www.tidbitscda.com For Ad Rates call: (208) 755-9120 evelyn2318@gmail.com

of Kootenai County, Idaho Issue #27 July 1st

by Kathy Wolfe Hurray for the red, white, and blue! This is the perfect week for Tidbits to examine these three colors and their meanings and usage. •The red of theAmericanflag is sym-bolicofvalorandbravery,whilewhitesignifiespurity and innocence. Blue represents vigilance, perseverance, and justice. •Canada’scurrentmapleleafflagofredand white has only been the country’s officialflag since 1965when itwas proclaimed so byQueen Elizabeth II. Prior to that, Canada hadusedtheCanadianRedEnsignsince1870.RedandwhitearetheofficialcolorsofCanada,de-claredbyKingGeorgeVin1921. •Red is thecolorofbloodandfireandoften symbolizes love, passion, and romance, as wellasstrength,courage,andleadership.It’sas-sociated with anger, danger, and malice as well. •Therearehundredsofvarietiesof redwinegrapes, eachofferingadifferentflavor tothe beverage. The region of Bordeaux, France, is the original home of many familiar red grapes, including the cabernet sauvignon, which con-tributesaflavorofblackcurrant,andthemerlot,which offers a hint of chocolate or fruitcake. Bor-deaux is theworld’smajorwinecapital,whereBordeauxwinehasbeenproducedsincethe8thcentury. turn the page for more...

TIDBITS® SALUTES THERED, WHITE & BLUE

Page 2 Tidbits® of CDA www.tidbitscda.com

From the Publisher’s

DeskEvelyn Bevacqua

We are announcing a new network and looking for members who service people in the agegroup40plus.ThefocuswillbetoEducate,Support and Expand. We are committed to mak-ing a difference, living simply, giving and receiv-ingwithcareandrespect.Ratherthanamonthlymeeting we will come together to help support at least one of our fellow members with a function or event that they may be hosting, especially our not-for-profitmembers.Comingtogetherinthismannerwillhelpusall.Afreshwaytonetwork! FOR MORE INFO CHECK OUT PAGE 4!

RED, WHITE & BLUE (continued): • Surveys indicate that the color mostoften associated with innocence, purity, perfec-tion,andhonestyiswhite.Althoughroyalbrideshavewornwhiteforcenturies,itdidn’tbecomethe color of wedding gowns for the commoner until the19thcentury.Prior to that,brides justworetheirSundaybest.InChina,itissymbolicof death and mourning, and people wear white to funerals. •Brides inChinausuallywear red,be-causeit’sthecolorofhappinessandfortune.TheChinesebridewalksdownaredcarpettomeether groom, who lifts her red veil. When the cou-ple has children, friends and family give them redeggs.DuringChineseNewYear,homesaredecorated with red, red clothing is worn, and un-marriedchildrenaregivenredenvelopesfilledwith “luck money.” Those who follow feng shui, the art of balancing the energies of a space to promote health and good fortune, say that paint-ingyourhome’sfrontdoorredinvitesprosper-ity. •TheChicagoWhiteSoxbegan as theWhite Stockings in 1900. Their new home,ComiskeyPark,opened in1910on the formersite of a city dump and remained the team’sballpark for the next 80 years. The first-everAll-Stargamewasplayedtherein1933.Atthetime of its demolition in 1991,ComiskeywasMajorLeagueBaseball’soldestparkstillinuse.Famous White Sox players include Goose Gos-sage,TomSeaver,andSteveCarlton. • Combine all the possible tones of allthe different frequencies that a human can hear and you have what is called white noise. It takes its name from the way that white light works. White light is made up of all the color frequen-ciesoflightcombined.It’swhatthehumaneyesees when it looks at light that contains all of the wavelengthsofcolor’svisiblespectrum.

