Tidbits of Ft. Collins & Loveland

Issue 9 February 02, 2012

1st Quarter 2012Week 5

Jan 29 - Feb 4

TABLE OF CONTENTSISSUE 2012.05

Fun & Unusual Holidayspages 1-4

Famous Landmarks:Capitol Records

Buildingpages 5-6

Name that Movie or Famous Figure!

pages 7-8

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FUN & UNUSUAL HOLIDAYSby Blue Sullivan

To people outside of the United States, several of our holidays may seem peculiar. Imagine a foreign person arriving here during our Halloween celebration, for instance. Crowds of people dressed in frightful costumes and wandering the streets looking for candy might appear like an instance of mass insanity to an outsider. All over the world, people conduct similarly unusual (and fun) celebrations. Below, Tidbits explores just a few.

• Have you ever thought to yourself, “There just aren’t enough holidays where grown men cavort in diapers?” No? Well, Japan has a similar holiday for you anyway. On January 14, people in Japan celebrate The Naked Festival where men gather in loincloths (not actual diapers, thankfully) and galavant all over the city until the clock strikes 12. At midnight, they gather in a Shinto temple to observe another interesting tradition, attempting to catch bits of wood dropped from overhead by a local priest. Catch one and it means good luck for an entire year!

turn the page for more!

Q: Why is Christmas just like a day at the office?

A: You do all the work, and the fat guy with the suit gets all the credit.

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Tidbits® of Ft. Collins & Loveland

Vets With ALS Now 100 Percent Disabled

Back in 2008, amyotrophic lateral sclerosis (ALS) was classified as a presumptive for

service-related disability, and benefits were given. The level of disability was classified at

30 percent, with frequent rechecks as time went on and the disease progressed. It was that ever-

changing rating that held up a lot of benefits and needed equipment.

An item in the Federal Register for Dec. 20 says that the disability evaluation criterion has been revised. Veterans who have ALS now will be considered 100 percent disabled and much of

the paper chase will be dispensed with.The jump from 30 percent to 100 percent could mean a significant increase in benefits money.

At 30 percent disability, a single veteran would be eligible for $389 a month. At the 100 percent

level, that amount goes up to $2,769. The amount increases if there is a spouse or children.

Additionally, there might be Special Monthly Compensation (SMC) monies due to the level of

disability.ALS is found in those veterans who served in

Gulf I back in 1991 at a rate twice that of those who served elsewhere. Initial research was

published in the Neurology journal in 2003. A second study determined that the rate also was

twice that of the general population. Hardest hit were those in the Army and Air Force. Initial

research was even able to narrow down a time frame for exposure: Between August 1990

and July 1991. An environmental trigger was suspected.

Studies done later, in 2005 and 2009 at Harvard, found that veterans in any branch with any military service anywhere were 60 percent

more likely than the general population to be diagnosed with ALS. After fine-tuning the data, service in war was suspected as a component. But a 2006 review concluded that any military

service is related to increased risk for ALS.

• On Feb. 16, 1848, romantic composer Frederic Chopin plays his final concert in his adopted city of Paris, 18 months before his death from tuberculosis at the age of 39. After fleeing his native Poland, he spent the rest of his life amid the high society of France.

• On Feb. 19, 1851, an angry mob in San Francisco’s business district “tries” two Australian suspects in the robbery and assault of C.J. Jansen. Vigilantes were fairly common during the Gold Rush boom in San Francisco, and they were so well regarded that they took over the Democratic Party in the late 1850s, and some became respected politicians.

• On Feb. 18, 1885, Mark Twain publishes his famous and controversial novel “The Adventures of Huckleberry Finn.” At the book’s heart is the journey of Huck and his friend Jim, a runaway slave, down the Mississippi River on a raft.

• On Feb. 13, 1915, The American Society of Composers, Authors and Publishers (ASCAP) is formed. ASCAP collects and distributes royalties for copyrighted musical works. Today, ASCAP reports that it distributes more than $800 million in royalties annually to its members.

• On Feb. 14, 1929, Sir Alexander Fleming, a bacteriologist, discovers penicillin. Having left a plate of staphylococcus bacteria uncovered, Fleming noticed that a mold, similar to the kind found on bread, had fallen on the culture and had killed many of the bacteria.

