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TREES
by Janet Spencer
Come along with Tidbits as we admire the intelligence of trees! A DISCOVERY • In 1630 a physician named Jean Baptista van Helmont went against the word of Aristotle, who insisted that trees grow by consuming soil. To prove this theory wrong, he planted a 5-lb. willow sapling in a pot containing exactly 200 lbs. of dirt. For the next five years, he added nothing but water. Then he weighed the tree and the soil again. The willow weighed 169 lbs. The dirt weighed only two ounces less than it had originally. He concluded that trees do not consume dirt, and he was correct. However, he wrongly guessed that trees receive all their nourishment from water. It was years before scientists discovered photosynthesis, the process whereby plants turn sunlight into energy. ANOTHER DISCOVERY • Foresters working to thin overcrowded beech forests in Germany noticed that the more they thinned the forest, the worse the remaining trees fared. This was the opposite of what they expected to find. Wouldn’t each tree benefit from the extra sunlight, the additional space, and more room for roots? Researchers set out to discover why beech forests thrive when the trees are crowded together, but falter when they are spread apart. (turn the page for more!)
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Vol 2 Issue 19
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Tidbits of The Pass Area
Vol. 2 Issue 19
A DISCOVERY (continued) • What they found surprised them: trees share. Twined together, the roots pass nutrients from one tree to another using a network of fungus that interconnect all the neighborhood trees by tapping into the hair-like fibers of the smallest roots. When one tree is short of water, a nearby tree with extra water to spare will pass some over through the fungus highway. When that tree is short of nutrients, it receives a helpful supply in return from the trees surrounding it. Meanwhile, the fungus keeps part of the nutrients for itself, and constantly expands to connect as many tree roots as possible. A single ounce of forest soil may contain two miles of fungus strands. • One researcher injected a radioactive dye into a birch tree and then tracked it as it moved into the network of fungus in the soil and then into a nearby Douglas fir. • One type of fungus is able to release a toxin which kills tiny insects in the vicinity. When these insects decay, they give off nitrogen which the fungus absorbs and shares. TREE DEFENSE SYSTEMS • When giraffes start feeding on the leaves of umbrella thorn acacia trees, the acacia trees start pumping toxic substances into their leaves making them taste bad. The giraffes move off to other trees, but they always move to trees that are either upwind or quite a distance away. This is because the acacia trees also release ethylene gas that warns neighboring trees that the giraffes are in the neighborhood, and those neighboring trees pump their leaves full of the toxins before a giraffe arrives to even take a single nibble. • Some trees can identify the specific type of insect feeding on their leaves through compounds in the bug’s saliva. The trees (continued next page)
All-American BBQ Chicken
Try our sweet and spicy sauce on pork spareribs too.
2 tablespoons olive oil 1 large onion, chopped 2 cans (15 ounces each) tomato sauce 1 cup red wine vinegar 1/2 cup light molasses 1/4 cup Worcestershire 1/3 cup packed brown sugar 3/4 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne) 2 (3 1/2 pounds each) chickens, each cut into quarters, skin removed if you like 1. In 10-inch skillet, heat olive oil over medium heat. Add onion and cook until tender, about 10 minutes. Stir in tomato sauce, vinegar, molasses, Worcestershire, brown sugar and ground red pepper; heat to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to medium-low and cook, uncovered, 45 minutes or until sauce thickens slightly. If not using sauce right away, cover and refrigerate to use within 2 weeks. 2. Reserve 1 1/2 cups sauce to serve with grilled chicken. Place chicken quarters on grill over medium heat; cook 20 to 25 minutes, turning chicken once. Generously brush chicken with some of the remaining barbecue sauce; cook 20 minutes longer, turning pieces often and brushing with sauce frequently until juices run clear when chicken is pierced with tip of knife. Serve with reserved sauce. Serves 8. • Each serving with skin: About 500 calories, 23g total fat (6g saturated, 42g protein, 34g carbohydrate, 158mg cholesterol, 755mg sodium. For thousands of triple-tested recipes, visit our Web site at www.goodhousekeeping.com/recipes/. (c) 2019 Hearst Communications, Inc. All rights reserved
