Tidbits of the Northwest Valley Issue #11

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DECEMBER 19, 2008 ISSUE #11SYNERGY PUBLISHING, LLC 800-264-3047 WWW.TIDBITSARIZONA.COM

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TIDBITS REMEMBERS THE YEAR GONE BY:

LOST HEADLINES OF 2008by Rick Landon

2008 was quite a year. Early on, Leap Day gave us an extra 24 hours, and it seemed that we needed every second of it. The Summer Olympics held our interest during the warm weather, while the presidential election occupied us when fall arrived. Now that winter is here, let’s look back on some of the other events of the previous 365… er, make that 366 days.

JANUARY:• President Bush announced a stimulus plan to jump-start the economy, offering “rebates” of a few hundred dollars to most working Americans. Although the bill passed the following month, the bonus didn’t mean much to most of us. The extra money disappeared quickly into our vehicles’ gasoline tanks thanks to heavily-increased prices. Financial markets around the world continued their downward spiral.

FEBRUARY:• The television world had nearly run out of “new” episodes after a three-month strike by the Writers’ Guild of America. Pressure mounted after audiences for reality TV shows (which don’t typically require writers) increased. Finally, the WGA struck a deal with Hollywood’s major producers in February 2008.

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LOST HEADLINES OF 2008 - Continued from page 1MARCH:• Audio researchers make history by deciphering what is considered the oldest audio recording ever made. A 10-second “phonautogram” made by French technician Édouard-Léon Scott de Martinville provided a female vocalist’s rendition of “Au Clair de la Lune,” recorded way back in 1860. The phonoautograph machine recorded the sound visually onto paper. In fact, the inventor intended the device as a way to analyze sound and not play them back. Today’s computer technology has allowed engineers to convert the sound waves from paper squiggles into actual, audible sound.

APRIL:• March Madness spills over into the month of April with the NCAA Division I Basketball Championship. The “Elite Eight” included the University of Kansas, winners of the Big 12 conference tournament. The Jayhawks scored a close victory against upstart Davidson (59-57) and then walloped topseeded North Carolina (84-66) to reach the championship game against the University of Memphis. The hard-fought match went into overtime before Kansas pulled away to earn its third NCAA title with a 75-68 victory over the Tigers.

MAY:• Economic uncertainties continue to force many U.S. companies to look into merging with, or selling out to, their competitors. But in May 2008, Microsoft withdraws its bid for the Yahoo! online service. Microsoft had hoped that the acquisition would give the company ammunition against Google. After Microsoft’s quick exit, America Online renewed its efforts to court Yahoo!, but no deal was made. Also in May, General Electric announced plans to auction off its consumer appliance division, which has put the “GE” name on everything from fans to dishwashers for over a century.

JUNE:• Okay, there’s this clumsy panda named Po who is the son of a goose restaurateur. Po’s father wants him to take over the family noodle business, but the panda wants to become a martial arts expert. A leopard escapes from prison, and… well, we won’t give away the rest. If this sounds like an unusual film plot, well, it is. But Kung Fu Panda, which hit U.S. theatres in June 2008, also became a certified hit. Starring Jack Black in the voice of Po, KFP went on to earn more than $600 million worldwide.

JULY:• After a salmonella outbreak, the FDA announces on July 18 that tomatoes are again safe to consume. Just three days later, word comes down that jalapeno peppers from Mexico may be similarly tainted. In Washington, President Bush announces policy changes that allow for offshore drilling in areas previously considered off-limits. Environmentalists are understandably upset with the decision, but the public backlash is minimal thanks to record oil prices that threaten to push America into a recession.

AUGUST:• On the first of the month, much of China is still putting last-minute touches on preparations for the Summer Olympics. But in the north and west, along the border with Mongolia, astronomers are treated to a spectacular late-afternoon eclipse of the Sun. It’s the first total eclipse of the sun since 2006 and the last one until July 2009. Students and astronomy buffs are able to view the event via an Exploratorium Webcast.

