Tommy Contest Page 5
of the River Region
June 26, 2018 Published by PTK Corp.
The Neatest Little Paper Ever Read® To place an Ad, call: (334) 202-7285 TIDBITS® TRAVELS
UP IN THE AIR! by Kathy Wolfe Tidbits takes to the air to investigate a number of things that have been spotted by looking up! • The names of clouds are based on their shapes and height in the sky. The highest clouds are cirrus and cirrostratus, thin clouds made of ice crystals, and the small rounded puffy cirrocumulus. The lowest are stratus, cumulus, and stratocumulus. Stratus clouds might look like fog that doesn’t reach the ground, frequently accompanied by a light mist or drizzle. Cumulus clouds look like cotton balls. If the top of these clouds look like cauliflower heads, rain is probably on the way. • The stars of the Big Dipper outline the tail and hindquarters of the Ursa Major, or Big Bear, constellation. Four stars form the bowl of the dipper, while three make up the handle. The Little Dipper, or Ursa Minor, is also made up of seven stars with Polaris, or the North Star, as the last star on the handle. Polaris, the 40th brightest star in the night sky, is 2,200 times brighter than our sun. It doesn’t appear either large or bright to Earthlings because of its distance from us, more than 430 light years away. • A comet is made up of ice and dust. Its long luminous tail is produced by vaporization as it passes close to the Sun during its orbit. • The most you’ll be able to see Halley’s Comet in your lifetime is twice, since it returns to the vicinity of Earth about every 74 to 79 years. After seeing the comet in 1682, English astronomer Edmond Halley studied reports of a comet near Earth in 1531, 1607, and 1682, and reasoned that all three sightings were the same comet appearing periodically. Although some say it was first sighted by ancient Greeks as early as 466 BC, the first documented observation of the comet was in 239 BC, then noted again in 164 BC and 87 BC. Halley predicted the comet would return in 1758, which in fact if did; however, Halley died in 1742 at age 85, without seeing his expectation proven (Continued next page)
Vol 7 Issue 26 paul@riverregiontidbits.com
Page 2
Tidbits® of the River Region (Front page continued)
1. Is the book of Machpelah in the Old or New Testament or neither? 2. From 2 Samuel, who said, “How are the mighty fallen, and the weapons of war perished”? Saul, Simeon, David, Peter 3. Who said, “I have heard many such things; miserable comforters are ye all.” Samson, Goliath, The Devil, Job 4. From the Beatitudes, who shall be called the sons of God? Hungry, Peacemakers, Merciful, Lonely 5. What Jewish lady became queen of Persia? Abigail, Sarah, Esther, Ruth 6. Whose biblical name means “God is judge”? Titus, Festus, David, Daniel Comments? More Trivia? Visit www.TriviaGuy.com (c) 2018 King Features Synd., Inc.
By Chris Richcreek 1. Name the first major-league relief pitcher to win an MVP award. 2. Pitcher Jim Kaat was in the majors for seven presidential administrations. Name the first and last presidents in office when he pitched. 3. When was the last time before 2016 that Army beat Navy in football? 4. Who was the first European player to win the NBA Defensive Player of the Year award? 5. After the Mighty Ducks of Anaheim joined the NHL for the 1993-94 season, how long was it before the team made the NHL playoffs? 6. In 2018, Chip Ganassi Racing recorded its 200th overall victory. In which car series did Ganassi record a majority of its 200 victories? 7. When was the last time before 2017 that France won tennis’ Davis Cup? (c) 2018 King Features Syndicate, Inc.