AnINVITATIONtoComeTogetherandCONNECT

Page 3 Tidbits® of CDA www.tidbitscda.comwww.tidbitscda.com

July 3Kiddies Parade cdadowntown.com

July 44th of July Festivals,

Parades and Fireworks

July 7OldTimersAnnualPicnic

208-691-9823

July 12-14Post Falls Days

postfallschamber.com

July 13Hayden Sprint Triathlon

haydentri.comJuly 13-14

ClassicBoatFestivalwoodboatfestival.com

July 19-21RathdrumDays

rathdrumchamberofcommerce.com

July 205thAnnualSteakFry

stvincentdepaulcda.orgJuly 20

3rdAnnualMuddyMilesmuddymiles.org

July 20CHaFE150chafe150.org

July 21RidethePass-50MilesatthePass

familypromiseni.org

July 261stAnnual“Spay-ghettiandNo-Balls”

animalalliesid.orgJuly 26-28

Julyamsh•julyamsh.comJuly 26-27

OldTimePicnic•harrisonidaho.orgsJuly 26-27

HaydenDays•haydenlakerotary.org

July 27KidsDayinthePark•cdakiwanis.org

EVENT CALENDAR

RED, WHITE, & BLUE (continued): • If you’ve ever been asked to bring awhite elephant to a party, you know to pack along something that you don’t want, perhapsan inexpensive, useless, or humorous item. This termhasitsoriginsinSoutheastAsiainancienttimes. Tradition states that the mother of Bud-dha dreamed of a white elephant presenting her withalotusflowerontheeveofherson’sbirth.The white elephant was considered sacred, and a monarch who possessed one reigned with justice and power. However, because the animal was sacred, it could not be put to any practical use, although it cost a considerable sum to maintain. It became burdensome to keep, but the owner could not dispose of it. • Looking at the color blue can pro-mote rest and cause the body to produce calm-ing chemicals that release feelings of tranquil-ity. Experts in feng shui tell us that blue is the perfect choice for the bathroom because of its tranquil and healing properties. Some cultures believe that blue keeps bad spirits away. In Iran it’sthecolorofmourning.TothoseoftheJew-ishfaith,blueisthecolorofholiness.InChina,it represents immortality. •Therearemorethan700speciesofthefloweringplantindigofera.Althoughwethinkofindigo as a dye used to color our denim jeans blue,othervarietiesareeffectiveasanti-inflam-matories to relieve the pain of bug stings, snake bites,swelling,andulcers.Colonialplantersinthemid-18thcenturybeganexportingtheplants,but indigo had been a major source of capital for Indiasincearound300B.C.

•My best tip for the beach?A laundrybasket and a bungee cord. I put my cooler, bags and beach toys in the basket and pull it along the sand using the bungee. It has worked for me many times -- and it's so convenient to keep things cor-ralled! Here are more tips on beach vacationing. --JoAnn

• Must-haves at the beach: Zipper-topbags for trash and clothespins to clip a napkin down so it won't blow away!

•"Freezebottlesofwater(takeoutasipor two to allow the ice to expand) and juice box-es or pouches before you head out to the beach (oranytimeyou'retakingacooler).Theywillactas ice packs to keep food and snacks cool, and doubleasrefreshingbeveragesalongtheway!"--A.A.inFlorida •"Myeyesightstartedtofalterafewyearsago, and I had found that my glasses slipped and were uncomfortable during seaside trips. I dearly love to read, and have since discovered audio-books, or books on tape. I download them to a digital music player and can listen all day if I like. It also allows me to people watch and even dozeoff!Iamalmost80,soIcandothatifIfeellikeit!"--R.A.inConnecticut

•"Ikeepanemptygallonjuginthetrunkof my car. When I go to the beach, if there's no shower,IcanfillitwithwateratafaucetandgetagoodrinsetherebeforeIleave."--L.G.inMis-sissippi

• Ibringa thin,nylonbag to thebeachin case I go shopping or collect shells, etc. It folds and zips down really small, so it takes no room, but has come in handy most times I've gone to the shore. -- T.T. in New York

SendyourtipstoNowHere'saTip,c/oKingFeaturesWeeklyService,P.O.Box536475,Orlando,FL32853-6475ore-mailJoAnnat

heresatip@yahoo.com.(c)2013KingFeaturesSynd.,Inc.