SEPTEMBER:• Jessica Simpson first explored the ‘redneck’ world in her slinky role as Daisy Duke in the big-screen incarnation of The Dukes of Hazzard. The transition became complete in September when her country music album Do You Know hit number one on the Billboard charts.

OCTOBER:• On the 13th of the month, the Dow Jones Industrial Average rebounds by gaining more than 11 percent. A little over two weeks later, the city of Philadelphia celebrated as its long-suffering Major League Baseball team, the Phillies, won the World Series for only the second time in 126 years. Although the team dominated the Series, fans had to wait to celebrate. The fifth and deciding game began on October 27, and was tied 2-2 when rain forced officials to “suspend” the game rather than deem it a tie. Continued precipitation on the 28th caused a further delay, and the game finally resumed on the 29th. The Phillies scored two runs and held on to win the Series. Their opponents, the Tampa Bay Rays, had changed their names from the Devil Rays for the 2008 season.

NOVEMBER:• The RMS Queen Elizabeth II, an ocean liner known as the QE2, makes its final voyage after four decades of service. The mighty ship, which measures nearly 1000 feet in length and has a top speed of more than 30 knots, had made 806 trips across the Atlantic. In addition to years of travel as a cruise ship, the QE2 also transported troops to the Falkland Islands in 1982 during the conflict there between Britain and Argentina. The ship is scheduled to be gutted and refitted as a floating hotel, to be moored on the coast of Dubai.

DECEMBER:• The month has just begun as of this writing, and 2009 looms on the horizon. As we near the end of the decade, let’s take stock in our friends and family and look forward to a fabulous year. The 21st century has admittedly gotten off to a rocky start, and it’s well time that we all renew our faith in America. From all of us at Tidbits, have a happy, wonderful, and prosperous New Year.

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Will Feral Cat Ever Calm Down?

DEAR PAW’S CORNER: I live in a senior community. In my backyard garden earlier this year, a feral cat had a litter of kittens. Some of us ladies decided to trap the kittens and have them spayed or neutered before releasing them back into the wild. We managed to trap two: My neighbor kept one, and I kept the other. My neighbor’s kitten has adjusted well, but my kitten, Stripes, is not calm yet. If I talk to her in calm tones, she will stay in the room with my two other cats, but when I move just the slightest bit, she darts out of the room. Is there something I can do to calm her down? -- Helene H., Genesco, N.Y.

DEAR HELENE: I, too, for many years had a half-feral cat whose behavior as a young cat was exactly the same as Stripes’. Dodge passed away two years ago, but by the time he reached his senior years, he had become a loving and trusting cat, although never a “lap cat.”

You are taking the right approach in speaking calmly and moving slowly. It is a great help that you have two fully tame cats. Stripes is observing their behavior closely, believe me, and she will begin copying their patterns, including how they interact with you.

It took several months to get close enough to Dodge to pet him. I would toss a bit of steamed shrimp his way, then toss the next bit closer. Over time he got close enough for me to scratch his head, and then to pet him gently.

Accept that Stripes might never be a highly sociable cat. But she can learn to trust you, and that’s important. Here’s wishing the best to you and your pets.

Send your tips, questions and comments to Paw’s Corner, c/o King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475, or e-mail them to [email protected].

(c) 2008 King Features Synd., Inc.


Meet Alyssa.Hello, you can call me Alyssa. I am still a puppy so I have a high energy drive. Although I do not like cats, I love to play with my fellow companions and four-legged friends. I love food; give me a treat and I will try my best to keep focus on you so I can learn a new trick. The staff says that obedience classes would suit me because it will help me focus my energy. I can not help my energy though! I love to play and I love people. I just get so excited when I see someone that wants to play and love me. Come down to the shelter so I can give you all the kisses you will ever want.