• On Feb. 15, 1933, president-elect Franklin D. Roosevelt escapes an assassination attempt. Deranged, unemployed brick layer Giuseppe Zangara shouted, “Too many people are starving!” and opened fire with six rounds. Zangara’s extreme action reflected the anger and frustration felt among many Americans during the Great Depression.

• On Feb. 17, 1966, Brian Wilson of the Beach Boys rolls tape on the first take of “Good Vibrations.” Six months, four studios and $50,000 later, he finally completed his 3 minute, 39 second symphony, pieced together from more than 90 hours of tape recorded during literally hundreds of sessions.

(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.

Karlena’s Korner

Lutheran Family Services of Colorado is now Lutheran Family Services Rocky Mountains!

The name change reflects the growth of LFS, which has doubled in size and impact over the past six years and compliments the names and service area of the Rocky Mountain Synod ELCA and the Rocky Mountain District of the LC‐MS. Since 2006, LFS has increasingly been responding to various human needs in Montana and Wyoming and in 2011 was invited by the state of New Mexico to begin providing refugee resettlement services there. LFS Rocky Mountains will be opening an office in Albuquerque next month but all agency administrative functions will continue to be housed in the central Denver location. Please visit www.LFSRM.org to learn more and find out how you can help LFS serve the Rocky Mountain community in 2012 ‐ our 64th year of service! POWERFUL TOOLS FOR CAREGIVERS

Powerful Tools for Caregivers is an educational program to help family caregivers. This program will help you take care of yourself while you are caring for a relative or friend. You will benefit from this class whether you are helping a parent, spouse, friend, someone who lives at home, in a nursing home or across the country. This class will give YOU, the caregiver, tools to: Help you reduce stress Communicate effectively with other family members, your doctor, and paid help Reduce guilt, anger and depression Help you relax Make tough decisions Set goals and problem‐solve

Powerful Tools for Caregivers is sponsored by several community organizations including Lutheran Family Services and is offered at no cost.

This class series meets once a week for six weeks at the following places:

Wednesdays, Feb. 22 through Mar. 28 Tuesdays, Mar. 20‐May 1 12:30‐2:00 9:00‐11:30 a.m. Immanuel Lutheran Church St John Lutheran Church 4650 Sunview Drive, Loveland 305 E. Elizabeth, Fort Collins To register call Immanuel 970‐667‐4506 To register call Aspen Club,970‐ 495‐8560

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MOMENTS IN TIME

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1. When Philadelphia’s Roy Halladay won his second Cy Young Award in 2010, he tied the mark for the longest gap between Cy Young Awards (seven years). Who else did it?2. From 1986 through 2006, the San Francisco Giants had three managers. Name two of them.3. In 2010, Ryan Mallett broke

the University of Arkansas record for most career TD passes. Who had held the mark?4. How many times during his 31 seasons did the NBA’s winningest coach, Don Nelson, lead a team to the playoffs?5. Who were the last two remaining active NHL players to have played in the 1980s?6. How many times did the Japanese women’s soccer team fail to beat the U.S. before defeating the American team in the 2011 World Cup final? 7. In the final race of his career in 1920, Man o’ War defeated the 1919 Triple Crown winner in a match race. Name the losing horse.

Caregivers for seniors with Alzheimer’s disease or dementia will applaud a new gadget that can help keep track of those who might wander: a shoe with a tiny global positioning satellite (GPS) tracker in the heel.

Footware company Aetrex and tracking software provider GTX have put a lot of thought into both the shoes and the tracking capability. The leather shoes, for either men or women, are either lace up or strap. They look very comfortable, and come with two removable layers for a better fit. There’s a grooved polyurethane sole for traction.

But it’s not cheap. The shoes alone cost $300, and the GPS requires a connection plan that runs $35 a month. You can find information online at www.aetrex.com/gps or call 800-526-2739.

There are additional devices available to make your life easier if you care for a senior with Alzheimer’s

‘Get Smart’ Gadget Helps Caregivers

or any other condition where constant monitoring is essential.

Back in 2009, a tracker was created that also uses GPS. Called the i-Tag (www.i-tag.biz), the little device is the size of a nine-volt battery. It can be programmed with a “geofence” -- a set area that that you establish. If the wearer leaves that area, an alarm will sound.

There also are locks that sound an alarm if a door is opened, alarm pads that sound an alarm if they’re stepped on and mini-cams that can help you keep an eye on a room from other parts of the house.