Tidbits® of Dallas County Page 4 Tidbits® of CDA www.tidbitscda.com Page 4RED, WHITE, & BLUE (continued):

•Theword“blue”hasfounditswayintoour language in several different arenas. Stocks that are solid and stable are called blue-chip stocks and a first-place winner is awarded theblue ribbon. Laws designed to restrict immoral behavior are referred to as blue laws and a blue-noseisanoverlypuritanicalperson.Amemberof the working class is called a blue collar work-er, while the classic politician is often called a blue suit. •Foundedin1987,theBlueManGroupachieves their unique look with blue grease paint over latex bald caps. The members create music with a number of unique instruments fashioned fromordinaryitemssuchasPVCpipe,flexiblefiberglass rods, ball bearings, and surgical tub-ing. The group is also well-known for its two-story drum wall with seven percussion stations. The musicians never speak, sing, or make any vocal sounds on stage, and do not speak to audi-ence members after the show, signing autographs with a smudge of blue paint. • Legend has it that the white flag hasrepresented surrender since the 15th century.DuringtheHundredYearsWarbetweenFranceandEngland,multicoloredflagsbecamepopularamong European armies. When an army wished toceasehostilities,itraisedawhiteflag.TheGe-nevaConventionofficiallyrecognizeditassuchin1949. •Surveysrevealthatthosewhodriveredcars have dynamic personalities, are high-ener-gy, speedy, and sexier.

Medicare fraud is rampant, but because of seniors who asked questions about improper payments,morethan$4.2billionwassavedlastyear.Tocontinue tofightfraudand tohelpse-niors understand the quarterly Medicare Sum-maryNotice,anewformhasbeendesigned. To make sure the new summary you re-ceive is actually from Medicare, start with the envelope. The return addresswill sayCenters forMedicare&MedicaidServices.Look for "Of-ficial Medicare Information" on the front andcontact telephone numbers on the back.Thechangestotheform: Page1isasummaryofyournotice.Itin-cludes your name, deductible status and the sta-tus of all claims, including whether they've been approved. The total amount you may be billed andhowmanyfacilities(suchashospitals)sub-mitted claims also are itemized. Page2offerstipsonhowtoreviewthenotice. There are instructions on how to check for possible fraud, how many Inpatient Hospital andSkilledNursingFacilitybenefitdaysyou'veused, and a phone number to call. Page3isyourClaimsforPartAinforma-tion, and includes where you were hospitalized, whether the claim was approved, how much Medicare paid and how much you might billed. Checkthehospitaldatescarefullytomakesureyou were actually there on those dates. Thefinalpagetellshowtohandledeniedclaimsorfileanappeal.Tofileanappeal,followthe step-by-step instructions. If you need help with it, there is a phone number to call, or Medi-care suggests asking for help from the facility itself or a friend or family member. Don't miss thedateitmustreceivetheappeal.Atthebottomis the address of where to send the appeal.MatildaCharlesregretsthatshecannotpersonallyanswerreader questions, but will incorporate them into her col-

umn whenever possible. Send email to columnreply2@gmail.com.

(c)2013KingFeaturesSynd.,Inc.

Medicare Unveils New Sum-mary Notice Form

SENIOR NEWS LINEbyMatildaCharles

Are you communityminded, want to make a dif-ference, and are looking for a fresh new way to growyourbusinessandyourself? We are proud to announce the expansion of TIDBITS and a new opportunity for youand your business or service: CONNECT, a bright new inclusive network now forming.We are looking for members who serve the 40 + age group and want to CONNECT and:

ForCONNECTparticularsandhowtobecomeamemberContact:MaryThomas,at

Mail.mary.e.thomas@gmail.com orcallMaryat:(208)964-9357

AnINVITATIONtoComeTogetherandCONNECT

EDUCATE BEKNOWNASTHEEXPERTYOUAREANDSHARETHISKNOWL-EDGE. Youwillbeafeatured‘Expert’onceeachmonth, answering questions, sharing informa-tion or updates about your business, or an-nouncing an event.SUPPORT MAKEADIFFERENCEINYOURBUSINESSANDINOURCOMMUNITY.Cometogethertosupportothermembers-es-peciallyournon-profits,beapartofwhatis happening in our community, and be of ser-vice.AsweGive,weReceive!EXPAND GROWYOURBUSINESSANDGROWYOURSELF!Get affordable exposure to new customers and learn new practices that will keep you and yourbusiness fresh and exciting. Many are mightier than one! Join, have fun, and be ready to grow.

