Issue 14, Volume 1 by Mark

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4th Quarter 2008 Week 40 Sep 28 Oct 4 Page 1

TIDBITS IS BURNING HOT THIS WEEK:

READY FIRE!

ISSUE 2008.40

by Ryan Toepfer

Ready Fire!

TIDBITS IS BURNING HOT THIS WEEK:

pages 1-4

James Knox Polk pages 5-6

Healthy Eating Made Easy pages 7-8

To help promote Fire Prevention Week, Tidbits READY … FIRE! looks at this amazing we call fire by Ryandiscovery Toepfer from a promote variety ofFire angles. Of course, inTo help Prevention Week,we ll Tidbits looks thissafety amazing we call “fire” clude at a few tips discovery here and there. Enjoy! from a variety of angles. Of course, we’ll include Is safety it possible to light a fire Enjoy! by rubbing two a few tips here and there. sticks together? it requires a certain • Is it possible to Yes, light but a fire by rubbing two sticks Yes, butof it elbow requiresgrease. a certain type oftogether? wood and a lot The type of wood and a lot of elbow grease. The official Boy Scout manual counts 13 differofficial Boy Scout manual counts 13 different ent steps for creating friction, includsteps for creating fire fire via via friction, including forming a “bow” out of aout twigofand a shoelace ing forming a bow a twig and a and making a wooden “drill.” Quite frankly, shoelace and making a wooden drill. Quite Tom Hanks made it look much easier in the frankly,picture Tom Hanks made it look much easimotion Cast Away. er in one the motion picture Away. • No can say forCast sure when man “discovered” fire, but most researchers agree No one can say for sure when man discovthat it was probably a case of something (most ered afire, most getting researchers agree that it likely treebut branch) hit by lightning and evidence was catching probably afire. caseArchaeological of something (most likesuggests that Homo erectus, the first upright ly a tree branch) getting hit by lightning and humans, learned how to use fire for heat, light catching fire.twoArchaeological evidence sugand cooking million years ago. that high Homoschool erectus, the first • Ifgests you took chemistry, you upright likely humans, alearned to useRobert fire for heat, operated Bunsenhow burner. Bunsen popularized the use the device to heat light and cooking twoofmillion years ago. test tubes in 1852. By using gas, he kept his laboratory If you tookfree highof school fumes chemistry, and soot. you likely the page more! operated a Bunsen turn burner. RobertforBunsen popularized the use of the device to heat test WANT TO RUN YOUR OWN BUSINESS? tubes in 1852. By using gas, he kept his laPublish a Paper in Your Area If You Can Provide: Sales Experience · A Computer · boratory free of fumes and soot. Desktop Publishing Software · A Reasonable Financial Investment We provide the opportunity for success! turn the page for more! Call 1.800.523.3096

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READY … FIRE! (continued): • Smokey Bear first appeared on a fire prevention poster back in 1944, and the character immediately caught on. In fact, Smokey’s campaign proved a bit too successful. The number of forest fires reduced so dramatically that some forests became choked with vegetation. Officials in certain areas conducted carefully-controlled “prescribed burns” to return natural balance to the ecosystem. • A 2001 survey revealed that an amazing 95% of Americans could complete Smokey Bear’s slogan, “Only you can prevent…” In case you don’t know, the answer is “forest fires” – although Smokey recently changed it to the more-encompassing term “wild fires.” • Charles Nelson Reilly was perhaps best known to the American public as the pipesmoking panelist with oversized eyeglasses on TV’s Match Game. He grew up in Hartford, Connecticut, and when the Ringling Brothers Circus held a matinee show on July 6, 1944, Charles and a friend attended. Unfortunately, a fire broke out in the Big Top, which became engulfed in flames in only minutes. Eleven-year-old Charles and his pal escaped unharmed, but scores of others weren’t so lucky. As an adult, Reilly worked on Broadway as an actor and director, but he never just “watched” a show from the seats. The tragic circus fire gave him a life-long phobia of sitting in an audience situation. • By definition, a high-rise building is one more than 75 feet tall. A standard fire hose can spray water 100 feet straight up. Water can push smoke back into a building, however, which adds to the danger for people trapped on the upper floors. In such a case, the blaze must often be battled from the inside out. Firefighters around the building will spray the hoses at ground level to establish a safe area for rescuers to enter the structure.