There are a number of tools that will make it easier on those who care for dementia and Alzheimer’s patients. It’s just a matter of finding what works best for you.

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 [email protected].


To Your Good Health By Paul G. Donohue, M.D.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am a 78-year-old woman, and five months ago I came down with sciatica in my left leg underneath the buttock. It’s very painful. I’d like to know if there is something that can be done. -- S.M.

ANSWER: The sciatic (sigh-ATTIC) nerve is the body’s longest and largest nerve. It springs from nerve rootlets that emerge from the spinal cord in the lower back. Those rootlets intertwine to form this big nerve. It travels from the back, through the buttocks and down the leg to the foot. Anything that presses on or irritates the nerve in its long course gives rise to sciatica (sigh-ATTIC-uh), painful inflammation of the nerve.A bulging back disk can press on the nerve. Arthritic spurs on the spine are another source of irritation. A collapse of a backbone from osteoporosis is another trigger for pain, and the pain can be in the lower back, the buttocks or down the leg to the foot.

Sciatica: Big Nerve Can Be Big Problem

Have you tried Tylenol (acetaminophen) for pain relief? Aleve, Advil, Motrin and the many other nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs dull pain and quiet inflammation. Icing the painful back area for 10 to 15 minutes three times a day is another way to numb pain. If ice doesn’t work, turn to heat -- hot compresses or a heating pad.Stretching the back might take pressure off the nerve. Sit on a firm chair with feet on the floor and knees shoulder-width apart. Turn slightly to the left. Then, with your right arm dangling down between the knees and left arm dangling down on the outside of the left knee, bend down to the floor as far as you can and hold that position for five seconds. Straighten up and reverse the process by turning to your right and arranging your arms with the right arm outside the right knee and the left arm between the knees. If this exercise hurts, stop. If it doesn’t, perform five bends each, to the right and then to the left. Do the exercise three times a day.Five months is a long time to put up with back pain. I’m not sure if self-treatment will do much for you. You need a doctor’s intervention, along with physical therapy.The booklet on back pain delves more deeply into its causes and treatments. To order a copy, write: Dr. Donohue -- No. 303W, Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a check or money order (no cash) for $4.75 U.S./$6 Canada with the recipient’s printed name and address. Please allow four weeks for delivery.***

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HOLIDAYS (continued):• Northern Italians engage in fruit-flinging

silliness when they observe Iverea Carnevale’s “Battle of the Oranges.” During the three days of the country’s annual carnival (held during February or March), the local populace re-enacts an 1194 revolt by the people against a cruel count and his troops. The original revolt was conducted with stones, but today, the citizenry have smartly taken to instead using the oranges that exceed the country’s yearly production quota. Some locals really re-enact the scene enthusiastically, so if you happen to attend, don’t forget to duck.

• In the spring, India celebrates the Holi Festival of Colors. This “colorful” festival was re-created in the 2006 independent film, “Outsourced” (the inspiration for a similarly named NBC sitcom last year). All the colors of the rainbow are tossed around in powders that men and women throw at each other. In addition, people pitch buckets of water on each other, making for a messy good time. These playful activities are accompanied by dancing and the frenzied beating of drums. This festival has political and socio-economic significance as well, since it marks one of the only times where one sees men and women of various social castes mixing in Indian society.

• Thailand’s Songkran Festival, held April 13-15, is part of the Thai New Year and is a very wet tradition. While “Songkran” is a Sanskrit word that in Thai refers to the influence of the sun on certain Zodiac signs, it is water that captures the attention and imagination of all the locals.

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1. Is the book of Corinth in the Old or New Testament or neither?2. What’s the only book of the Bible (KJV) in which the name of God is not mentioned? Ruth, Ezra, Esther, Amos3. Whose last words were, “Had Zimri peace, who slew his master”? Zipporah, Keturah, Jezebel, Miriam4. To what city was Saul traveling near when he heard the voice of Jesus? Antioch, Damas-cus, Paphos, Rome5. What runaway slave did Paul write to Phi-lemon about? Sosthenes, Onesimus, Molech, Cedar6. From 1 Kings 17, who ate a poor widow’s last meal? Amos, Elijah, Matthew, Daniel