Page 5For Advertising Call (334) 505-0674For Advertising Call 208-755-9120www.tidbitscda.com Page 5

Dr.HollyCarling is aDoctor ofOrientalMedicine,LicensedAcupuncturist,DoctorofNaturopathy,ClinicalNutritionistandMasterHerbologistwithover34yearsofexperience.Dr.Carlingiscurrentlyacceptingnewpatientsandof-fers natural health care services and whole food nutritional supplements in her Coeurd’Aleneclinic.VisitDr.Carling’swebsiteatwww.vitalhealthandfitness.comtolearnmoreaboutDr.Carling,viewalistofupcominghealthclassesandreadotherinformativearticles.Dr.Carlingcanbereachedat208-765-1994andwould be happy to answer any questions regarding this topic.

ByDr.HollyCarling

Rheumatoid Arthritis RheumatoidArthritis is an autoimmunedisorder that affects about2millionAmericans.It’scharacterizedbythebody’simmunedefenses’inabilitytodifferentiatebetweennormalhealthycells and foreign invaders. It behaves as if normal cells need to be destroyed. The joints begin to deteriorateasthecartilagebreaksdown.Theninflammation(anormallyprotectivemechanism)setsin and the pain becomes evident. “RA”ismoreseriousthanosteoarthritisasitnotonlyaffectsthejoints,butalsothemuscles,tendons and other tissues. Because it is an immune system disorder, in addition to the common achi-ness,painandstiffness,RAcanalsobeaccompaniedbyfatigue,lowgradefeverandsmallnodulesthat form under the skin. Lifestylemanytimessets thestageforRAtooccur.There isnoprovengenetic link,al-though it can run in families, and is suspected to be the result of lifestyle transfer rather than genetic transfer.Whatweeatcaneitherbecontributoryorpreventative.Certainfats,forinstance,areverybeneficialtoRAbecausetheycanbeconvertedtothehormonesthatreduceinflammationandpain.Ontheotherhand,certainfats,suchastrans-fatsactuallycontributetoinflammation.Othersubstancesweconsumethatareclassifiedas“pro-inflammatoryfoods”includesugar,coffeeandformanypeoplewheat as well. Foods that tend to be helpful are vegetables in general, as well as easy to digest proteins. Whilewe’reonthesubject,healthydigestioniscriticaltothepreventionandtreatmentofallformsof arthritis – possibly the most important component. There are also several herbs and other supple-mentswithgreatbenefits. RAisfrequentlytreatedbymanagingthepainandinflammation;however,unlesstheim-mune dysfunction is handled simultaneously, the dependence upon medications for control becomes a lifetime endeavor. InaJohnsHopkinsHealthAlertreporttheyreportedthatacupuncturehasbeenfoundtobebeneficialforRAandrecommendsacupunctureasanadjunctivetreatment.Manypeopledon’tlikethe side effects of medications and choose acupuncture as a stand alone treatment and they are quite pleasedwiththeresults.InArthritisToday,itdiscussesthemechanismofacupuncture,inadditiontotheeffectiveness:“Ithelpsregulatethebody’snervoussystem,whichcanstimulatethereleaseofnaturalpain-fightingendorphins…Acupuncturealsoalterstheperceptionofpain…Brainmagneticresonance imaging shows that needling of acupuncture points deactivates the part of the brain that deals with our perception of pain.” Thisonlydiscussesthepainperspective.Acupuncturealsoimprovesimmunefunction.InseveralstudiesAcupuncturehasbeendemonstratedtobeeffectiveinimprovingmanyimmunede-ficiencydiseases. While many people feel they are stuck with this often times debilitating condition, there is hope. There is help.