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First Aid for Pets Q: I sometimes worry about what I would do if my dog or two cats were badly injured -- hit by a car or bitten by a wild animal from the woods out back. We live several miles from the nearest veterinary clinic. Other than stopping bleeding, I don’t know much else about how I would help them. Do you have any suggestions on where I can find out about given emergency care? -- Frank L., via e-mail A: The American Red Cross, while better known for supplying information on people first aid, offers two pet books -- “Dog First Aid” and “Cat First Aid,” available online at www.redcross.org. The books give basic information on treating injured or ill pets immediately, and tell you how to stock a “pet first-aid kit” that should be kept within easy reach. The organization also offers a pet first-aid course at some of its chapters nationwide. Check the above Web site or contact the nearest Red Cross chapter for available classes. The book and course can be invaluable for recognizing signs of illness or injury in your pets, and providing immediate care -- including CPR -- until you reach a veterinary clinic. While waiting for your first-aid books to arrive, it’s a good idea to write the veterinary clinic’s phone number in an easy-to-remember place (or put on speed dial) and to find out the clinic’s hours and the veterinarian’s schedule. Ask the clinic how it handles after-hours emergencies -- you may need to drive quickly to an alternative vet clinic. Knowing what to do in an emergency can provide tremendous peace of mind. Send your tips, questions and comments to Paws Corner, c/o King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475, or e-mail them to pawscorner@hotmail.com. (c) 2008 King Features Synd., Inc.

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READY … FIRE! (continued): • To escape the heat of Rome in July 64 A.D., Nero vacationed in the resort town of Antium. On the 19th, a fire broke out in Rome’s Circus Maximus. Aided by strong winds, the blaze raged out of control. When Nero received word of the situation, he didn’t “fiddle” about, but rushed back to the city to aid in rescue efforts. The blaze was finally extinguished after six days. Nero opened his palace to house many of the homeless, and used his personal funds to feed and shelter others. • Most of the devastation of the Great San Francisco Earthquake of 1906 was caused not by the tremor, but by a fire that raged for four days afterward. The quake destroyed most of the underground water pipes, so firefighters had limited resources. The city’s many tightlypacked, wooden-frame structures went up like tinder. Broken gas lines throughout the area added fuel to the inferno. Earthquake insurance didn’t exist at the time, but fire insurance did. Hundreds of buildings that initially escaped disaster were deliberately torched to the ground by owners hoping to “cash in” on the disaster. • Firefighters who arrive first on the scene of a blaze are charged with stabilizing any injured persons. They must be removed from immediate danger and, if necessary, treated by medical personnel. If any victims appear to be beyond medical aid, firefighters are advised to minimize fire suppression in that area as much as possible so that evidence can be collected afterward. The position and condition of the victim can speak volumes to the investigation team as to the origin of the fire. • The Pointer Sisters’ rendition of the song “Fire” hit #2 on the U.S. pop chart back in 1978. The song was composed by Bruce Springsteen, who’d originally written it in hopes of having Elvis Presley record it. • George Blaisdell invented the Zippo lighter in his Bradford, Pennsylvania garage in 1932. Blaisdell had observed a fellow country club member use an Austrian-made lighter for his cigarette. The lighter worked well in one respect – the chimney allowed the flame to appear even in high wind. On the other hand, the lighter was large and cumbersome and required two hands to use. Blaisdell used parts of the Austrian technology and came up with a design that hinged the cover of the lighter to the body, and which could be operated with one hand. • One very simple fire safety tip that folks don’t usually think about is their cooking attire. Don’t wear long sleeves or loose, baggy clothing when preparing food on a stove, particularly if you have multiple burners working at once. It’s all too easy to lose yourself while focusing on boiling pots and frying pans, and before you know it, you lean across the stove. It’s too late before you realize that your sleeve is draped across a burner, or that the hem of your shirt is slowly catching fire. • If you remember TV’s Emergency!, you may recall a character named Mike Stoker. In fact, he was an actual Los Angeles firefighter (and yes, his real name was Mike Stoker). One of many legal obstacles the series’ producers faced was that a hook & ladder truck could only be operated by a real firefighter. Prior to joining the LAFD, Stoker had earned some modeling experience, so he was the natural choice to sit behind the wheel of Engine 51. • If you discover a fire inside your home, evacuate everyone immediately. Don’t assume that there’s time to gather belongings; just get the humans and pets out of the house. Once your loved ones are safely outside, then call 911 or quickly enlist an available neighbor to call for help.