1. MAPS: U.S. Interstate 10 ends in Los An-geles, but where does it begin on the East Coast?2. SCIENCE: In 1959, physicist Richard Feynman was the first to propose what kind of technology (on a small scale)?3. LITERATURE: What was Ernest Heming-way’s middle name?4. MUSIC: What American folk-music group is famous for their song “Keep on the Sunny Side”?5. MEDICAL TERMS: What is a more com-mon name for the medical condition “pruri-tus”?6. SPORTS: Where will the 2014 Olympic Winter Games be held?7. ARCHITECTURE: What famous archi-tect’s residence in Wisconsin was called Taliesin?8. LANGUAGE: What are the comparative and superlative forms of the word “little”?9. MOVIES: In “Cast Away,” what was the name that marooned actor Tom Hanks (Chuck Noland) gave the volleyball that washed ashore?10. GEOGRAPHY: What is the capital of Brazil?

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HOLIDAYS (continued): As part of their celebration of the vernal

equinox, the people congregate with buckets, hoses, water balloons, water pistols and anything else that can capably transport water for the purposes of drenching everything and everyone from head to toe. This may well be the world’s biggest water fight. Of course, “fight” isn’t really the right word, because the action of tossing water to others is actually perceived as a demonstration of kindness and respect during the festival. Maybe the “world’s biggest water hug” would be more appropriate.

• Each July, the citizens of the Eastern European republic of Belarus gather for Ivana Kupala Day, a celebration of fertility. Among the customs observed are dancing, singing and the donning of wreaths by both sexes. To add a special twist to their festivities, the people also go skinny-dipping and jump through fire, though presumably not at the same time.

• From the country that gives us the annual “Running of the Bulls” comes an even more curious holiday. On August 27, Spain observes

La Tomatina. As you may have gathered from the name, this day involves tomatoes. What you may not have known is that it involves 30,000 people engaged in pitched aerial battle with the beloved red (or green) fruit. For two hours, natives toss tomatoes at each other until 125,000 of them pepper the landscape and people. It’s all in good fun, celebrating a similar spontaneous food fight that broke out during a parade over 65 years ago. Perhaps nowhere else has so much produce gone to such silly and undoubtedly enjoyable use.

• We’ve featured the world’s biggest tomato, orange and water fights so far, so why not shine a light on the world’s biggest tug-of-war? The Naha Tug-of-War takes place on October 11 in the middle of the Naha Festival, one of the largest celebrations in Okinawa, Japan. One of the region’s biggest thoroughfares, Highway 58, is shut down so that tens of thousands can congregate to decide which of the two masses can pull the other 30 meters. This is no simple length of rope, mind you. Made of rice straw, the rope is so large that no single set of hands could possibly hold it. In fact, it’s so big that a series of smaller ropes are attached all over its surface to accommodate the swarm of hands

there to participate. Seen from a distance, it might look as if a massive synthetic snake several blocks long and taller than a car had taken control of the freeway. Fortunately, it’s just a Guinness-World-Record-breaking competition in a country famous for its fascinating customs.

• An ex-slave is the focus of the African holiday called Matilda Newport Day, celebrated on December 1 in Liberia. Elderly Matilda Newport was a brave lady who changed the fate of an entire country with a single act. A colony of freed American slaves was attempting to form its own nation in Equatorial Africa. In a battle between the colonists and hostile indigenous tribes, the tribes were winning, and all but a few colonists abandoned the fight. That’s when Matilda approached a cannon that, having been forsaken by colonists, had drawn the attention of tribesmen. Thinking her harmless, they took no notice when she dropped a burning coal into the curious machine. When it went off, it frightened the invaders so much that they fled, making Newport a most improbable war hero.

Tidbits® of Ft. Collins & Loveland FAMOUS LANDMARKS

CAPITOL RECORDS BUILDING

In the middle of Hollywood, near the famed intersection of Hollywood Boulevard and Vine Street, sits a building like no other in Los Angeles County. Seen from above, it’s the one structure that could pass for an alien installation in some futuristic metropolis. Thirteen stories of architectural innovation with a long white spire sitting atop, it’s the Capitol Records Building, also known as the Capitol Records Tower or Capitol Tower.

• The Capitol Records Building was the world’s first circular office building. The remarkable structure was the brainchild of designers Welton Becket and Louis Naidorf, and it has been described by the Los Angeles Times as ranking “among the dozen or so best-known landmarks in all of Southern California.” Created as a mixed-use building, the Capitol Tower is less than a 150 feet tall.