My name is Alyssa. Won’t you come down to the shelter and meet me?

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ALL THE PRESIDENTS’ TIDBITS:

HERBERT HOOVERHerbert Hoover served as president during one of the most difficult times in American history: the onset of the Great Depression. Although he had gained experience providing necessities for poor people in Europe during World War I, he found that this task was much more difficult to perform when wrapped in bureaucratic red tape.

Herbert Clark Hoover was born in West • Branch, Iowa, right around midnight – on either the evening of August 10 or the morning of August 11, 1874. Church records indicate the latter. The child became deathly ill with croup at around two years of age. Unconscious and with no signs of life, his parents presumed him dead and even covered him with a sheet. Fortunately, his uncle, Dr. John Minthorn, arrived just in time to keep the child alive.

Jesse Hoover, his father, succumbed to a heart • attack when Herbert was only six years old. Huldah, his mother, stepped in to become the breadwinner after her husband’s death. She saved Jesse’s life insurance to pay for her children’s education, and worked as a seamstress to put food on the table. Sadly, she passed away in 1880, leaving Bert and his siblings, Theodore and Mary, orphans. The following year, he traveled to Oregon to live with his Uncle John.

Herbert had a keen interest in geology and • chose it as his course of study when he entered then-new Stanford University in California in 1891. Later, in his memoirs, Hoover recalled the time that former president Benjamin Harrison arrived at the school for a lecture series. After Harrison wandered into a Stanford baseball game without paying admission, Hoover chased after him and demanded his 25 cents… which the retired commander-in-chief promptly paid.

Armed with an engineering degree, Hoover • took a job with the British mining firm of Bewick Moreing. He went first to Australia and then to China, tasked with finding investment-worthy mines. In 1899, he married girlfriend Lou Henry, who was also from Iowa (but first met him at Stanford). A year later, the couple traveled to England, where Herbert was made a partner in the company. Continued success made the Hoovers multimillionaires by the age of 40.

Hoover’s leadership skills became apparent • during World War I, when he helped organize the distribution of American-donated necessities to war-displaced

families throughout Europe. His popularity led to a succession of federal appointments under Woodrow Wilson. After backing Warren Harding in 1920, the new president repaid Hoover by naming him secretary of commerce.

With the presidential race up for grabs in • 1928, Hoover stepped in. The country was prosperous and a full decade removed from World War I. Hoover won the election handily. Unfortunately, the dominoes leading to the Great Depression were already in place. Worse, Hoover’s efforts to offer federal aid were met with resistance. Suddenly, the “millionaire president” found himself widely regarded with disdain.

Perhaps more than any other president, • Hoover’s name was attached to almost anything he touched. As U.S. food administrator during World War I, his rationing efforts coined the verb “Hooverize.” Years later, he lobbied for the construction of the Boulder Dam on the Colorado River; it would become known as the Hoover Dam. And during his presidency, homeless communities that popped up during the Great Depression were referred to as Hoovervilles.



Own an Older TV? Read This Now

Starting early next year, some of our television sets won’t work anymore -- unless we take steps now. On Feb. 17, 2009, television broadcasters will change over to digital signals, and older, analog sets that use an antenna will no longer work.

If we don’t have a newer television, we have three options with this changeover: 1) connect to a paid cable or satellite service, 2) buy a converter box, or 3) buy a new television. Not all of us are in the position to run out and buy a new TV. Some of us don’t even want to pay for cable or satellite service. That leaves the converter-box option.

The converter box will make an older television work by converting the signals. The government has even issued coupons (two per household) to defray $40 of the cost of the boxes.

If you want to order a coupon, call the program’s toll-free, 24-hour automated system at 1-888-388-2009.

To read more about this, and to determine if your set will need a converter box, look at the information online at www.dtv2009.gov. Click on the FAQ page for answers to common questions, and review the list of eligible converter boxes. Take a look at the list of eligible retailers, too. Not all stores are allowed to sell them.