CHUNKY VEGETABLE SOUP This soup would be very satisfying on a cool fall day.

In a medium saucepan, combine beef broth, carrots, onion, green pepper, zucchini and celery. Bring mixture to a boil. Stir in tomato, tomato juice and seasoned salt. Lower heat, cover and simmer for 30 to 45 minutes or until vegetables are tender, stirring occasionally. Makes 4 (1 cup) servings.

1 (14-ounce) can Swanson Lower Sodium Fat Free Beef Broth 1 cup chopped carrots 1/2 cup chopped onion • Each serving equals: 56 calories, 0g fat, 1/4 cup chopped green bell pepper 3g protein, 11g carbs, 272mg sodium, 36mg 1 cup chopped zucchini calcium, 2g fiber; Diabetic Exchanges: 2 1/2 cup sliced celery vegetables; Carb Choices: 1. 1 cup peeled and chopped fresh tomato Visit Healthy Exchanges at www.healthyexchanges.com, 1 cup low sodium tomato juice or call toll-free at 1-800-766-8961 for more information about the only national food newsletter for diabetics, heart/ 1 teaspoon seasoned sal cholesterol concerns and healthy weight loss. (c) 2008 King Features Synd., Inc.

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From Start to Fitness By Andrea Renee Wyatt, M.S.S., C.S.C.S.

Personal Training With a Friend

Q: My best friend recently started working with a personal trainer and has asked me to work out in a group with her and another friend. The personal training group would meet twice a week. I am a little worried that I am not as fit as the other two members of the group. Could everyone get an effective workout in a group setting even if we’re on different fitness levels?

A: Group personal training is one of the biggest trends in the fitness industry today. The idea of receiving the expertise of a personal training but in a group setting has made this one of the most popular types of training at many fitness facilities. The benefits of group training are appealing to many who want to use a personal trainer and also enjoy the camaraderie of workout partners. Most group personal-training sessions begin with the assessment of individual participants to establish their personal fitness goals and to discuss your health and fitness history. Group personal training and group exercise classes differ in the approach to the group’s purpose and the individual programming. Your personal trainer will be able to pace everyone in the group to work at their own fitness level by modifying exercises as necessary. There are several benefits to group personal training, including a reduced cost by working out with

another participant, the support and encouragement you can receive and give with other participants, accountability from your workout buddies, a professional trainer monitoring your workouts and assessing your goals, and a fun but productive workout environment. Your personal trainer will be able to identify each individual’s needs and then program workouts for their benefit. Discuss your concerns with the trainer, and he or she will design a workout that will safely challenge each person without going beyond their fitness level. Remember the goal is for each participant to succeed. Although group training has its advantages, it is not for everyone. A true novice to exercise may not feel comfortable in a group and may opt for true one-on-one personal training. Also, your personal trainer should only place participants together who can work well with one another and create a positive environment for everyone involved. Remember that while group personal training can be a great way to become fit, it is important to find the type of training that will work best for you and help you reach your fitness goals. Always consult a physician before beginning an exercise program. If you have a fitness or training question, write to Andrea in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475.

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AARP Offers Wealth of Health Information The AARP has expanded its Web site to include a wealth of health information that we need, and it’s done a very good job. Here’s a short walkthrough of what you’ll find. • Look Up a Drug -- What a fantastic resource this is, with information on side effects and drug interactions on hundreds of drugs, all listed alphabetically. • The Symptom Checker -- Get a heads-up about symptoms you might be experiencing. Click on the long list of symptoms or type in your own. • Doctor and Hospital Finder -- Find medical help, research doctors and hospitals, and even pull up a map with directions. I tested this with my ZIP code and was delighted to find that the information on doctors includes the medical school the doctor attended, patient survey results and even how long since the doctor got out of medical school. • Probably the most valuable part of the health site is the AARP’s Medicare section.