Week of June 2, 2019
TREE DEFENSE SYSTEMS (continued) then release pheromones that attract beneficial predators, which arrive and feast upon the marauding invaders. • In tropical countries, leaf-cutting ants can strip a tree of its leaves in a single night. They take the leaves back to the nest where they chew them into pulp and use them as compost to grow fungus, which they eat. To protect itself from being defoliated, the acacia tree secretes droplets of sweet sap near the base of its leaves. A different type of ant loves to eat the sap, and they set up colonies in the large, hollow thorns of the tree. Any time the leaf-cutting ants come around, they are driven away by the sap-eating ants. • Some trees have leaves that fold up and droop whenever they are touched. Researchers theorize that when an animal takes a bite of the leaves, the tree reacts this way in order to look less appetizing. The leaves become nearly invisible to the eye when they are tightly folded up. • Mimosa trees have brackets of leaves that snap closed whenever they are disturbed. One researcher designed an experiment where drops of water fell on the leaves at regular intervals. The leaves closed immediately at first. But after a while, the leaves stopped reacting to the drops and remained open, having apparently “learned” that the water drops represented no harm. Even more surprising was that the mimosa “remembered” this and repeated the behavior weeks later, even though no drops had fallen on the leaves in the meantime. • The blossoms of the bird cherry tree contain both male and female parts inside each bloom. The flowers are pollinated by bees. When bees are traveling from flower to flower in the crown of a single tree, they tend to spread the pollen of that same tree to its own stigma. Yet when the pollen travels down the tube of the stigma, the tree tests the DNA of the pollen grain, and if it’s a genetic match, the stigma is blocked off and the ovary does not get pollinated, thus preventing inbreeding. (continued next page)
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Don't Always Blame the Guys at the Top
At a Department of Veterans Affairs medical facility, a psychologist by the name of "Z" managed to find a way to increase income by overstating productivity by 43 percent. This was done via double coding. Say the appointment with a patient should be classified as 123. The psychologist would code it as 123 and additionally as 456 ... meaning Z would appear to have done more work. Z averaged 15 hours of actual work in a 40-hour workweek yet managed to accrue payments for 243 hours of overtime. Appointments were done on Z's personal planner, not the computer where they could be noticed. They were entered in the computer only after the appointments. Z was caught and claimed that the double coding was per the instruction received in initial VA training, yet Z didn't attend seven of the eight training sessions on coding. Further, it was in none of the training materials and the other psychologists were not given that instruction. The punishment? Make Z go to coding class. No administrative steps were taken, no firing, no apparent reimbursement of the overpayments. The chief of psychology was dragged into it for failing to supervise the coding and the hours Z actually worked. The chief of health information management was pulled into the mess for failing to oversee coding reviews, which would have caught the errors, claiming she didn't know of the requirement. It gets better. The chief of medical administration and the assistant chief didn't know those review duties existed. It gets even better. The medical center's director wasn't aware that coding reviews weren't being done. How many layers is that? The medical center director is effectively supposed to do the job of all those underlings? (c) 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.
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To Your Good Health By Keith Roach, M.D.