correct. But because he had discovered the comet and its patterns, it was named after him. Halley’s Comet was last here in 1986, and calculations point to 2061 for its return. • Have you been mispronouncing Halley’s Comet? The correct pronunciation rhymes with “valley,” not with a long-A sound, as many say it. • It was an October day in 1947 when 24-year-old U.S. Air Force test pilot Chuck Yeager climbed into the cockpit of the rocket engine-powered Bell X-1 aircraft for a flight above the Mojave Desert. At an altitude of 45,000 feet (13,700 m), Yeager piloted the first manned airplane to exceed the speed of sound, reaching Mach 1.07 (700 mph; 1127 km/hr). Just two nights earlier, Yeager had fallen from a horse and broken two ribs, and worrying that it would disqualify him from the mission, quietly had a civilian doctor tape his ribs. However, on flight day, he was in such pain, he couldn’t shut the hatch. He confessed his injury to the flight engineer who sawed a piece of broom handle that allowed Yeager enough leverage to slam the door. • After years as a test pilot, Chuck Yeager went to Vietnam as a Fighter Wing commander, where he flew 127 combat missions, rising to the rank of Brigadier General. Fans of aviation can view Yeager’s original X-1 aircraft at the Smithsonian’s National Air and Space Museum. • The supersonic passenger jet, The Concorde, shuttled passengers at a speed up to twice the speed of sound for 27 years beginning in January of 1976. With a take-off speed of 250 mph (402 km/hr), the Concorde had a cruising speed of 1340 mph (2158 km/hr), flying at a height of 60,000 feet (18,288 m), over 11 miles high (17.7 km). Seating capacity for the turbojet was 92 to 128, but it wasn’t just people the airliner carried – it was also used to carry commodities such as diamonds and human organs destined for transplants. The plane’s unique drooping nose reduced drag, enabling the craft to reach top aerodynamic efficiency. It also gave the pilot a clear view during taxi, take-off, and landing. The aircraft was not for those of moderate income. Passengers paid dearly for the speed and luxury, more than 30 times the price of a regular ticket. In 1997, those flying from New York to London paid $7,995 for a roundtrip ticket. In July, 2000, a Concorde flight bound for New York from Paris crashed and burned on take-off from the Paris airport. The crash, which killed all 109 people aboard plus another four on the ground, was caused by a titanium shard on the runway, bursting one of the craft’s tires, which sent fragments into one of the Concorde’s engines, igniting a fuel tank. The plane was retired in October of 2003, after 50,000 flights and 2.5 million passengers. • Do you know the terms for the various parts of a hot air balloon? The bag, usually made of ripstop nylon, is called an envelope, with each of its individual sections known as gores. The basket beneath is known as a gondola, or in high-altitude balloons, a capsule. Mounted above the gondola is the burner, a heater fueled by propane that injects a flame into the envelope. The first manned balloon flight took place in Paris in 1783 in a balloon created by the French Montgolfier Brothers. Tethered experimental flights had been conducted in the previous weeks with animals and with the pilot who would later ascend untethered. The following year the French Army was using balloons for military observation. • Although Jules Verne wrote of flying Around the World in Eighty Days, the first nonstop balloon trip around the world took just 19 days, 21 hours, and 55 minutes. Bertrand Piccard and Brian Jones traveled 25,361 miles (40,814 km) in March, 1999, reaching altitudes of up to 38,507 feet (11,737 m) and achieving speeds up to 123 knots. In 2002, American businessman Steve Fossett became the first person to fly that balloon journey solo, in his sixth attempt to attain the feat. He did so in a 10-story-high balloon in 13 days, 8 hours, and 33 minutes. • The official name for a drone is UAV (unmanned aerial vehicle). It’s simply an aircraft without a human pilot aboard. It’s operated by a human ground-based controller or by an onboard computer. Their original use was primarily military, but that has now expanded to scientific purposes, and recreational, agricultural, surveillance, racing, and policing applications.
“Be known before you’re needed” Advertise with Tidbits (334) 202-7285
by Samantha Weaver * It was French author, philosopher and journalist Albert Camus who made the following sage observation: “Nobody realizes that some people expend tremendous energy merely to be normal.” * Famously flamboyant country singer and songwriter Dolly Parton once entered a Dolly Parton look-alike contest -- and she lost. * If you’re a sailor you’re probably familiar with the hazards of being out on the water: high seas, storms, hidden reefs. You probably wouldn’t count whales among the dangers, but you’d be wrong. In 2010, on a day sail out of Table Bay Harbor in South Africa, a couple on a 30-foot sailboat were whale-watching when one got too close for comfort. A 40-ton whale they had been viewing breached right next to the boat and landed on the deck, breaking off the mast and then thrashing around before sliding back into the water. The whale lost some skin and blubber, but was otherwise unharmed; the couple were lucky to still have a seaworthy craft and made it safely back to the harbor. * Married women aren’t likely to be surprised by the following tidbit of information: Studies show that women with husbands typically do 30 percent more housework than single women do. * If you’re heading to the state of Washington with mischief on your mind, you’ll need to keep in mind this state law: “A motorist with criminal intentions [must] stop at the city limits and telephone the chief of police as he [or she] is entering the town.” I bet that one has been really effective in stopping crime. * It’s been reported that singer Sting doesn’t use deodorant. In fact, after interviewing him for a concert once, the journalists nicknamed him “Stink.” *** Thought for the Day: “It’s far better to be unhappy alone than unhappy with someone.” -- Marilyn Monroe (c) 2018 King Features Synd., Inc.