If you’ve struggled with understanding the Medicare Web site, try Medicare Interactive at AARP. For me, sometimes having something explained in a different way makes it easier to understand. This is one of the best Medicare explanation and information sites I’ve found. It includes: Choosing the Right Medicare Plan -- While it won’t pick the plan for you, the information will help you to ask better questions and scrutinize each of the plans you review. Compare Medicare Plans -- Learn the differences between the original Medicare plan, and the two Advantage plans, Medicare HMO/PPO and Medicare Private Fee for Service. Medicare Interactive -- Has an online “counselor” to take you step by step to the information you need. If you’re searching online for medical information, the AARP site needs to be one of your first stops.

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 columnreply@gmail.com.

• Those who study such things new kind of textured plastic claim that a single teaspoon wallpaper. of ordinary soil contains more living creatures than all the • A bird known as the Arctic tern humans on the planet. makes the world’s longest migration, flying 21,750 miles • Eleven years after Abraham and traveling nearly from pole Lincoln, the 16th president to pole. of the United States, was assassinated, thieves • If you’re like most Americans, attempted to steal the corpse you’ve probably played with and hold it for ransom. a NERF ball at some point in your life. You might not realize, • It was Robert Wright, journalist, though, that NERF stands for scholar and author of bestNon-Expanding Recreational selling books about science, Foam. who made the following sage observation: “Like a lawyer, • It’s been reported that in the the human brain wants victory, movie “The Silence of the not truth; and, like a lawyer, it Lambs,” Hannibal Lechter, is sometimes more admirable the character played by Sir for skill than virtue.” Anthony Hopkins, never blinks. • In Sarasota, Fla., it is illegal to • The monkfish, a species of sing in a public place while anglerfish found primarily in the wearing a swimsuit. northwestern Atlantic Ocean, has an enormous head. Really, • Bubble wrap was invented in really enormous. The monkfish’s 1957 by Alfred Fielding and head is so large, in fact, that it Marc Chavannes, engineers makes up three-quarters of its who were trying to invent a body. (c) 2008 King Features Synd., Inc.

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1. Who was the last majorleague rookie before Tampa Bay’s Delmon Young in 2007 to play in all his team’s games? 2. Who was the first member of the Athletics to win 20plus games in a year after the team moved to Oakland before the 1968 season? 3. Name the first NFL team to have five consecutive seasons of at least 12 wins. 4. When the University of Georgia’s men’s basketball team reached its first Final Four in 1983, to whom didTO the RUN Bulldogs lose?OWN BUSINESS? WANT YOUR 5. For how many consecutive NHL Publish a Paperseasons in Yourdid Area CanHull Provide: Experience · A Computer · greatIf You Brett tallySales 70-plus goals? Desktop Publishing Software · A Reasonable Financial Investment 6. LSU won the women’s NCAA outdoor track and We provide the opportunity for success! field title in 2008, the 25th time the program had Call 1.800.523.3096 won either an indoor or outdoor track title. When www.tidbitsweekly.com was the last time the Tigers won it all? 7. Who was the last European golfer before Padraig Harrington in 2008 to win the PGA Championship? (c) 2008 King Features Synd., Inc. Information in the Tidbits® Paper is gathered from sources considered to be reliable but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

