifeless and flat:They drank their fill anyway.

But upon their return aboveground to reduced at-mospheric pressure, the drink began to release itsgas—fast. “The wine popped in their stomachs, dis-tended their vests, and all but frothed from theirears,” said the Journal of Chemical Education. “Onedignitary had to be rushed back into the depths toundergo champagne recompression.”

Finally, when World War II pilots began com-plaining of severe bouts of intestinal gas, it becameclear that a few beans eaten on the ground can feellike a lot more in the relative depressurized envi-ronment of high-altitude flight. Rx? A bean-lean di-et for the grateful airmen.

Q: At a restaurant in Japan, what’s the most death-defying item on the menu? Would-not-be zom-bies—beware!A: You’d have to bet on the Puffer Fish, that sameone brought to fame by Harvard ethnobotanistWade Davis a few years back when he argued thata poison of this fish was at least partly responsiblefor the creation of Haitian zombies. The thesis gotsome bad reviews in anthropological circles, butDavis certainly did put the Puffer on the Westernethnomap, along with its poison “tetrodotoxin”(TTX), said to be five hundred times deadlier thancyanide, fatal except in minuscule doses, causingseverely depressed metabolic functions and appar-ent death.

It had long been on the food map in Japan, wherethe Puffer Fish is a delicacy known as Fugu. Themeat is delicious but tough to prepare without con-tamination by traces of TTX, which causes severaldeaths there a year, says Jakki Rowlett in the online“You Think I Therefore Am? The Ethnobiology andEthics of the Haitian Zombie.” “Very slight traces ofTTX cause a tingling in the tongue and lips andthis, together with the thrill of danger, may con-tribute to the popularity of Fugu.”

Eating the fish, you won’t likely turn into a zom-bie, but don’t rule out entering the Dead Zone if thestuff is improperly prepared.

Q: Would males or females win the prize for havingthe strongest human muscle?A: Mighty muscle-y are the masseter of the jaw, thequadriceps of the thigh, and the gluteus maximusof the buttocks, says Laura Freberg in Discovering

Biological Psychology. However, top prize forstrength per unit of weight should be awarded tothe one muscle that only women have: the uterus,weighing about 2-1/2 pounds, but capable of exert-ing from twenty to ninety pounds of force witheach contraction during childbirth.

Q: How muscular must a basketball player be toshatter a backboard, glass flying everywhere?A: It’s not a matter of how much force but ratherhow it’s applied, says John J. Fontanella in ThePhysics of Basketball. This first happened in pro ballat the Boston Arena in 1946, during warm-ups. Theshooter was Celtic Chuck Connors, later star of“The Rifleman” TV series, whose two-handed setshot from fifteen to twenty feet slammed into therim. It turned out a piece of protective rubber hadnot been installed behind the basket, which exertedan edge force that shattered the backboard.

Some rear car windows are made from the samematerial, says Fontanella, who recalls seeing a re-placement window “spontaneously” disintegrate atan emissions testing facility. Both are of temperedor toughened glass, four to five times normalstrength but weaker at the edge. One treatment re-quires heating to 1200 degrees Fahrenheit (650 de-grees Centigrade), then rapid cooling. The outersurface ends up in compression and the inner intension, a delicate balance of forces that when upsetwill shatter the glass. So it’s more the stored energyin the backboard and only incidentally the playerthat unlooses the spectacle.

Send strange questions to brothers Bill and Rich atstrangetrue@cs.com.

Strange, but true—BILL SONES AND RICH SONES, PH.D.