KootenaiCounty, County,Idaho IdahoIssue Issue#3#46 Nov. 13th 2017 ofofKootenai January 21st 2019
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TIDBITS® LOOKS AT A FEW OF LIFE’S MYSTERIES by Kathy Wolfe This week, Tidbits seeks the answers to some of life’s greatest mysteries! • Ever wonder why wedding rings are worn on the third finger of the left hand? Back in ancient Egypt, it was believed there was a blood vein running from that finger directly to the heart. The vein was called “vena amoris,” the vein of love, and rings, usually bone, ivory, or leather, came to be worn on that finger. Rings, as a never-ending circle, symbolize the unbroken continuity of undying love. • Men’s fashion dictates that the bottom of a vest remains unbuttoned. This “unwritten rule” came into practice at the beginning of the 1800s. Up until that time, vests were worn buttoned from top to bottom. England’s heir to the throne at the time, the Prince of Wales, was a large man, and his girth at the waist restricted him from buttoning that final button. Because of his status, the Prince set many fashions for elite society, and all men began following his ritual. • Mosquito bites swell and itch because of the saliva of the female mosquito. Once she pierces your skin, she injects the saliva into the wound. The saliva dilutes the blood to enable the female to suck it up more easily. An allergic reaction is produced in the body, resulting the swelling and itching.
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TIDBITS of Kootenai County, Idaho Issue #3 January 21st 2019 LIFE’S MYSTERIES (continued): • It’s a no-brainer that macadamia nuts come from the macadamia tree, but what’s the origin of that name? This little nut was named after Dr. John MacAdam, a Scottish-Australian chemist, medical teacher, scientist, and politician. MacAdam promoted the cultivation of the nuts in Australia, and his friend, colleague, and Director of the Royal Botanic Gardens, Dr. Ferdinand Mueller, named the nut after him in 1857. Cultivation of the trees spread to Hawaii in the 1880s, the only area where the nuts are commercially successful. • When and why did folks make the transition from pocket watches to wristwatches? In 1907, Brazilian aviator Alberto Santos-Dumont, a pioneer in the airship and dirigible industry, asked French jeweler Louis Cartier to design a watch for his wrist, to enable him to check his flying time in speed trials without having to continually reach into his pocket. The invention gained further popularity during World War I with soldiers serving in the trenches. • Why do chicken eggs vary in size? Generally, the older the chicken the bigger the egg. However, different breeds, such as the Leghorn, tend to lay larger eggs. The size – Jumbo, Extra Large, Large, Medium, etc. – is determined by the minimum weight per dozen. For example, a dozen Jumbo eggs must weigh at least 30 oz. (0.85 kg), while Extra Large dozens must weigh 27 oz. (0.77 kg), and Large, 24 oz. (0.68 kg). • Do you ever get lunar and solar eclipses confused? A lunar eclipse occurs when the Earth is between the moon and the sun and the Earth blocks out the moon. In a solar eclipse, the moon is between the Earth and sun, and the moon blocks out the sun.
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Evelyn Bevacqua Howe 212. W. Ironwood Dr., Suite D,# 224 Coeur d'Alene, ID 83814 Cell: 208.755.9120 Email: Tidbitscda@gmail.com www.tidbitscda.com Facebook tidbitscda
NOW HERE’S A TIP By JoAnn Derson * Create a spa-like soap dish by adding a handful of pebbles to a deep saucer. Place your bar soap on top of it so that the water (and associated goop) runs off. * “Add a solar-powered, motion-activated light to your patio, porch, garden, front door, etc., or anywhere you do not want animals to hang out at night. This has kept neighborhood cats from messing around in my garden during the summer, and because it’s solar powered, I moved it to near my back door for the winter months.” -- I.C in Nebraska * “To ensure your dishwasher or clothes washer is doing the best possible job of cleaning, turn on a nearby hot water faucet. Run the water until it turns warm, then start the washer. It will start with hot water and do a better job of cleaning.” -- D.C. in Minnesota * Here’s a tip for hamster owners out there: “If your dwarf hamster makes too much noise when running in its wheel (especially metal wheels), just lube it with a little olive oil. Just a drop or two will make the wheel turn so smoothly and silently, without posing any harm to the little ones in case they lick it.” -- C., via email * How to hang a gallery wall: Arrange your frames on the ground on top of a large piece of gift wrap (the back, blank side) or other blank paper. When you get the arrangement you want, outline each frame on the paper with a thick marker. Also note where the nail must go in order to hang each frame. Then simply tape the paper to the wall and drive in the nails at the noted spots. Rip the paper off the wall (gift wrap tears easily) and hang the frames on the nails left behind. (c) 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.