Flesh-Eating Bacteria Is a Rare Condition DEAR DR. ROACH: What do you know about flesh-eating bacteria? After going to a hospital to get a mole checked, I developed an itchy rash that won't go away. I am worried. -- H.W. ANSWER: Let me reassure you that this isn't flesh-eating bacteria. Itchy rash around a mole can be due to eczema, or it might be a fungal infection or one of several other benign skin conditions. A dermatologist can help figure out which. But, since you asked ... The term "flesh-eating bacteria" is misleading since it's a disease, not a particular bacteria species. The term refers to a condition called "necrotizing fasciitis" ("necrotizing" means that the infection kills cells, and "fasciitis" references the connective tissue in the body that the infection proceeds along). However terrifying, it is fortunately a rare condition. There are only about 1-3 cases per 100,000 people. It may occur in people who are otherwise healthy and who happen to get an injury that penetrates the skin. But it is more common in people who have a diminished immune system due to chronic illness (diabetes, kidney or liver disease, cancer, heavy alcohol use). In most cases, in people with chronic disease, it is a combination of bacteria that cause the infection. In previously healthy people, the bacteria most associated are group A streptococcus. This bacteria strain has enzymes that damage the body and has the ability to evade the immune system. It can grow very rapidly, and early treatment is paramount to stopping the infection
Tidbits of The Pass Area
before permanent damage is done. In some cases, amputation is necessary; in others, no treatment is effective. The disease has a high mortality rate. The particular bacteria in a person with this diagnosis are very dangerous, and there are cases of person-toperson transmission of the bacteria, leading to additional cases, so caregivers and family need personal protective equipment. Effective treatment starts with recognition of the diagnosis. That can be hard; initial signs, such as redness, swelling and fever, can be nonspecific. Skin lesions, like blisters or bruising, can be misleading. However, a very high fever and more pain than expected are big clues to the diagnosis. Treatment is primarily surgical. Antibiotics alone are ineffective. DEAR DR. ROACH: A recent column on sinusitis argued against routine antibiotics. Your advice, while sound, does not apply to all of us. I am an MDS patient with compromised immunity. When I get sick, it takes three times as long to recover. I feel the rules may apply to "normal" people, but not all of us. What would you recommend for someone like me? -- B.F. ANSWER: My answers certainly do not apply to all situations, and immunocompromised individuals are an excellent example. In the case of sinus infections, it depends on the person's exact type of immune problem. Immunocompromised individuals certainly are more likely to be prescribed antibiotics, and are more likely to be subject to diagnostic testing when things don't go as expected. Some kinds of immune system disease predispose people to unusual infections, which require specific treatments. Taking care of anyone requires judgment and experience, and physicians who have known their patients a long time are in a better position to judge who needs antibiotic treatment for sinus infection and who does well with supportive treatment. In the case of someone with immune system disease, that is even more important. Dr. Roach regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but will incorporate them in the column whenever possible. Readers may email questions to ToYourGoodHealth@med. cornell.edu. (c) 2019 North America Synd., Inc. All Rights Reserved
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Video Chat Is Best for Mental Health For any number of reasons, many seniors are socially isolated. Whether it's an illness that keeps us at home, living in a rural area or having no one living with us, some of us just don't have as much social interaction as we need. Feeling alone can, unfortunately, lead to depression and increase the risk of dementia. Oregon Health & Science University conducted a study to determine which of four methods of online communication worked best to protect against loneliness and depression: social messaging, email, video chat or instant messaging. Researchers used information from 1,400 participants over age 60 and followed up with them two years later. Email, social media, instant messaging and not using online
Vol. 2 Issue 19
TREES (continued) TREE FACTS • When researchers placed sensitive microphones against the ground in a forest, they recorded sounds coming from the roots that registered at 220 hertz. This in itself was not all that unusual, but they subsequently found that when they played the recorded noises back, all of the root tips from surrounding trees slowly turned in the direction of the sound. • It benefits the entire forest to keep as many trees alive as possible, for if trees die and fall, that leaves gaps that affect the microclimate negatively. The hot sun and drying winds disrupt the humidity level and raise the temperature, drying out the forest floor, and leaving the remaining trees far more vulnerable to drought and insects. A COMMUNITY • In one experiment, a researcher sprayed an insecticide on one of the largest and oldest trees in a forest and collected the insects that fell dead into collection nets. There were 257 different species of insects living among the boughs of the tree. A similar study in New England showed that 167 different kinds of insects and small animals were living in a single rotting log on the forest floor. • Researchers in New York state removed forest soil to a depth of one inch and studied it. They found an average of 1,356 living things present in each square foot of dirt (microscopic creatures not included). Some 95% of insects live in the soil at one point or another during their life stages. BENEFITS • Researchers found when studying a group of women that when they took a walk through a forest, their blood pressure dropped, their lung capacity expanded, and the elasticity of their arteries improved. When taking a walk of identical length through town, none of these benefits were noted.