If you need a TV converter-box coupon and haven’t applied for one, time is running out. You must apply for the coupon by Dec. 31.

Don’t fall for any scams with offers to come in and install a converter box for a price. This is something you can do yourself or with a call to the manufacturer’s tech support or the store where you bought the converter.

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].


Dental Insurance: Worth It Or Not?

As you do your annual financial review, consider if you might save money by signing up for dental insurance.

Begin by asking your dentist what plans he or she accepts, and check that plan’s list of benefits. If you’re prone to cavities and often need fillings, be sure there isn’t a limit on how many you can get, or on how many visits are covered in a year. Check for information on composite fillings (tooth-colored) versus amalgam (metal-colored). Read the fine print for pre-existing conditions as well. It can be hard to determine just when a cavity actually began, and your claim could be denied. Check to see if the deductible is waived in case of an accident.

Some companies allow the dentist to bill directly, and the dentist agrees to accept the plan amount as payment in full. Some pay the dentist directly but you’ll end up paying a portion of the bill. Others require you to pay the dentist, send in your receipts and wait for reimbursement. In some cases, you’ll make a co-payment; in others, a flat payment per visit.

Look at the policy limitations, too, especially any waiting period. If dentures are in your immediate future, be sure the policy will cover them in the first year. The same with oral surgery. Generally, if you need oral surgery, you need it now to take care of an immediate problem.

If you’ve selected a plan and are about to start looking for a new dentist, check the insurance company’s Web site and pull up a list of dentists by ZIP code to see which ones participate. Dental insurance companies will pay more to a participating dentist than they will to one that doesn’t.

Be sure to do the math. If a policy costs you $40 per month, has a $100 deductible and a yearly maximum of $1,000, you’ve actually paid out $580. Compare that with your actual dental care costs.

Many plans take effect the first day of the month following your application and initial payment. Deductibles and annual maximums generally run through a calendar year. If you select and pay for a plan now, it will take effect the first of the year.

David Uffington regrets that he cannot personally answer reader questions, but will incorporate them into his column whenever possible. Write to him in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475, or send e-mail to [email protected].


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SKIN DEEP?by Paige Lozier

The observation that “beauty is only skin deep” was first recorded by British poet Sir Thomas Overbury in 1613. The popular opinion of what exactly is considered beautiful or fashionable has changed many, many times since then.

Lip enhancement, which gives women • what is often referred to as a “trout pout,” is not a new beauty phenomenon. A century ago, doctors injected paraffin wax into the lips of female patients to give them that full-lipped appearance. In the 1960s, silicone was used for the same purpose. Today, a variety of synthetic materials are employed to smooth and plump out the lips.

In the Middle Ages, many aristocratic • women pasted artificial beauty marks on their faces. These were initially used to hide facial pock marks caused by the skin diseases common to that era. Later, they came to signify a coquettish type of flirtatiousness, and even women with perfect skin applied them to become more “attractive.”

Throughout the centuries, freckles have • been a source of much consternation. Doctors have tried all types of powders and lotions to conceal or remove the dreaded spots. Even in recent years, freckles were one of those features – like braces or eyeglasses – that made a character the brunt of teasing and ridicule. Every few years, freckles become fashionable; Twiggy’s trademark spots helped her achieve supermodel status in the 1960s.

For centuries, European feminine beauty • was tied to very pale, almost translucent skin. Tanned flesh was the sign of a lower-class woman who worked outdoors. Women risked their health to maintain the white-faced look, by regularly “letting” their blood and by wearing poisonous lead-based powder.

French designer Coco Chanel made tanned • skin fashionable in the early 20th century. During a 1923 Mediterranean yacht trip from Paris to Cannes, she failed to shield herself from the bright Sun. Photographers waiting for her snapped photos of her bronzed flesh, which were published as “the next big thing.” The event – which Chanel later claimed was merely an accident – sent women rushing out to beaches in droves to sunbathe.