TIDBITS of Kootenai County, Idaho Issue #3 January 21st 2019
EVENT CALENDAR Banff Mountain Film Festival Coeur d' Alene, Idaho
Friday, January 25, 2019 Doors open at 6 p.m., Showtime 7 p.m. Saturday, January 26, 2019 Doors open at 6 p.m., Showtime 7 p.m. Sunday, January 27, 2019 Doors open at 5 p.m., Showtime 6 p.m. North Idaho College :: Schuler Auditorium All Seats General Admission Questions regarding the events call Evelyn at 208.755.9120 or email evelyn2318@gmail.com
LIFE’S MYSTERIES (continued): • Wine-lovers everywhere can be seen opening a bottle and letting it “breathe.” Did you know the practice only needs to done with red wines over ten years old? The bottle should be opened an hour before to allow any sediment to settle as well as to let the wine absorb oxygen. The procedure is useless for a one-year-old bottle of white wine. Letting red wine breathe improves the bouquet of some wines, releasing esters, ethers, and aldehydes, those compounds responsible for the fruity taste in wine. • And why do some wine connoisseurs often sniff the cork from the wine bottle? There really is no need to smell a cork, it’s really the wine that needs to be smelled. The cork just needs to be checked for moistness, to ensure that the wine has been stored correctly, on its side. The cork needs to be wet in order to expand and thus prevent air from getting into the bottle. A dry cork indicates that air has very likely gotten into the wine, damaging it. • There are any number of reasons why people snore. Snoring is the sound of air rushing and vibrating through narrow upper air passages in the throat and nose. As the muscles in the upper airways relax, airflow is decreased, causing a turbulence in the airflow, producing a harsh noise. About 40% of adults snore, men more than women, more prevalent among those who sleep on their backs, and increasing as we age. Snoring can be a symptom of sleep apnea, a sleep disorder that occurs when a person’s breathing is frequently interrupted during sleep. Losing weight helps with snoring, since overweight people have extra tissue in the back of their throat, which, when the body relaxes during sleep, drops down and blocks the airway.
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® of Idaho TIDBITS of Kootenai Issue #3 January 21st 2019 TidbitsCounty, Dallas County LIFE’S MYSTERIES (continued): • Most folks love the taste of a delicious pound cake for dessert. This tasty treat doesn’t weigh a pound – it takes its name from its ingredients, a pound of flour, a pound of sugar, and a pound of butter. • Perhaps you’re curious as to why men’s voices are deeper than women’s. It’s all about those strings in the larynx called vocal cords. A voice is the result of the vibration of these cords by wind from the lungs. Men’s cords are longer and thicker, resulting in a deeper voice. • Divers might wonder why they sometimes get decompression sickness, or the “bends.” It’s a painful ailment that is the result of nitrogen bubbles forming in the bloodstream and tissues. When a diver surfaces too quickly from deep waters, the air pressure surrounding the body is lowered very quickly, causing those bubbles to come out of the body’s fluids and enter the bloodstream. At first, it’s just a mild tingling, but it rapidly progresses to pain in the joints and chest. Bubbles in bones and muscles can cause paralysis, as well as blockage of veins and arteries, and in some cases, death. A slow ascent from the deep is the best prevention, with the recommended rate about 33 feet (10 m) per minute. • Do you how meat tenderizers work? It has to do with an enzyme found in the papaya, called papain. The enzyme breaks down the meat’s proteins, connective tissue, and muscle fibers. But it only continues working up to temperatures of about 175 degrees F (79.4 C). After that, the enzyme is destroyed by the heat.
