Tidbits of Greater Fort Lauderdale Issue #1

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Coffee or tea anyone? In America, the answer to that question is a resounding yes to coffee. Accord-ing to recent surveys, U.S drinkers consume ap-proximately 4,848 cups of coffee per second, 24 hours a day. So on this winter’s day, Tidbits honors the American coffee drinker, with a whole set of trivia facts and statistics.

Drink it up.

• You might think the most expensive coffee in the world comes from Jamaica or Hawaii, but in fact, it is from Indonesia. It’s called Kopi Luwak, and those who drink it insist that it is made from coffee beans eaten, partly digested and then excreted by the common palm civet, a weasel-like animal. Apparently the internal digestion ends up as a unique flavor to the beans, removing the bitter flavor, and then beans are then picked up by locals and sold. These beans can cost up to $600 a pound, and up to $50 per cup, if you can get over the fact that you are drinking such a strange brew.

• World Barista Championship UK Ltd is a nonprofit organization jointly owned by the Specialty Coffee Association of America and Specialty Coffee Association of Europe. The first WBC competition took place in Monte Carlo in October 2000 and has since held annual competitions in Miami, Oslo, Boston, Trieste, Seattle, Berne, Tokyo and Copenhagen.

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COFFEE (continued):

• The history of coffee can be traced back to at least the early 9th century, when it appeared in the highlands of Ethiopia. Back then, according to legend, shepherds first saw the influence of this brew when they observed their animals eating the raw coffee berries. Their goats then appeared to “dance” and have an increased level of energy. The first coffee rush?

• What are the two most commonly grown species of the coffee plant? According to a number of industry sources, they are Coffee canephora and C. Arabica.

These are grown in Latin America, Southeast Asia, and Africa.

• Over the years, coffee traveled around the world to various countries usually carried by travelers who gave samples to others that eventually wanted even more coffee for them.

• Coffee is big business, and one of the world’s more important commodities. Here are some numbers to prove that: in 2003, coffee was the world’s sixth-largest legal agricultural export in value. From 1998 to 2000, 6.7 million tons of coffee was produced annually, and it is predicted that by 2010 production will rise to 7 million tons annually.

• It was said that cowboys made their coffee by putting ground coffee into a clean sock and immerse it in cold water and heated over campfire. When ready, they would pour the coffee into tin cups and drink it.

• The first European coffee house opened in Italy in the year 1645.

• The Dutch were the first to import coffee and coffee beans on a large scale, and they eventually smuggled coffee seedlings into Europe in 1690, defying the Arab prohibition on the exportation of coffee plants or unroasted coffee seeds.

• Brazil is the largest coffee exporting nation, but in recent years Vietnam has become a major producer of robusta beans. Robusta coffees are one of the most popular coffees.

• Because of the lower costs, Arabica is preferred by large industrial clients, such as multinational roasters and instant coffee producers.

• Coffee is propagated by seed. The traditional method of planting coffee is to put 20 seeds in each hole at the beginning of the rainy season; half are eliminated naturally. Coffee is intercropped with food crops, such as corn, beans, or rice, during the first few years.

• There are two main cultivated species of the coffee plant, Coffea canephora and Coffea arabica. Arabica coffee is considered more suitable for drinking than robusta, which, compared to arabica, is bitter and has less flavor. It’s probably for this reason that about three fourths of coffee cultivated worldwide is arabica.

• How do you label a bean? It depends on the color of the roasted beans. They will be labeled as light, cinnamon, medium, high city, full city, French or Italian roast. The darker roasts are usually smoother, because they have less fiber content and a more sugary flavor. Lighter roasts have more caffeine, resulting in a slight bitterness, and a stronger flavor from aromatic oils.

• Perfectly roasted coffee beans are the end result of the coffee roasting process. Those beans are then ground and turned into a delicious cup of coffee.

• Coffee was used in ancient times for spiritual reasons. At least 1,000 years ago, traders brought coffee across the Red Sea into Arabia (modern-day Yemen), where Muslim monks began cultivating the shrub in their gardens. At first, the Arabians made wine from the pulp of the fermented coffee berries.

This beverage was known as Qishr (Kisher in modern usage) and was used during religious ceremonies.

Continued on next page

subflooring they can cover.

Spring Fix-Up Projects The ads are already appearing in newspapers for spring fix-up project materials. Whether you live in a warm or cold weather area, it’s not too early to begin thinking about projects you’ll need to do around the house once spring officially arrives.