Tidbits® of Dallas County Page 6

Q: I’m a first time home buyer. Can you please clarify the following terms: Contingency, As Is, and Rights of First Refusal? Thank you.

A:Beingafirsttimebuyercanbedaunt-ing. I hope the following helps you in your purchase!CONTINGENCY: A contingency is aclause in a contract that requires the com-pletion of a certain act before the parties are obligated to perform their contractual obligations. The most common contin-genciesarefinancing,acceptablepropertycondition, and condition of title.AS IS:Inan“ASIS”contracttheselleris saying that the property will be sold in its existing physical condition and the buyer is taking the property’s conditioninto account when making an offer. The clausedoesnotnegateaseller’scommonlaw duty to disclose known latent mate-rial defects.RIGHT OF FIRST REFUSAL:Afirstright of refusal is a provision in a con-tract that requires the owner of a home to giveanotherparty (usuallya tenant) thefirstopportunitytopurchaseorleasetheproperty before it is offered for sale to an-other.

Jacqueline Sergeant, Escrow Officer, Pioneer Title Company,

208.664.8254

Q: When I sell my home am I required to clean it when I move out?

A: Noyou’renotrequiredbylawunlessit’sintheescrowagreement.However as a courtesy to the new owners you should do a move out cleaning. Now the bigquestion:howtoyoufindthetimeto organize, pack, move and clean. Call The Cleaning Girls we willhelp, cleaning from the ceiling to the floor.TheCleaningGirlswillclean the house you move from andthehouseyou’removinginto.We customize our services accord-ing to your needs and budget. We cleaning all light fixtures, fans,walls, doors, blinds and baths as well, we will clean the inside of your stove and refrigerator pull-ing them out and cleaning under aswellthedishwashertoo.Calloremail me with your special request and questions.

Twila 208-691-0086thebestcleaninggirls@gmail.com

Q: I’m a single mom who needs your help. My children and I live in a 1950’s era home with large trees in the front and back yard. Last week when my son mowed the front lawn he complained about it being soggy and smell-ing bad. I checked it out and he is correct. What should I do?A: Based on the age of your home and the fact that you have large older trees I can think of several conditions that could be the root cause(excusethepun).Youneedto assess the condition of the sewer pipes running from your home to the main sewer line. Your pipesmay be cracked, split, or corrod-ed. This could be a result of age, ground changes, or the tree roots have invaded the lines. I suggest you have an inline video camera inspection. This will provide you with answers and from there, op-tions. Do this sooner rather than later.

The Rooter Guys (208) 772-4408

serving CDA and Sandpoint

Q. My kids keep asking me to paint their faces however I am so busy . Is there a location anywhere near CDA where I can take them to get their faces painted for a reasonable cost?

A. Yes, everyone is welcometo come to the New Post FallsLocal Market in front of Post Falls City Hall in Post Falls!!

Come join us for ton's of fun,live music, over 32 booth'sof homemade goodies every Thursday (closed July 4th) 4:00 - 7:30 through Mid-Octo-ber.

Find us online for more informa-tion. Hope to see you there!

Call or text Debbie at

949-444-3121www.postfallslocalmarket.com

Page 7For Advertising Call (334) 505-0674Tidbits® of CDA Page 7

Left to right: Evelyn Bevacqua, Dave Reed, John Hoffman Lori Chissie, Terry Peterson, Scarlet Kelso, Arthur Shaw, Barbara Smalley, Suzan Helmhout, Jacqueline Sergeant, Debi Melkonian

For more on CONNECTcall Mary at: 208-964-9357

CO

NN

EC

T

Q: How do I find out if I qualify for a Habitat for Humanity home?