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STRANGE BUT TRUE by Samantha Weaver * It was Vladimir Ilyich Lenin, communist revolutionary and the first leader of the Soviet Union, who made the following sage observation: “One fool can ask more questions in a minute than 12 wise men can answer in an hour.” * Back in 1893, when the zipper was invented, the device was intended to be used for fastening shoes. * When the TV sitcom “The Addams Family” was being cast in the early 1960s, actor John Astin came in to audition for the role of Lurch, the cadaverous butler. He was immediately rejected for the part. As he was leaving the room, though, the producer spotted him, pulled him aside, and immediately offered him the role of Gomez -the lead. All he had to do was grow a mustache. * What do the words “obscene,” “tranquil,” “mediate,” “catastrophe,” “dire,” “critical,” “vast” and “apostrophe” have in common? All of them appeared in print for the first time in the works of William Shakespeare. * As the Black Plague was sweeping Europe during the Middle Ages, some people, for reasons surpassing understanding, believed that plague victims could cure themselves by smelling human waste. * The United States isn’t the only country that has an accolade to recognize excellence in the film industry. Here the awards are known as the Oscars, but other nations have their own names for the awards: In Canada they’re known as Genies, in France they’re Cesars, in Russia they’re called Nikas, in Mexico they’re Golden Ariels, in Spain they’re known as Goyas, and in the United Kingdom they’re called Orange British Academy Film Awards. Thought for the Day: “The game of life is the game of boomerangs. Our thoughts, deeds and words return to us sooner or later with astounding accuracy.” -- Florence Scovel Shin (c) 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.
TIDBITS of Kootenai County, Idaho #3 505-0674 January 21st 2019 For Advertising Call Issue (334)
COUCH THEATER -- DVD PREVIEWS By Amy Anderson
PHOTO: Jamie Lee Curtis in “Halloween (2018)”
“Halloween (2018)” (R) -- Laurie Strode (Jamie Lee Curtis), the lone survivor of Michael Myers’ 1978 killing spree, has spent 40 years suffering (she’s an alcoholic and an agoraphobic) and preparing for his inevitable return. She’s training in combat, militarizing her home and remaining ever vigilant, to the embarrassment of her family. But boy does it pay off! After an accident in transport releases the masked psychopath on a Halloween eve, the G.I. Grandma goes into attack mode to save her kids, her grandkids and the whole town. This was really well done -- the right mix of tension, dread, jump scares and gore -- and nothing like the many throwaway sequels and homages that have littered the past 40 years. “Goosebumps 2: Haunted Halloween” (PG) -- A couple of plucky kids trying to earn pocket money by cleaning up junk become unwitting participants in Slappy the Dummy’s attempt to escape the pages of R.L. Stine’s magnificently scary stories. Sonny (Jeremy Ray Taylor) and Sam (Caleel Harris) pick up a job cleaning garbage out of an abandoned house, where they come across an unpublished manuscript for a Stine book titled “Haunted Halloween.” They unlock the book, and the shenanigans begin, with Slappy bringing the whole town’s Halloween decorations to life. The boys get a big assist from Sonny’s bright older sister Sarah (Madison Iseman). It’s a pretty cute take on “scary,” but the attention won’t hold for adults or older teens (despite the cast inclusion of adult comedy staples Ken Jeong and Chris Parnell). “The Bookshop” (PG) -- “The Bookshop” is a sweet and thoughtful film about a woman who opens a bookshop in 1959 coastal England, and her interactions with local customers and detractors. Florence Green (Emily Mortimer) is a middle-aged widow who takes up residence in a musty old historical building and opens a bookshop, attempting to broaden the horizons of the townsfolk. She sees some success -- particularly, admiration from one local man, Mr. Brundish (Bill Nighy) -- and some struggles, too. Another local busybody (Patricia Clarkson) has her own plans for the bookshop’s location. Based on the novel by Penelope Fitzgerald. “Jonathan” (R) -- In one body, two residents -dual consciences, or brothers, if you will. One, a straight-laced prodigy, the other a looser, more relaxed creature of the night. They are tended by a psychologist and doctor (Patricia Clarkson), who has split their day so that they share their time. And it’s all fine until the night owl forms a relationship with a girl (Suki Waterhouse), and the daytime version finds out. It’s suspenseful and dramatic. Ansel Elgort stars as Jonathan/Jon, and is spectacular. NEW TV RELEASES “The Birthday Wish” (Hallmark Channel) “The Pink Panther Cartoon Collection” Volume 4 “The Dr. Blake Mysteries” Season 5 “PAW Patrol: Pups Save Puplantis” “Hunter X Hunter” Volume 5
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TIDBITS ofTidbits Kootenai® County, Idaho Issue #3 January 21st 2019 of Dallas County
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By Dr. Holly Carling
Gridlock in the Heart