• Many have suggested that the building’s resemblance to a stack of records was by design, but it was actually a happy accident. The shape was actually a response to the problem of available space created by earth-quake regulations that limited the structure’s height. The shape allowed designers to maximize the number and size of offices available within its walls, and the circular shape resulted in considerably lower energy costs.

• There is a blinking red light that adorns the building’s spire. Though one could assume its significance lies merely as a signal to low flying aircraft, it actually blinks the word “Hollywood” in Morse Code. In fact, the

light’s initial activation on April 6, 1956, was conducted by the granddaughter of Samuel Morse (for whom Morse Code is named), Leila.

• This message has changed only once in the building’s 55-year history. This occurred in 1992, when the message was altered to read “Capitol 50,” reflecting the record company’s 50th year in business. In September of this year, the normally white spire atop the building was lit blue at night, as part of “Blue September,” a month raising awareness about the importance of early detection in prevent-ing prostate cancer.

• The first recording made in the Capitol Records Building was actually a series of instrumentals entitled “Frank Sinatra Conducts Tone Poems of Color.” Since then, the tower has been the artistic home of such musical icons as The Beatles, The Beach Boys, Tina Turner, Steve Miller, Bonnie Raitt and the aforementioned “Chairman of the Board” Frank Sinatra.

• The 13 circular floors of the building sit on a square base. At the base’s southern face, one can view a large mural created by artist Richard Wyatt entitled “Hollywood Jazz.” Among the fanciful portraits found there are titans of jazz and blues including Billie Holiday, Duke Ellington and Nat King Cole. The latter is even rumored to be responsible for suggesting the building’s singular shape. The past two decades haven’t been kind to the mural, as it has faded considerably. Yet it remains a beautiful testimony to our rich musical past.

KING CROSSWORD

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Arriving home at midnight, I found one inch of fresh snow blanketed the earth. The temperature was well below freezing. The air was still; not a breath of wind could be felt. The small flakes drifted slowly, as though they wanted to hang in the air forever, knowing the ground would be their final resting place. I put on my hat and gloves, exited the car, and retrieved the broom from the garage. I thought about leaving the car running, ensuring warmth upon re-entry, but changed my mind without really thinking why. I started at the top of the driveway, slowly working my way toward the sidewalk. The snow scattered like powdered sugar in front of me. The rhythmic brushing of the bristles on the concrete was the only sound.

A shiver crept up my spine. I stopped for a moment, captured by the silence. I kept my breathing quiet, so as not to disturb the moment and listened. Only muted silence, deafening in its completeness.

I began sweeping again, working my way along the sidewalk, past the neighbor’s house, and then the next. The earlier cold gave way to inner warmth, possibly from the light work I performed, but more likely from the tranquility enveloping my soul. Steadily, I swept my way from one driveway to the next. I was aware of what I was doing; however, I was transfixed by the sound of the bristles on the pavement. It carried my awareness somewhere undefined. I do not recall if the journey led to my inner self, or somewhere far away. Standing still, I again listened to my breathing. Its steady rhythm brought me back, cleared my thoughts and defined my being.

I returned to my driveway and removed the light dusting that had since covered my previous effort. I silently hoped the flakes would stop drifting down. But it didn’t really matter. The snow was doing only what it knew, without malice or contempt. It had given itself to me so that I could be aware of the tranquility of its quiet, allowing me to witness its light in the darkness and the beauty of its individuality. I listened once more and heard nothing. Its existence, still peaceful. I smiled and began to sweep again.***

Dean K MillerNCW Critique Group CoordinatorTwitter: @deankmiller

For Advertising Call Dan at (970) 658-6347

February is Responsible Pet Owners Month, and while I sometimes grouse about events that designate a specific period of the year to do something that should obviously be done every single day, I think it’s a worthy way to enlighten new pet owners or those thinking about getting a pet on how to care for that pet. So, how can you be a responsible pet owner?If you’re considering getting a pet:--Study and learn all you can about the pet or breed you’re interested in.--Consider adopting from a shelter or rescue.--Avoid buying dogs from puppy mills, at flea markets or other sketchy places.--If buying from a breeder, research and consider carefully before making a purchase.If you already have a pet:--Spay or neuter your pet.--Do more than just provide food, water and shelter: Give your pet lots of love and attention.--Teach your children how to properly care for pets and how to play responsibly with them.