A: The goal of Habitat for Humanity is to show God’sgoodnessbyenteringintopartnershipwithfamilies currently living in inadequate housing, who wish to own a home of their own, but have not been able to get the help they need elsewhere. Habitat families purchase their homes directly fromHabitatwithnoprofit,nointerestloans.The selection of families who will purchase homes fromHabitatforHumanityofNorthIdahowillbedone by the Family Selection committee in a way that does not discriminate on the basis of race, sex, color, age, handicap, religion, marital status, orbecauseallorpartoftheapplicant’sincomeisderived from public assistance programs.TheprimaryqualificationsfortheHabitatforHu-manityprogramare:•The family incomemust fallwithin approvedguidelines.• The family agrees to partner with Habitat bycontributingatleast250hoursperadultof“sweatequity” on Habitat projects.•Thefamilyislivingininadequatehousing.

Call (208) 762-HOME (4663) and ask to speak with the Office Man-ager to begin the application pro-

cess. Good luck!

Saturday, July 20th, is the5thAn-nualSt.VincentdePaulSTEAK-FRY.Thefood, fun, and festivities will be held at the Kootenai County Fairgrounds. Awardwinning ‘Pit-Masters’, Jeff Selle and JayBremner will be doing their magic on the steaks. Yumm! Headlining the evening’sentertainment isKellyHughes,withColbyAcuffandJustinSherfeyopeningtheshow.Admission is $25 in advance and $30 atthe door. All proceeds go to the St. Vin-cent DePaul North Idaho’s Family Emer-gencyPrograms. Comeoutandjoininthefunat thisgreatcommunityevent. Yahoo! Friday, July 26th,isthe1stAnnual‘Spay-ghetti and No-Balls’ fundraiser forAnimalAllies of Idaho. This is a new non-profitorganization and their mission is simple and effective: ‘AnimalAlliesof Idaho (AAID)was established in January 2013 toAAIDour community and its animals by sustaining ahealthypetpopulation.AAIDisestablish-ing a low cost spay/neuter clinic in Coeurd’Alene and raising awareness throughoutNorthernIdahothatpetsterilizationbenefitsbothpeopleandpets.’ Cost is$25,and itwillbeheldatThePizzaFactory inCoeurd’Alene.StaytunedformoreinformationonAAID and this sure to be fun ‘fun’draiser!Canwesay‘Bow-WOW’!

The CONNECT ‘hit’ list for two very worthy benefits in July.

Tidbits® of Dallas County Page 8 Page 8

SusanAshleyMDistheownerofFamilyMedicineLibertyLake,andisboardcertifiedinbothFamilyMedicineandAnti-AgingandRegenerativeMedicine.Shecanbereachedat509-928-6700

by:SusanAshleyMD

Tidbits® of CDA

Have you ever noticed how some people seem to age much faster thanothers? Notonly in theiroutwardappearance,withwrinkles,saggingskin and weight gain, but inside, with a loss of vitality and enthusiasm for life.Asweage,it'seasytomissthesubtlechangesinhowwefeel.Thesechanges accumulate until one day we wake up and realize that we no longer feel young.

Thefirst2signsofagingareinsomniawithdisruptioninsleeppatterns,andfatiguewithaconcur-rent loss of motivation and drive. Lack of physical vigor, reduced mental acuity, and the lack of sex-ualdesirearealsocommonsignsofaging-thelossofvitality.OverandoveragainIhearpatientsexpress the desire to feel young again, and have more energy and pep like they used to enjoy. While agingisinevitable,wedocontroltherateoftheagingprocessandcanslowitdownsignificantly. First and foremost, nutrition. If you're pouring in junk in the form of fast foods, trans fats, processed and highly chemicalized foods, too much alcohol, or smoking, then the machine doesn't work well and will break down much easier. Let's go back to a time of eating whole foods with no artificialingredientsorpreservatives,lotsofvegetablesandfruits,littleornosugar,andorganicasmuch as possible. Then, have your hormones evaluated and balanced. If you're trying to have the energy of a 25yearold,butyourhormonelevelsarethatofa70yearold,itwillbehardtodo.Allhormones,exceptcortisol,thestresshormone,decreasewithage.Onlyacceptbio-identicalhormonereplace-ment. Keepyourweightdown.Obesitykills,anddramaticallyshortensyourlifespan.Ourchil-dren may be the only generation that may not have a longer lifespan than us, because of the obesity epidemic. It is a struggle to continue to keep the weight off, for many reasons, including insulin resistance which promotes fat storage and carbohydrate intolerance. We have to eat less, and espe-cially less carbohydrates. Exercise!Ourbodiesaremadeformovement.Tostayhealthywemustperformsomekindofcardioworkandweighttraining,tohelpmaintainmusclemassandbonestrength.Ourmusclemass does decline as we age, and this will help slow the progress. Ourgenescanbemodifiedtoamoreyouthfulstate.Whenweareyoung,thegenesthatsay"stayyoung"arefullyexpressed,andasweage,theystarttogetturnedoff,whilethegenesthatsay"getold"areturnedon.Thisaffectsourcells'abilitytofunctionattheirpeak.Whentrillionsofourcells feel sluggish, it's no wonder that we can also feel so tired all the time. We can reverse this! Thekeytoyouthisinourgenes.Thiscanrechargethe"powerplants"ofourcells-themitochon-dria-andincreaseourenergyproduction.NuSkinistheleaderintheresearchinvolvedingeneticmodification. I tell my patients, take charge of your life today and enjoy life to the fullest - you are in con-trol!