Identify what needs to be done. Walk around the outside of your home with a clipboard and pen and make note of any damage that was done over the winter.

• Roof — take a look at your roof with binoculars and pay attention to flashing around chimneys and vents.

To stretch your fix-up dollars, pool your power-tool resources with friends and neighbors instead of buying. Price the materials you’ll need and shop for bargains.

Before you tackle a project, consider whether it’s something you can reasonably handle yourself. If you can’t, and if extra hands to help won’t solve the problem, start early interviewing contractors and getting estimates.

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. © 2010 King Features Synd., Inc.

• Paint — inspect window trim, fascia boards, gable ends and under the eaves.

• Landscaping — fill in wet areas and divert water away from the foundation; consider adding shrubs for curb appeal; clean and repair gutters.

• Safety items — fix or replace loose exterior stair treads and buckled concrete walks.

Inside your house, think of the places that were drafty this winter. While it was cold air that blew in, this summer it will be hot air, driving up your cooling costs. Caulk windows and consider sunblocking curtains.

Not only is this a good time to do maintenance, but upgrade projects can add to the value of your home when it comes time to sell. Bathrooms and kitchens are the big items when it comes to recouping your dollars. Depending on the size, exterior decks can be a do-it-yourself project.

(Don’t forget the permits.)

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Smaller projects can add value to your home and your comfort as well: • Fresh paint, including walls, trim and doors.

(Beware adding wallpaper. It’s easier for a potential purchaser to cover over paint, and too much wallpaper can be a deal-killer when it’s time to sell.)

• Hardwood flooring in a room or two can be an easy do-it-yourself weekend project if you do your homework first. Learn about the various types of flooring and the kind of

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COFFEE (continued):

• Coffee drinking was prohibited socially in some regions of the world, and at one time was considered strictly a “Muslim” drink.

• How’s this for a rush? The majority of all caffeine consumed worldwide comes from coffee—in some countries; this figure is as high as 85 percent. It all depends, of course, on the type of coffee and method of preparation.

• Too much coffee can bring on some health problems, experts warn. Most of these negative effects are due to coffee’s caffeine content. Drinking caffeinated coffee can cause a temporary increase in the stiffening of arterial walls. Excess coffee consumption may lead to a magnesium deficiency or hypomagnesaemia. So if you’re drinking 10 cups a day, be careful.

• During the American Civil War, when coffee was scarce, the citizens of New Orleans used chicory as substitutes. Today, they would have their coffee with chicory.

• When the beans reach the temperature of 400F during the roasting process, the beans “crack.” When the beans “crack” a second time, the hot beans are then dumped from the roaster and cooled immediately.

During the process of roasting coffee beans, coffee oil gathers in pockets throughout the bean. This substance is forced out to the surface of the beans of darker roasts, as moisture is lost. Hence the bean has this oily appearance.

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New Ways to Treat Varicose Veins DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I have varicose veins on both of my legs. I wear only long dresses and slacks to hide them. My legs don’t hurt, but I would like to be rid of these veins. What can I do for them? At this point, I am not interested in surgery. -- L.H. ANSWER: Leg veins face a Herculean task. They have to return blood to the heart in the face of gravity, which works to keep blood from moving upward.

They couldn’t accomplish their task if they didn’t have valves. As blood moves upward in the vein, its valves close so that it can’t fall back down. The problem with varicose veins is a valve problem. Their valves no longer work. Blood stays in the leg veins, distends them and stretches them out of shape -- varicose veins.

Varicose veins can make the legs ache or cause them to tire quickly. Sometimes, the pooled blood leaks fluid out of the veins, so the ankles and feet swell, and open ulcers -- most often around the ankle -- might form.

And then there is the cosmetic aspect, about which I’m not qualified to comment.

Things you can do for varicose veins are limited but worth trying. One is compression stockings.

The very best stockings are the ones with graduated compression, with the compressive force greatest in the lowermost part of the leg and with lesser force in the upper parts of the leg. Compression moves blood upward. Another way to keep blood from pooling is lying down with your legs higher than your heart. That

position empties blood out of leg veins. Admittedly, you can’t spend the entire day with your legs elevated, but elevate them as often as you can. Never stand for long in one place. If you have to stay still, contract your calf and leg muscles to push blood out of the legs.