Page 3
Page 4
Tidbits® of the River Region
Stash Hanson White/Male 5’5” 140 lbs Hair: Blonde Eyes: Hazel * On June 27, 1829, English scientist James Smithson dies, leaving behind a will with a peculiar footnote. Smithson decreed that the whole of his fortune would go to the United States, to found an establishment for the increase and diffusion of knowledge. Today, the Smithsonian Institution is composed of 19 museums.
Outstanding Warrants: Theft of Property 2nd.
* On June 26, 1945, delegates from 50 nations sign the United Nations Charter, establishing the world body as a means of saving “succeeding generations from the scourge of war.” Four years later, the cornerstone was laid for United Nations headquarters, in New York City. * On June 28, 1953, workers at a Chevrolet plant in Flint, Michigan, hand assemble the first Corvette. The car carried a price tag of $3,490 and could go from zero to 60 mph in under 12 seconds. * On June 25, 1969, the U.S. Navy turns 64 river patrol gunboats valued at $18.2 million over to the South Vietnamese Navy so that they could assume more responsibility for the war, raising the number of boats in its navy to more than 600. * On June 30, 1975, less than a week after her divorce from Sonny Bono, Cher tied the knot with rock star Gregg Allman, only to file for divorce from him just nine days later. She then reconsidered and remained married to Allman until 1979. * On June 29, 1989, in reaction to the Chinese government’s brutal massacre of protesters in Tiananmen Square in Beijing earlier in the month, the House of Representatives unanimously passes a package of sanctions against the People’s Republic of China. China remained largely unrepentant. * On July 1, 1997, Hong Kong reverts back to Chinese rule, ending Britain’s 99 years of rule over Hong Kong. In exchange, China pledged to preserve Hong Kong’s capitalist system. (c) 2018 Hearst Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved
Outstanding Warrants:
Woods, Eddie DOB: 09/08/1976 Black/Male 5’9” 175 lbs Hair: Brown Eyes: Brown
Wanted for: Possessing Receive Controlled Substance/Pistol Carrying Without Permit Failure to Appear Speed Less 25 MPH
Page 5
“Be known before you’re needed” Advertise with Tidbits (334) 202-7285 CORVETTES
1. Which group released “Brown Sugar”? 2. “Abigail Beecher” went to No. 16 on the charts in 1964. Who released it, and who was Abigail Beecher, according to the lyrics? 3. Who wrote and released “Kentucky Woman”? 4. Who was the first to record “A Little Bitty Tear”? 5. Name the song that contains this lyric: “The scales are sometimes unbalanced, And you bear the weight of all that has to be, I hope you see that you can lean on me.” Answers 1. The Rolling Stones, in 1971. The song actually was recorded in 1969, but the release was delayed due to legal snarls with the band’s previous label. “Brown Sugar” ranks No. 5 on the list of Rolling Stone’s 100 Greatest Guitar Songs of All Time. 2. Freddy Cannon. Abigail Beecher was his history teacher. 3. Neil Diamond, in 1967. Deep Purple followed the next year with their own cover. 4. Burl Ives, in 1961. 5. “Giving You the Best That I Got,” by Anita Baker, in 1988. The song came out in time to qualify for nominations at the 1989 Grammy Awards. The album, however, was delayed and had to wait until 1990. Baker won the Best Female R&B Vocal Performance for the album. (c) 2018 King Features Synd., Inc.