Recapture Your Youth!

Page 9For Advertising Call (334) 505-0674For Advertising Call 208-755-9120 Page 9

by Samantha Weaver •Itisstillnotknownwhomadethefollowingsageobservation:"Thedifferencebe-tween 'involvement' and Ôcommitment' is like aneggs-and-hambreakfast:Thechickenwas'involved';thepigwas'committed.'" •Ifyouwantedtousefossilfuelstoequal the amount of energy released by the sun ontotheEarth,you'dhavetoburn550billiontons of coal every day. •Lightningisn'tsolelyaphenomenonofEarth:AstronomershavenotedlightningboltsonJupiter,Saturn,UranusandVenus. •In1915,theaverageannualincomeforafamilyintheUnitedStateswas$687. •YoumightbesurprisedtolearnthatthenameAdamisn'tactuallyapropernameintheclassicalHebrewlanguage;it'sagenericterm for a human being. •Ifyou'replanningavisittothevil-lageofChesterintheUnitedKingdom,begladyou're not from Wales. In that town, the law says that any Welshman found within the city walls after sunset may be shot with a longbow. •InGermany,cacaowasusedformedicinal purposes long before it was used to make chocolate. •Itis,perhaps,unsurprisingthatthefirstduty-free airport shop -- those favored sources of tax-free liquor -- was in Shannon, Ireland. •Itwasintheveryearlyyearsofthe20thcenturywhen,inhis"Devil'sDictionary,"AmbroseBiercedefinedacorporationas"aningeniousdeviceforobtainingindividualprofitwithoutindividualresponsibility." •InAlabama,everypurchaseofadeckofplayingcardsissubjecttoaspecial10-centtax.Thosewhosellthecardsmustpaya$1to$3licensefee.

Thought for the Day: "Whenyoudothecommonthingsinlifeinan

uncommon way, you will command the attentionoftheworld."

--GeorgeWashingtonCarver(c)2013KingFeaturesSynd.,Inc.

Tidbits® of Dallas County Page 10 Tidbits® of CDADear Auntie M.,

If you're a veteran who is struggling to findwaystoimproveyourlife,perhapsbecauseyou're dealing with a service-related issue, I in-viteyoutotakealookatMaketheConnection,awebsiterunbytheDepartmentofVeteransAf-fairs.MaketheConnectionisaone-stopsitefora wide variety of concerns affecting veterans:homelessness, jobs and employment, family and friends, mental-health concerns, transitioning from the service, dealing with physical injury and more. Most impressive and useful is the Signs & Symptoms section. It's long, with dozens of symptoms, including flashbacks, feeling onedge, noise or light irritation, confusion, trouble sleeping and nightmares, and more. Each section is broken into three parts. Thefirstpartis,"WhatcanIdoaboutitrightaway?"Thestepsaren'tsilly,either;they'reones a counselor or medical adviser likely would talkaboutfirst,thingsyoucandoatthemomentto feel better and regain control. The second step is to make the connection with medical or men-tal-health advisers. The third step is links to im-mediate information. Youevencancustomizethesitetogiveinformation tailored more closely to who you are.Select frommale/female, the era inwhichyou served, the branch of service and whether you were exposed to combat. Ifyoudon'thaveacomputer,trytofindone to use, possibly at your local library, and checkinwithMaketheConnectionathttp://ma-ketheconnection.net.You'lllikelyfindsourcesofinformation and help. Don't miss the videos of veterans who talk about their own experiences. If you're with a veterans service organi-zation, especially if you're in an advising capac-ity,lookovertheMaketheConnectionsiteandbecome familiar with what it has to offer the vet-erans you help.