Should you change your mind about surgical vein removal, you should know that today there are many methods of getting rid of these veins. Endovascular lasers, radiofrequency catheters and sclerotherapy are recent-vintage techniques. Surgical removal has been refined to the point that most patients return home on the day of operation. *** DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I have mucus that drains down into my mouth and throat constantly. I hope you can offer some help for me. -- H.E.

Broward Skyscraper

ANSWER: You’re describing postnasal drip, the irksome trickling of mucus into the back of the mouth and throat. It is thick, gluey and tastes awful. The mucus often comes from chronically infected sinuses.

Try saltwater irrigation of the nose to clear up some of this mucus. Boil some water, and into a cup of boiling water add a quarter-teaspoon of salt. Let the water cool. With a bulb syringe, available in drugstores, gently flush both nostrils.

Before going to bed, take a drug that contains both an antihistamine and a decongestant. Drixoral Cold and Allergy Tablets is one such drug. It can slow the trickle at night, when it’s usually at its worst.

You might have to enlist the help of an ear, nose and throat doctor, who can inspect your sinuses and tell you if you need more intensive treatment.

***

Dr. Donohue regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but he will incorporate them in his column whenever possible. Readers may write him or request an order form of available health newsletters at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. (c) 2010 North America Synd., Inc. All Rights Reserved

• March 5, 2010

TIDBITS® of Greater Fort Lauderdale - Southeast Broward Edition

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Upcoming events: March 6th Walk for the Animals

Huizenga Plaza – downtown Fort Lauderdale 8 a.m. registration 10:00 a.m. walk begins Join thousands of animal lovers for a 1 mile walk to benefit the Humane Society of Broward County.

Bad Smell Often Indicates Illness DEAR PAW’S CORNER: My dog “Scraps,” an 8-year-old Lab-collie mix, has a rather embarrassing problem. He has a lot of smelly gas, and when he eliminates, well -- his poo smells. Like, to the point that I have to look away when I pick it up because my eyes water. Is this normal? Is there a way to stop this? -- Melanie T., via e-mail DEAR MELANIE: You should take Scraps to the veterinarian for a complete checkup, and be sure to mention every delicate detail of his poop and his gassiness. Bring notes to help you remember, in particular: Does the smell have a particular odor? How often is Scraps gassy? Have you noticed a pattern between, for example, when he eats and when he gets gassy?

Does his poop always smell? What color is it? Is it firm or runny? (Bring a small sample with you, in a plastic bag or specimen cup.)

The reason I want you to consult the vet first is that smelly elimination is often the first indicator of an illness. The illness may be minor and easy to treat or recover from, but it also may be more serious and need immediate medical attention.

Only your vet can say for sure.

If Scraps’ problem is not major, then the vet may recommend some changes in his diet. If he eats table scraps or gets into the garbage often, stop both of those behaviors. (Table scraps are often higher in fat than is recommended for pets, and garbage -- well, you may have no idea what he’s ingesting.) A supplement or medication also might be recommended, and if Scraps has a weight problem, the vet will recommend a diet to help him shed a few pounds.

Send your pet questions to Sam Mazzotta at ask@pawscorner.com, or write to Paw’s Corner, c/o King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. And find more pet resources at PawsCorner.com. (c) 2010 King Features Synd., Inc.

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March 20th Meow Basics (free seminar)

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Humane Society of Broward County 2070 Griffin Road, Fort Lauderdale Learn how to curb annoying behaviors such as litter box lapses; scratching; biting, climbing and more. 954-266-6815 to register

March 20th Vaccination Clinic (CATS ONLY) 7 a.m. – 9 a.m.

Humane Society of Broward County 2070 Griffin Road, Fort Lauderdale No appointment necessary 954-989-3977

March 20th Vaccination Clinic (DOGS ONLY) 7 a.m. – 11 a.m.

Humane Society of Broward County 2070 Griffin Road, Fort Lauderdale No appointment necessary 954-989-3977

March 25th PetSet Social at Big City For details visit: www.petset.org 954-266-6827

March 27 th Bow-Wow Basics

(free seminar) 10:00 a.m. – 11:30 a.m.

Humane Society of Broward County 2070 Griffin Road, Fort Lauderdale Learn the quickest way to potty train; proper chew toys; how to introduce a new dog to the home and more. 954-266-6815 to register.

VISIT: www.humanebroward.com to find your perfect pet.

“Hair for Haiti” – Robar Hair Salon will be hosting a Cut-A-Thon on March 7th with all proceeds going to the Red Cross.