communication all had the same result: They didn't do anything to fight depression. The clear winner was Skype, an online program that puts people together face to face with video chat. Being face to face with people we know is much better than just reading a page of comments on social media or receiving a photo in an email. Using Skype on your computer is easy. Search online for how to use Skype and follow the instructions. (For a treasure trove of how-to videos, go to YouTube.com and look at the offerings from Techboomers.) Look around at Skype.com. You'll get a Skype number, which gives you a free trial month of calls. Later, if you call someone who is also on Skype, the call is free. Otherwise you pay a small fee for calls to their cellphone. You'll also need a webcam and a headset or microphone. Be ready to create a Skype user name and password. Remember to choose Private so you won't show up online to everyone, including scammers. When in doubt, ask the senior center to hold a class on using Skype. (c) 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.
Week of June 2, 2019
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1 Since 1970, five college baseball teams have won back-to-back College World 1. Series. Name three of them. • On June 13, 323 B.C., Alexander the Great, the young Macedonian military genius who forged an empire stretching from the eastern Mediterranean to India, dies in Babylon, in present-day Iraq, at the age of 33. Alexander had received a classical education from famed philosopher Aristotle. • On June 15, 1215, following a revolt by the English nobility against his rule, King John puts his royal seal on the Magna Carta, or "Great Charter." It guaranteed the king would respect feudal rights and privileges, uphold the freedom of the church and maintain the nation's laws. • On June 10, 1752, Benjamin Franklin flies a kite during a thunderstorm and collects a charge in a Leyden jar when the kite is struck by lightning, demonstrating the electrical nature of lightning.
2. True or false: Although Hall of Fame pitcher Jim Palmer gave up 303 home runs during his 19-year major league career, he never surrendered a grand slam. 3. Who is the only Florida State football player to be the No. 1 overall pick in the NFL Draft? 4. Name the player who holds the NBA record for most playoff games played?
5 Who was the last NHL player before Calgary's Johnny Gaudreau in 2019 to have a six-point game? 5. 6 Who holds the record for most career medals in Olympic speedskating? 6. 7 In 2019, golfer Dustin Johnson became the fifth player in the past 50 years to reach 20 career PGA wins 7. before the age of 35. Name two of the other four to do it. 1. Southern Cal, Stanford, LSU, Oregon State and South Carolina. 2. True. 3. Quarterback Jameis Winston, in 2015. 4. Derek Fisher, with 259 playoff games. 5. Dallas' Jamie Benn, in 2013. 6. Ireen Wust of the Netherlands, with 11 medals (2006-18). 7. Phil Mickelson, Johnny Miller, Tom Watson and Tiger Woods.
• On June 14, 1922, President Warren G. Harding, while dedicating a memorial site for the composer of "The Star Spangled Banner," Francis Scott Key, becomes the first president to have his voice transmitted by radio.
by Jo Ann Derson
• On June 11, 1963, President John F. Kennedy issues presidential proclamation 3542, forcing Alabama Gov. George Wallace to comply with federal court orders allowing two black students to register at the University of Alabama.
• "I found a great way to reuse old, stretched-out athletic socks. Gather some together and stuff them into one sock, then put it in your car. On mornings when your windows are fogged by dew, just pull one out and wipe your windows clear. The socks will absorb the moisture, just like they do sweat. Then either toss or wash to use again." -- J.C. in Florida
• On June 12, 1987, in his famous Cold War speech in West Berlin, President Ronald Reagan challenges Soviet leader Mikhail Gorbachev to "tear down this wall." The Berlin Wall was a symbol of the repressive Communist era in a divided Germany. Germany was officially reunited on Oct. 3, 1990. • On June 16, 1999, Kathleen Ann Soliah, a former member of the Symbionese Liberation Army, is arrested near her home in Minnesota after evading authorities for more than 20 years. The SLA, a small, radical American paramilitary group, made a name for itself in the 1970s with a series of murders, robberies and other violent acts.