--Provide regular, daily obedience training to your dog.--Keep your cat indoors.--When taking your dog out for a walk, follow your town’s leash laws and pick up after it.--At dog parks, follow the posted rules. Owners who don’t follow rules can put the park at risk of being shut down. Don’t be that guy.There are, of course, many other ways to be a responsible pet owner. But this is a good time to review the way you care for your pets, the routines you’ve fallen into, the training you’ve meant to start -- and to plan new fun and activities for your pets and family.

Send your questions or tips to [email protected], or write to Paw’s Corner, c/o King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. For more pet care-related advice and information, visit www.pawscorner.com.


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The King and His CourtCHARLOTTE — Richard Petty is,

of course, The King of stock car rac-ing, just as Roy Acuff was considered The King of country music and Elvis Presley of rock ‘n’ roll. Petty, who won nearly twice as many races (200) as anyone else in NASCAR history, remains a vibrant part of the Sprint Cup scene today.

Petty was, naturally, one of the first five inductees into the NASCAR Hall of Fame, along with NASCAR found-er William H.G. France, successor William C. France, Dale Earnhardt and Junior Johnson.

The Hall of Fame has now inducted three classes, each containing five honorees. So great was the role of the Petty family in the sport’s history that a family member has been included in all three classes. The Petty Enter-prises patriarch, Lee, was a mem-ber of the second class. His nephew — and Richard’s first cousin — Dale Inman was one of the five enshrined the night of Jan. 20.

Another Petty, Richard’s brother Maurice, will probably make the Hall

of Fame soon. Inman was Richard’s crew chief during most of The King’s career, which ended, as a driver, in 1992. Richard Petty Motorsports, a descendant of Petty Enterprises, cur-rently fields Fords in the Sprint Cup Series for Marcos Ambrose and Aric Almirola.

Maurice Petty built the engines that propelled his brother to most of his 200

victories and seven championships.“When some of those records were

being accumulated, we didn’t think there would be a Hall of Fame,” said Inman, who was inducted along with Cale Yarborough, Darrell Waltrip, Richie Evans and Glen Wood. “We really weren’t running for anything

other than trying to beat the other competitors, get enough money sur-vive and stuff like that. We didn’t know it was going to grow into the great big sport that we’ve got now.

“We’ve been around a long time, you know, and to still be as active as we are in the sport, with what we’ve been through ... we’re still surviving, and I think that’s great.”

***Monte Dutton covers motorsports

for The Gaston (N.C.) Gazette. E-mail Monte at [email protected].

© 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.

—37—

King Features W

eekly ServiceJanuary 30, 2012

NASCAR legend and owner Richard Petty was part of the first NASCAR Hall of Fame class. Now, with Dale Inman’s recent induction, there’s a member of the Petty family in each of the first three classes. (John Clark/NASCAR This Week photo)

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Tidbits® of Ft. Collins & Loveland Page 8

BIBLE TRIVIA

Magic Maze

Answers1. Jacksonville, Fla.2. Nanotechnology3. Miller4. The Carter Family5. Itching6. Sochi, Russia7. Frank Lloyd Wright8. “Less” and “least”9. Wilson10. Brasilia

• It was 19th-century German philosopher, composer and poet Friedrich Nietzsche who made the following sage observation: “At times one remains faithful to a cause only because its opponents do not cease to be insipid.”

• Despite all the cartoons you’ve seen throughout your life, rabbits generally prefer greens to carrots, and mice would rather eat grains and fruit than cheese.

• The area that is now the state of California had a population of about 700 in 1854. In 2010, the population had increased to 37,253,956. In the span of just over one and a half centuries, the population increased a whopping 53,000 times.

• Rice paper is not made from rice. It’s made from the pith of the rice paper plant.

• You may be surprised to learn that, according to the National Sleep Foundation, 33 percent of all preschoolers have a TV in their room, and 20 percent of infants and toddlers have one.

• If you ever make a trip to Italy (lucky you!) and visit the town of Modena, be sure to go to the bell tower. There you might see an item that is, to the best of my knowledge, unique in the world: a wooden bucket that started a war. In 1325 a group of soldiers from the then-city-state of Modena raided rival city-state Bologna and returned home with the bucket. Greatly desiring to get the bucket back, Bologna declared war. The war raged on for years, but Bologna never did get its bucket back.