Hair cuts will only be $15! Food and Entertainment will be provided! Event will be from 9:00 AM – 6:00 PM! 714 Atlantic Shores Blvd., Hallandale Beach, FL H Greg Auto Auction: Official drop off location for the “Haitian-American Emergency Relief Committee”. Please donate water, power drinks, energy bars, face masks, etc. 601 Hallandale Beach Blvd, Hallandale Beach FL Broward Sheriff’s Office Drop-Off Sites: • Fire Rescue Stations Station 14 — 791 NW 31st Avenue Ft. Lauderdale Station 17 — 2308 S.W. 42 St. Ft. Lauderdale Station 27 — 2610 SW 40th Avenue West Hollywood Station 28 — 10550 Stirling Road Cooper City Station 32 — 3400 SW 4 Avenue Ft. Lauderdale Station 36 — 17200 Griffin Rd Southwest Ranches • DLE District Offices Cooper City — 10580 Stirling Road Dania Beach — 100 West Dania Beach Blvd.

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MUSIC LEGEND: GARTH BROOKS

It’s a long way from Tulsa, Oklahoma to the glamour of Nashville and Los Angeles, but that’s exactly the road country crooner Garth Brooks took to stardom. Over the years, particu-larly in the 1990s, he has enjoyed one of the most successful careers in popular music his-tory, breaking records for both sales and concert attendance.

Brooks has sold 113 million re-cordings in the U.S. This week, Tidbits salutes one of America’s best, Garth Brooks.

• Garth Brooks was born on February 7, 1962 in Tulsa, Oklahoma to Troyal Raymond Brooks, a draftsman for an oil company, and Colleen Carroll, a 1950s-era country singer who recorded on the Capitol Records label and appeared on Ozark Jubilee.

• Brooks and his five elder siblings (Jim, Jerry, Mike, Betsy, and Kelly) were raised in little Yukon, Oklahoma. As a youngster, he sang in casual family settings but his primary love was athletics. In high school he played football, baseball and ran track. He received a scholarship to Oklahoma State University in Stillwater, where he competed in the javelin.

• Brooks married Sandy Mahl in 1986. He met her while working as a bouncer. The couple later had three daughters: Taylor Mayne Pearl (born 1992), August Anna (born 1994) and Allie Colleen (born 1996). In 1987, the couple moved to Nashville, and Brooks began making contacts in the music industry.

• His big breakthrough occurred in 19891990. His first album, was released in 1989 and was a critical and chart success. It peaked at #2 in the U.S. country album chart and reached #13 on the Billboard 200 pop album chart. Most of the album was traditionalist country, influenced in part by George Strait.

• Brooks first single, “Much Too Young (To Feel This Damn Old),” was a country top 10 hit. It was followed by his first country #1, “If Tomorrow Never Comes.”

• Brooks has said that of all the songs he has recorded, “The Dance” is his favorite.

• Brooks’ album, No Fences, was released in 1990 and spent 23 weeks as #1 on the country music chart. It became Brooks’ highest-selling album, with domestic shipments of 17 million, and contained his signature song, the blue collar anthem “Friends in Low Places.”

• Even now, after his retirement and unretirement, Brooks still continues to sell well.

From April 5th 2008 to September 26th 2008, he sold 277,000 albums in the U.S., which brought his album sales up to 68,051,000 - which makes him the best-selling artist in America since 1991, well over 11 million ahead of his nearest rival, The Beatles.

• Brooks says he was influenced by the operatic rock of the 1970s-era Freddie Mercury, Billy Joel, and Bruce Springsteen. In his highly successful live shows, Brooks used a wireless headset microphone to free himself to run about the stage, adding energy and arena rock theatrics to spice up the normally staid country music approach to concerts.

• Brooks lists the hard rock band KISS as one of his earliest grade school musical influences and his shows often reflected this. Gene Simmons would be proud.

• On October 26, 2000, Brooks officially announced his retirement. He must have been bored: Brooks started a partial comeback in 2005, and has since given many performances and released two compilation albums.

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AMERICAN HEROES

• Betcha never heard of this man: Crispus Attucks, a leader of American colonists, was the first person killed by British soldiers in the Boston Massacre.

You might say he was the first man to give up his life for this new country.

• George Washington, our first president was most certainly a hero. He made the United States possible—not only by defeating a king, but by declining to become one himself.