• Corn on the grill is delicious. To prevent the ear from being dried out by charring, wrap each ear in aluminum foil. If you want to get fancy, try adding any of the following for variety: a slather of butter and sprinkled taco seasoning (or ranch seasoning); cojita cheese and cumin; a slathering of mayonnaise and sprinkled red pepper, chipotle seasoning and lime juice.
(c) 2019 Hearst Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved
• Nothing beats a crisp pickle crunch at a barbecue. Dill pickles are predominantly vinegary and salty, while bread and butter pickles are sweet. Dill pickles clock in at five calories an ounce, but sweets will net up to 40! • “I love air-popped popcorn, but I couldn’t get my salt to stick! Adding butter seems counterproductive, so I used a couple blasts of non-stick cooking spray. No additional calories, and it was just enough to give the salt something to grab onto.” -- T. in Maine • “I use a lingerie bag (the zip-up kind for delicates in the clothes washer) to put small items in the top rack of the dishwasher. It works like a charm for baby bottle pieces, small toys, canning lids and other small parts that are tough enough for the heat but might fall through the rack.” -- R.W. in Louisiana
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• Keep paper lunch bags at the ready to ripen produce. This method can be used for peaches, pears, apples, avocados or tomatoes. -- Send your tips to Now Here's a Tip, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803
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Vol. 2 Issue 19
1. Is the book of Jeremiah in the Old or New Testament or neither? 2. In a vision that convinced Peter to share the gospel, in what were the creatures let down to earth? Great sheet, Cloud, Well, Wind 3. Who was instructed to eat bread while he lay for 390 days on his side? Moses, Ezekiel, Methuselah, Samson 4. From Matthew 5, what did Jesus tell His disciples they were the salt of? His glory, Mankind, The earth, Conversation 5. Who survived the bite of a viper as described in Acts 28? Paul, Matthew, John the Baptist, Stephen 6. From Genesis 35, who died in giving birth to Benjamin? Anna, Leah, Martha, Rachel 1) Old; 2) Great sheet; 3) Ezekiel; 4) The earth; 5) Paul; 6) Rachel
Visit Wilson Casey’s Trivia Fan Siteat www.patreon.com/triviaguy. Š 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.
Week of June 2, 2019
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Lab Ignores Owner When Water Beckons DEAR PAW'S CORNER: Near my house is a fenced park with a pond. When no one else is in the park, I'll let my black Lab, "Kerry," off of his leash to run free for a few minutes. However, he tends to run straight into the pond for a swim and won't come when I call him (he normally is very obedient). Then he's muddy and gross. What can I do to teach him to stay away from the water? -- Eric S., Kissimmee, Florida
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DEAR ERIC: Let me get this straight. You have a black Labrador Retriever, you're walking him next to a body of water, and you don't want him to jump into that water? That's a really tough order for Kerry to follow. Labs love water. They adore it. Natural bodies of water are their second home. (Baths are not so well-loved, unfortunately.) When you let him off his leash next to a pond, you've given him the biggest treat of his day. So it's really hard for him when you call him back, and he probably gets very willful. There's a disconnect happening that is confusing for him: Ultimate happiness by splashing in a pond makes his papa unhappy. He's not sure what to do. If you want a dog who's always obedient and also stays clean, then Kerry has to stay on a leash in this park. If you want a dog who's happy, give Kerry some water time. Maybe that water has to be somewhere else a little less muddy. Maybe you'll have to resign yourself to rinsing him off after time in the park. But find a middle ground where both of you are happy. Send your questions or pet care tips to ask@pawscorner.com.
(c) 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.
"You know, we really do enjoy the Tidbits. It isn't your regular newspaper that is full of crime. I love the jokes, & the puzzles. Again, Thank You!" - Bill
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Vol. 2 Issue 19