June 27th has been designated as Drive Your Corvette to Work Day, when owners across the nation are encouraged to commute to the job site in their favorite sports car. Tidbits commemorates the day by delving into the history of this dream car. • This celebration coincides with the day the very first Corvette rolled off the assembly line, June 30, 1953, at GM’s Flint, Michigan plant. (The “holiday” is always the closest Friday.) Harley Earl is credited with the design. Earl had been designing custom cars for movie stars for years before being hired by GM. He unveiled his “dream car” in January, 1953, at New York City’s Waldorf Astoria Hotel at GM’s Motorama. With production capped at 300 cars, all 1953 Corvettes were Polo White convertibles with red interior and black canvas tops, with the only options a heater and an AM radio. • The following year, 3,640 1954 Corvettes were produced, with exterior color choices increased to include Pennant Blue, Sportsman Red, and Black. By 1956, removable hardtops were offered, and seatbelts were included as an option. • Transmissions were switched up from a 3-speed manual to a 4-speed in 1957. In 1958, the speedometer went up to 160 mph (257 km/hr). • The Stingray made its debut in 1963 with its famous split-window fastback, which lasted for just one year. Hidden headlamps were also introduced. The T-Top came along in 1968. • A gold convertible was the 250,000th Corvette and rolled off the assembly line in November, 1969. • The car marked its 25th year of production in 1978 with a new fastback body style and a base price of about $9,400. More than 6,500 buyers paid an extra $4,300 for the two-tone silver Indy 500 Pace Car Replica model. • By 1984, the base price was $21,800, with production of 51,547 Vettes. The one-millionth Corvette was a 1992 white convertible with red interior. • The ZO6 was unveiled in 2001, with a top speed exceeding 170 mph (274 km/hr.), reaching 60 mph (97 km/hr) in 4.3 seconds. • In 2004, base price started at $44,535 for the coupe and $52,385 for the ZO6 hardtop. • If you’re interested in a new 2018 Corvette convertible, base price is $55,495. Add options such as leather interior, racing stripes, fancy wheels, 8-speed transmission, Bluetooth, and other accessories, and you’re looking at right around $100,000. • Pennsylvania resident George Swanson did more than drive his Corvette to work. He drove it to his grave! He loved his white 1984 Corvette so much, he purchased 12 burial plots in a cemetery 25 miles east of Pittsburgh so that he could be buried in his treasured car, a vehicle with 27,000 miles on the odometer. In 1994, 71-year-old George was interred with his ashes in the driver’s seat, along with a lap quilt from his church’s ladies group and a love note from his wife. The cassette deck was loaded with an Engelbert Humperdinck tape, set to play “Release Me.”
Linda Beard Please call 334-202-7285 within 7 days of this issue to claim your prize!
Tommy Count ______ This week’s winner receives
2 tickets to the
Wetumpka Depot Players Register to win by sending an email to entertommycontest@gmail.com or USPS to PTK Corp., PO Box 264, Wetumpka, AL 36092 with the following information: 1) Your name (first and last), and, 2) the number of times you find Tommy in the ads in the paper. From the correct entries a winner will be selected. You must be 18 years of age to qualify. The gift certificates will range in value from $25 to $100 each week. Entries must be received by midnight each Friday evening.
Last Week’s Ads where 1. Tenda Chick, p.3
Tommy was hiding:
Page 6
TidbitsÂŽ of the River Region
“Be known before you’re needed” Advertise with Tidbits (334) 202-7285 FOOD OF THE WEEK:
ROOT VEGETABLES
BIBLE TRIVIA ANSWERS:
1) Neither; 2) David; 3) Job; 4) Peacemakers; 5) Esther; 6) Daniel
1. Jim Konstanty, in 1950. 2. Kaat pitched in the majors from 1959 to 1983 (from Dwight Eisenhower to Ronald Reagan). 3. It was 2001. 4. Marc Gasol, with Memphis in 2013. 5. It was the Mighty Ducks’ fourth season (1996-97). 6. Ganassi captured 103 of its 200 wins in IndyCar. 7. It was 2001.