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ALL THE PRESIDENTS’ TIDBITS

JAMES KNOX POLK

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As our 11th president, James Knox Polk made the U.S. a “continental” nation. It was during his term that the country annexed land all along the Pacific coast, from the Oregon Territory southward to the New Mexico Territory. He also brought Texas into the fold as our 28th state. • James Knox Polk was born at the family farm in Pineville, North Carolina, on November 2, 1795. He was the first of 10 children. Samuel Polk, his father, made a living literally “dealing in dirt” – he employed his his skill as a surveyor to buy and sell plots of land for various purposes. When James was only 10, the family moved west to Tennessee. There, Samuel used slave labor to plant and tend crops on land that he owned, and the Polks became wealthy. • Unfortunately, James wasn’t cut out for frontier life. He was small and weak for his age, and suffered from painful gallstones. But it was difficult to find educational opportunities in the wilds of Tennessee. He received his first formal education at the age of 18, but quickly caught up. He entered the University of North Carolina three years later, and graduated with honors in 1818. James worked so hard at school, in fact, that it took him time to mentally and physically recuperate before returning home to Tennessee. This level of dedication, and the resultant stress, would later take his life. • Polk took the typical route to the White House, following the four steps then considered necessary for the office. One, he studied law, becoming an attorney in 1820. Two, he entered the military, serving as a cavalry captain. Three, he ran for office, becoming a state representative in 1823. And four, he married into a prominent family, taking the vows with Sarah Childress in 1824. • The following year, in 1825, Polk was elected to the U.S. House. He became a staunch supporter of Andrew Jackson, and used his influence to help Jackson win the presidency in 1828. James served four years as Speaker of the House before leaving office to enter the Tennessee gubernatorial race. He narrowly won the job.

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Start Planning Now for Stress-Free Holidays For too many, the holidays are a stressful time that results in one thing: an overload of spending debt that has to be paid after the new year. Debt-free holidays are possible, however, if you approach your spending with steely resolve -- and if you start early. Here are some steps to take: • Decide on your budget now -- what you can realistically afford to spend -- and don’t increase that amount, even if you discover later that you’ve left someone off the recipient list. • Make your gift list, putting a spending limit on each item, and vow to stick to it. • If you’ve had a Christmas club savings account that you’ve added to all year, you’re ahead of the game. Plan on cash-only spending, and leave the credit cards at home when you shop. • If you’ve never had the nerve to suggest it, this is the year to try to come to an agreement with relatives that there will be no gift swapping among the adults. Chances are they’ll be relieved that you’ve brought it up. Opt for a family potluck get-together over the holidays instead of exchanging gifts. • Buy a few items out of every paycheck and check them off your list. • Start scouring the dollar stores, consignment

shops, the sales racks at outlet stores and Salvation Army or Goodwill for bargains. Good bets for inexpensive gifts include picture frames to hold digital photos you print out, tins to hold home-baked cookies and treats, and DVDs and games. • Do your homework. Use the Internet to track sales, and comparison shop for kids’ toys and electronics. • Consider whether some of your gift recipients, especially older relatives, would rather have a gift of your time than another trinket. • If you plan to make gifts, get started so you’re not tempted to rush out and buy later. If you plan to make homemade goodies, decide on your recipes now. Expect to be tempted as the stores pull out all the stops to get you to buy. The closer you get to the holidays, the more likely you are to succumb to stress and overspend. Set your priorities, limit your spending, start now and plan for a debt-free holiday. 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 columnreply@gmail.com.

JAMES KNOX POLK (continued): •

•

Polk supported Martin Van Buren for the 1840 presidential election, but the former president lost the race. Then Polk was defeated in his reelection bid for governor of Tennessee. He tried to regain momentum by running again in 1843, but failed once more. When a new presidential race ensued the following year, Democrats assumed that Polk would be a frontrunner for the VP nomination in support of Van Buren. At the Democratic Convention in Baltimore, votes swayed back and forth between several strong candidates, including Lewis Cass, VP-to-be Richard Johnson, and future president James Buchanan. Polk emerged as a compromise on a later ballot, and he soon found himself in a fight for the presidency. Whig opponent Henry Clay had twice been defeated in presidential elections, but tried again against the much younger Polk. With a narrow majority in both the public and electoral vote, James Knox Polk took office. While in the White House, James’ wife Sarah served as his personal secretary. The couple worked long hours, and they were truly no-nonsense. They didn’t drink or smoke, and did not have any children. As his term in office wrapped up, Polk made it clear that he was uninterested in reelection. He left Washington exhausted, just like when he graduated college. But this time, the stress took the ultimate toll. James passed away only three months after leaving office.

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Famous Birthdays THIS WEEK

Danny Bonaduce – 08-13-59 Steve Martin – 08-14-45 Ben Affleck – 08-15-72 Madonna – 08-16-58 Sean Penn – 08-17-60 Rosalynn Carter – 08-18-27 Tipper Gore – 08-19-48