• Fact or fiction? Johnny Appleseed was a hermit and a wanderer who was welcomed wherever he went in the Ohio territory. Everyone loved him, in spite of his unkempt appearance. He always carried a sack full of apple seeds to plant, and walked barefoot all year round.

• Martin Luther King, Jr. was a famous civil rights activist during the 1960’s. He stood up for African-American rights in peaceful ways and paved the way for people of all races to be treated equally. To promote his cause, King made special speeches and public appearances to help promote his cause. Truly an American icon, Martin Luther King, Jr. helped America to become what it is today, tolerant of all races.

• Few youngsters today know of Ernie Pyle.

But he was a well-known war reporter in World War II. He even won a Pulitzer Prize in 1944 for his reporting. A year later, he was killed near Okinawa, Japan.

• Maybe the greatest baseball hitter of all time, Ted Williams twice interrupted his career with the Boston Red Sox to serve as a pilot in the United States Marine Corps: once during World War II and then again during the Korean War. • A 1st Infantry Division soldier, Specialist Ross Andrew McGinnis, 19, was killed while on a combat patrol in Baghdad, Iraq. Soldiers in his unit said he used his body to cover a grenade that had been thrown into his Humvee by an enemy fighter on a nearby rooftop.

• McGinnis’s actions probably saved the lives of the four other soldiers in the vehicle, his company commander and others, officials said. McGinnis was awarded the Medal of Honor by President Bush on April 4, 2005, two years to the day after his death.

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TIDBITS® of Greater Fort Lauderdale - Southeast Broward Edition

• It was American writer Cullen Hightower who made the following sage observation: “Laughing at our mistakes can lengthen our own life. Laughing at someone else’s can shorten it.”

• If you were asked to name the northernmost of the United States, I’m sure you’d have no trouble naming Alaska. And you probably also know that Alaska is the western most state of the union. You might be surprised, however, to learn that Alaska is also the eastern most state. Yep. The Aleutian Island chain crosses the International Dateline, placing a few of the islands in the Far East.

• Thanks to the fact that their eyes are placed on the sides of their heads, rabbits can see behind themselves without turning their heads.

• In the town of Arcadia, Calif., there is a law on the books that grants peacocks the legal right of way when crossing any street or driveway.

• Those who study such things claim that there are 293 different ways to make change for a dollar.

• In 2002, a research firm conducted a poll on Americans’ beliefs about the existence of alien life in the universe. It seems that a whopping 68 percent of us feel that the U.S. government knows about alien life but refuses to publicize that knowledge.

• “I made a nice utensil holder for my mother from a flowerpot. I used paint to decorate it, and lined it with aluminum foil. She put all her spatulas and things in it, and it brightens her kitchen.” -- B.R. in New York

• The Russian Space Agency has a full-fledged space tourism program -- and a popular one, at that. Despite the $20 million price tag, all the available trips were fully booked by (wealthy) civilians in 2009.

• If you and your spouse are like the average modern married couple, you spent more than $2,500 on photos and videos of your wedding.

• “We keep our sandbox covered when it’s not in use. We have had two covers made of lattice that worked well, but the wood breaks down quickly with use, and they have to be replaced. I finally got smart and decided to cover the cover. I used a vinyl tablecloth that was colorful, and I stapled the fabric to the lattice. Now it not only keeps out animals, it also keeps out rain and leaves. It’s sturdier than just fabric alone, and it looks much better.” -- A.A., via e-mail • Here’s a tip from a car lover in Wisconsin: “I try to wash the car weekly to keep the road dirt off of it, but sometimes life gets away from me. I put a wide strip of masking tape inside the glove box, and note the date it was last washed, waxed and had an oil change. I can use a pencil to update as needed, and it’s handy information.”

• I have two driving teens now, and they both share a car with me. Gas money (and maintenance costs) got to be a problem, but not anymore. There’s an odometer log in the car, and my kids pay by the mile. That charge covers gas, oil changes and tires, and even insurance. They drive a bit less now, and that’s all right with me, too!” -- K.L. in New Mexico

• To keep Fido’s dish from scooting around the kitchen or porch, hot-glue a piece of non-skid shelf liner that’s been cut to fit on the bottom of his dish. He’ll thank you for it!

Send your tips to Now Here’s a Tip, c/o King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475 or e-mail JoAnn at heresatip@ yahoo.com. (c) 2010 King Features Synd., Inc.

Thought for the Day: “I look to the future because that’s where I’m going to spend the rest of my life.” -- George Burns

• March 5, 2010

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