This week, Tidbits heads underground to dig up the dirt on various root vegetables! • What’s the difference between a turnip and a rutabaga? The turnip belongs to the mustard family, and folks consume both the root and the leafy greens. The leaves, which can be bitter, are often boiled down before eating. During the Celtic festival of Samhain (which marks the end of the harvest, traditionally October 31 and November 1), people in Ireland and Scotland carve smaller turnips for use as candle lanterns. The larger ones are hollowed out and carved with faces, much like North American pumpkin tradition, then placed in windows to ward off evil spirits. A rutabaga actually originated as a cross between the cabbage and the turnip. Only in the U.S. are they referred to as rutabagas. The rest of the world calls them swedes. In fact, the word rutabaga has its origins in the Swedish language, with “rotabagge” translating “baggy root” or “thick root.” They were cultivated for the first time in Sweden. The purple-topped rutabaga is larger and denser than the turnip and is richer in nutrients. Their inside flesh is typically yellow, while the turnip’s is a creamy white. • And are yams and sweet potatoes the same thing? Not at all! In fact, they are not even distantly related botanically. Yams are related to lilies and grasses, while sweet potatoes are in the morning glory family. There are more than 600 varieties of yams, with 95% of these grown in Africa. They are drier than sweet potatoes, are sweeter, and grow much larger. However, for their size (which have been known to grow to 130 lbs. [59 kg]), they are not as nutritious as the sweet potato. • The flesh of the sweet potato can range from white to yellow, orange, or orange-red. Botanist George Washington Carver developed nearly 120 different products from sweet potatoes, including an adhesive for postage stamps and sizing for cotton fabrics. • Parsnips are related to carrots and parsley, and abound with nutrition, including antioxidants, B vitamins, and potassium, along with a high fiber content. But be careful when preparing them – only the root portion is edible, with the shoots and leaves containing a toxic sap that produces a nasty rash similar to that of poison ivy, producing redness, burning, and blisters. Discoloration of the skin can last for up to two years. The longer a parsnip is left in the ground, the sweeter the flavor of this creamcolored vegetable. Its taste is best after the winter frosts. • The Jerusalem artichoke is not an artichoke, and it has nothing to do with Jerusalem. In fact, its origins are in North and Central America. This root vegetable, also called a sunchoke, is part of the sunflower family of plants and can reach a height of up to 14 feet (4.3 m). Its flesh can be gray, purple, or pink with a flavor that is similar to that of the water chestnut. It’s possible that the name Jerusalem came from Italian immigrants to the U.S. who called the plant “girasole,” the Italian word for sunflower, which may have evolved in “Jerusalem.” The sunchoke is richer in iron than any other edible root vegetables, as well as an excellent source of potassium, which can combat high blood pressure.
Page 7
Page 8
Craft a Bird Feeder From Recycled Milk Jug Swish! Swish! Swish! The chubby brush goes in all directions on a big sheet of easel paper. “Jameson loves to paint,” says mom and athletic trainer Natalie Whitfield. I want to encourage his love for art, so it was time to find something to paint on that isn’t just paper (or potentially our house),” she says with an “I know where this joy of painting could lead” kind of expression. “How about making and painting a bird feeder?” she thought -- and do it the recycling way with a plastic milk jug. She and her 3-year-old made a plan for their first big craft project, and then went to a store to choose paint and shiny stickers. Supplies for the “roof” became a second outing -- a nature-walk adventure to collect twigs. Just the right ones. The project was a success. “He had a great time painting and decorating, so we decided to make two more for Mother’s Day gifts for his grandmothers,” she said. Are you looking for simple outdoor projects to enjoy with your kids this summer? A feeder for fine feathered friends is a good starter craft, and together with your child’s creative flourishes, it makes a unique Father’s Day gift, too. (Or, assemble all the supplies to make the feeder, put them in a box and wrap it up with a bow for a gift Dad or Grandfather can enjoy making together with your child.) Here’s the stuff you’ll need: --1 clean, gallon recycled plastic juice or milk jug with label removed and cap on -- standard coffee mug for a pattern --scissors --thick wire or heavy twine for hanging --nontoxic acrylic paint and paintbrush --waterproof adhesive decorations (optional) --3-inch sticks --glue or outdoor Mod Podge --birdseed Here’s the fun: 1. Place the mug upside down in the middle of one side of the jug about 1 1/2 inches from the base. Trace the semicircle shape. An adult should cut out the shape with scissors. Repeat on opposite, or all sides. 2. For hanging, an adult should poke two holes opposite each other on the top near the cap. Loop wire or twine through holes. 3. Paint and let dry. 4. Decorate with stickers and glue on sticks for a “roof.” Let dry. 5. If you wish, add perches by poking holes under the “windows” and inserting sticks. 6. Scoop birdseed inside. Hang from a tree or bird feeder stand. As birds come, identify them, take pictures and talk about your sightings. *** Donna Erickson’s award-winning series “Donna’s Day” is airing on public television nationwide. To find more of her creative family recipes and activities, visit www.donnasday. com and link to the NEW Donna’s Day Facebook fan page. Her latest book is “Donna Erickson’s Fabulous Funstuff for Families.” (c) 2018 Donna Erickson Distributed by King Features Synd.
Tidbits® of the River Region