Freddy Groves regrets that he cannot personally answer reader questions, but will incorporate

them into his column whenever possible. Send emailtocolumnreply2@gmail.com.(c)2013KingFeaturesSynd.,Inc.

Make the Connectionby Freddy Groves

Iknowthatfadscomeandgo,butIreallycan’tunderstand the reason behind tattoos. When I see young people covered with tattoos I just want to shake them. What can they be think-ing?Don’ttheyknowthisispermanent?Whenthey’re90theywillstillhavethismarkontheirbody. Heaven only knows what that dragon will looklikethen.Orthatex-boyfriendsnameinaheart on their back - how will a future husband feelaboutthat?Iwanttounderstand.Canyouhelp?Appalled in AtholDearAppalled,If you are of a certain age tattoos carry a negative connotation, and unless youwere in theNavyand woke up with one after a drunken shore leave,itprobablywasn’tanoption.Ifwelookbackonhistoryalmostevery‘age’hada‘craze’.Like flappers and the 1920’s dance craze, theCharleston. Inthe60’swehadtheLoveGen-eration. Long hair, short skirts, bra-less, mari-juana smoking, hallucinogenic taking, free-love, peaceadvocating,indulgingyouth.Remember?Recentlyit’stheGothcrazeandthewholefasci-nationwithVampirism.Romance,painandhor-ror?NotacombinationIfindalluring.Recentstudiesreportpeoplegettattoosforsev-eralreasons:ToBelong.Thisisasymbolofaffiliation–gang,religion, membership.ATributeorMemoryofalovedone.ASpecialDate.APassion– a symbolorpicture that evokesapersonal meaning.Then there are the bad, terrible, do not have that seconddrinkreasonstogetatattoo:Aboyfriendsorgirlfriendsname.(Let’sseehowthis works out!)Adepictionofyour favoritevice. (May seemlike a statement but will eventually look stupid.) Artyoucurrentlylikeoratattoobecausesome-oneelseiswearingit.Aninterestingfact:oncefirst-timersgetusedtothepainandtheprocessof getting a tattoo, it is not long before they get a second. I hate needles and have passed out with afingerprick,sonowayamIevergoingtogetatattoo.And,ImustconfessthatIhaverecentlythought a cute little heart on my ankle might be fun.Yikes!Thisiswhathappenswhenacrazebecomes universally accepted. In my teens I met a woman who, as a teenager, survived a Naziconcentrationcamp.Shelivedwithmanyemotional, physical and spiritual scars from that experience, scars that were kept alive by the memories that the tattoo on her left wrist evoked every day of her life. I also know a woman who has a tattoo that reminds her every day of the love, courage and support she received from her grandfather. Her grandfather was her only positive influence in her childhood andhelpedherovercomemanyadversities.Christiantattooparlors (no nudes, dark idols, or non-reverentdepictions) are springing up and the tattoo artists andtheirclientsarefindingaministry throughtheir art. Huh! Never would have thought ofthat.‘ToInkorNottoInk’allcomesdowntopersonal choice and honoring the right for peo-ple to have a choice even if it is not my choice. Everychoicehasaconsequence;itisnotmyjobtojudge.Appalled,youandImayneverunder-stand the diversity and the choices of our fellow human beings. I say all we can do is live in love, reverenceandgratitude;toliveourlivesthebestwe can in every moment. Thank you for such a stimulating conversation and wanting to under-stand. Let me know your thoughts. AuntieM.

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