• If you’re a schoolteacher in Arkansas, you should be aware of an arcane law there: If you bob your hair, you’ll be ineligible for a pay raise.***Thought for the Day: “A committee is a cul-de-sac down which ideas are lured and then quietly strangled.” -- Sir Barnett Cocks


ANSWERS: 1) Neither; 2) Esther; 3) Jezebel; 4) Damascus; 5) Onesimus; 6) Elijah

Wilson Casey’s trivia book “Know It? ... or Not?” is available from BearManor-Media.com.


Answers1. Atlanta’s Tom Glavine -- 1991 and 1998.2. Roger Craig, Dusty Baker and Felipe Alou. 3. Clint Stoerner, with 57 (1996-99). Mallett finished with 62.4. Eighteen times. 5. Mike Modano and Mark Recchi, both of whom retired before the 2011-12 season.6. Twenty-five times.7. Sir Barton.


If your credit is solid but you’re paying higher credit-card interest rates than you’d like, don’t expect the credit-card company to lower your rate without a request from you. Even then it’s likely you’ll be stuck. But you have another option: credit unions.It’s likely that a credit union will be your best bet for a credit card you’ll want to keep long term. The National Association of Federal Credit Unions [www.nafcu.org] wrote in a re-cent news release that credit unions have an upper limit of 18 percent for both credit cards and loans. Their average credit-card interest rate is 12 percent, with some as low as 9 per-cent.When it comes to fees, credit unions are gen-erally much lower. Credit unions are not-for-profit, so they’re not out to charge a fee for every loophole they can get away with. You’ll find ATMs, good service and a friendly staff because as an account holder, you are a mem-ber-owner.If you want to look for credit unions you’re eligible to join and see a comparison between their rates and banks, go online to www.cu-lookup.com. (Tip: On the lookup screen, it asks for your whole street address. Don’t give it. You’ll get just as much information by put-ting in just your ZIP code.)

You’ll be shown a map of credit unions in

your area. On the left side, click on Compare CU Rates for comparisons on nearly any fi-nancial product: car and boat loans, adjust-able- and fixed-rate mortgages, money-market accounts, credit cards and certificates of de-posit. The site also has a number of calcula-tors for home, credit, retirement, savings and auto. Remember: Don’t cancel your other credit cards if you take a new one for a better deal. Bring the balance to zero on old card, and then let the card sit unused. Your credit score is par-tially determined by the total amount of credit available to you versus the percentage of that amount you have used. If you have an unused card with a $10,000 availability and you can-cel that account, the percentage of your total availability drops. As the percentage of credit you use rises (after you cancel a card), your credit score drops. Keep your percentage un-der 30 percent.

David Uffington regrets that he cannot personally an-swer 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 [email protected].


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Finding Lower-Rate Credit Cards

NAME THAT MOVIE OR FAMOUS FIGURE!

1. “Why, Mr. Anderson? Why do you do it? Why get up? Why keep fighting? Do you believe you’re fighting for something? For more than your survival? Can you tell me what it is? Do you even know? Is it freedom? Or truth? Perhaps peace? Yes? No? Could it be for love? Illusions, Mr. Anderson…” (Hint: It was a big science fiction hit in 1999.)

Answer: “The Matrix”

2. “Listen to me, mister. You’re my knight in shining armor. Don’t you forget it. You’re going to get back on that horse, and I’m going to be right behind you, holding on tight, and away we’re gonna go, go, go!” (Hint: It was one of Katherine Hepburn’s final films, from 1981.)

Answer: “On Golden Pond”

3.“Cinderella story. Outta nowhere. A former greenskeeper, now, about to become the Masters champion. It looks like a mirac...It’s in the hole! It’s in the hole! It’s in the hole!” (Hint: It was one of the biggest comedies of 1980.)

Answer: “Caddyshack”

4. “I said that I would see you because I had heard that you were a serious man, to be treated with respect. But I must say no to you and let me give you my reasons. It’s true I have a lot of friends in politics, but they wouldn’t be so friendly if they knew my business was drugs instead of gambling which they consider a harmless vice. But drugs, that’s a dirty business.” (Hint: It was one of the most celebrated Best Picture winners of the 1970s.)

Answer: “The Godfather”

Tidbits of Ft. Collins & Loveland

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