Almost overnight, fashionable people • believed that sporting a tan indicated that you were well-off. Only a wealthy person who had plenty of spare time to swim, picnic, or play croquet or golf would have such tanned skin. A tan also gave the subtle message that you were wealthy enough to vacation in exotic sunny climes just like Coco Chanel.

As tanned flesh became all the rage, ladies’ • fashions became skimpier in order to allow women to show off all that bronze skin. Gradually, hemlines rose higher and sleeveless dresses became standard evening wear. Prior to this time, women’s underarms had been kept under wraps. Now, it was regularly exposed to the public, which prompted the following

advice in a 1915 issue of Harper’s Bazaar: “Summer dress and modern dancing combine to make necessary the removal of objectionable hair.”

The Wilkinson Sword Company caught • wind of this new twist in female grooming and jumped on the bandwagon, claiming that fuzzy underarms were a health hazard. (It had nothing to do with the fact that the company sold razors, of course.) Around the same time, Wilkinson also kicked off a subtle advertising campaign informing women that men preferred women’s legs to be smooth and shaved as well. Hmm…


by Samantha Weaver

It’s getting harder and harder to remember • life before the Internet: Statistics show that computer users make nearly 8 billion online searches every month.

It was Austrian physician and psychologist • Wilhelm Stekel who made the following sage observation: “The mark of the immature man is that he wants to die nobly for a cause, while the mark of a mature man is that he wants to live humbly for one.”

The prehistoric megalodon shark got its • name from the Greek words meaning “big tooth” -- and rightly so. The megalodon’s huge jaws could clamp down on its prey with a force of 12 to 20 tons. To put that in perspective, the great white shark has the strongest bite of any animal alive today, with a comparatively puny 2-ton bite. That 2 tons, though, is still 23 times as strong as the biting force of the human jaw.

Everyone knows that musical artists have • certain requirements that must be met for them to perform onstage. For instance, it’s been reported that the seven-time Grammy-award-winning hard-rock band the Red Hot Chili Peppers need to have a meditation room backstage at all their performances.

If you were an early settler in the United • States, you could claim a piece of land simply by putting a fence around it.

Considering the astonishing feats of upriver • swimming accomplished by spawning salmon, it is perhaps unsurprising that the name of the fish comes from the Latin word “salir,” which means “to leap.”

Those who study such things claim that • the average American home collects approximately nine pounds of dust every year on the floors alone.

Thought for the Day: “Journalism is publishing what someone doesn’t want us to know, the rest is propaganda.” -- Horacio Verbitsky


by Chris Richcreek

1. Entering 2009, only three current major-league teams have never been to a World Series. Name two of them.

2. In 2007, Jake Peavy became the fourth San Diego Padre pitcher to win a Cy Young Award. Name two of the first three.

3. Name the first NFL kicker to hit two field goals of 50-plus yards in a game.

4. In the past 25 years, only twice has a team missed the NCAA Tournament in men’s basketball one season, then won the title the next. Name the two teams.

5. How many NHL playoff series have the Phoenix Coyotes won since the franchise moved from Winnipeg in 1996?

6. Five-year-old mare Peppers Pride set a mark in 2008 for most consecutive victories by a North American thoroughbred. How many was it?

7. How many Association of Surfing Professionals world championships has Kelly Slater won?

See below for answers


Answers to Sports Quiz

1. Seattle Mariners, Texas Rangers and Washington Nationals.

2. Randy Jones (1976), Gaylord Perry (1978) and Mark Davis (1989).

3. Jim Martin of the Detroit Lions in 1960.

4. Louisville (title in 1986) and Syracuse (title in 2003).

5. None. The Coyotes have lost five playoff series.

6. Eighteen entering 2008.

7. He won his record ninth title in 2008.

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Tidbits of the Northwest Valley Issue #11

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