Volunteer Greeter with AARP Tax-Aide Program My first experience with AARP Tax-Aide started about 25 years ago when I stopped by just to ask a question. I was really surprised to see the positive attitude and friendliness. When I retired, I needed something to keep me busy and also something that was interesting, and by then Tax-Aide was doing my taxes and they said they needed help so I told them I would like to help. I have now been volunteering my service for 8 years and enjoy every minute. There are some really busy days and I just think of these days as a challenge. I really enjoy the different personalities that I am exposed to and this puts a smile on my face. AARP TAX-AIDE WANTS YOU Diane B, Dalton Gardens, Idaho For more information, and a chance to experience that ‘WOW’ feeling that comes from volunteering, contact Warren at 208-765-6589 or at warrenfisher@prodigy.net or check out our link http://www.unitedwayofnorthidaho.org/taxprep
Cardiovascular disease is a growing concern. When educational classes are given, it focuses on the “Big 3” – obesity, exercise, and eating fat and salt-free diet. However, heart disease is much more than that. It can be likened to a very busy freeway, fast or slow traffic, hectic, gridlock. When driving on a freeway, everything is great when everyone does what they are supposed to do: Drive according to the law, at the right speed, and attentively. Not much different than the heart and circulatory system. If our heart beats according to nature’s law and blood flows at the right speed, the right pressure and without obstacles, and is attentive to the need for healthy checks and balances, all is okay. But at times we have too much traffic and things slow down. Blood can become sluggish when there is too much material in it – excess cholesterol, triglycerides and glucose primarily. Pretty soon, pressure is increased to try to push it through. But why is there an increase in these things, and what if some of the “traffic” in the blood is actually the repair crew? Cholesterol is the healing serum of the body. If there are potholes in the freeway (damage to the vessel walls), it is the job of cholesterol to come clean it up.
If you can imagine a road with a just a little bit of damage, and only 1 or 2 vehicles needing to clean it up, versus significant damage, requiring lots of equipment to repair the damage, you can begin to see the trouble building up. While the process may be necessary, the question is “what is causing the potholes in the first place?” Stopping the body from making excess cholesterol that is causing sluggish circulation may be like putting a band-aid on the injury/ covering up the big machinery on the freeway so we can’t see them at work. It makes more sense to find out what is causing the damage in the first place, handling that issue, then the cholesterol is no longer needed. Makes more sense to me. We can expand that thought into a stroke or heart attack – an accident on our freeway. The right circumstances were present – lack of attention or recklessness for example. Then “wham!” the accident happens. First, we have to render first aid and get the person out of crisis. Then what? If the person causing the accident goes back to doing the same thing that resulted in the trauma in the first place, well, can we expect a different result? As in traffic, there are many variables that interfere with a smooth flowing arterial system. If you have cardiovascular disease in any form, it may be worth your while to hire a private investigator – a health detective, to discover what went amiss. Only then will you truly create healthy flow
Dr. Holly Carling is a Doctor of Oriental Medicine, Licensed Acupuncturist, Doctor of Naturopathy, Clinical Nutritionist and Master Herbologist with over three decades of experience. Dr. Carling is currently accepting new patients and offers natural health care services and whole food nutritional supplements in her Coeur d’ Alene clinic. Visit Dr. Carling’s website at www.vitalhealthcda.com to learn more about Dr. Carling, view a list of upcoming health classes and read other informative articles. Dr. Carling can be reached at 208-765-1994 and would be happy to answer any questions regarding this topic.
TIDBITSFor of Kootenai County, Idaho #3 January 21st 2019 Advertising CallIssue (334) 505-0674
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® ofIdaho TIDBITS of Kootenai County, Issue County #3 January 21st 2019 Tidbits Dallas
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SALOME’S STARS FOR RELEASE WEEK OF JAN. 28, 2019 ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Taking some time out of your usually busy social life could be just what you need to help you focus on putting those finishing touches on your plans for a possible career change. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) A misunderstanding about a colleague’s suggestions could create a delay in moving on with your proposal. But by week’s end, all the confusing points should finally be cleared up. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) You might feel overwhelmed by all the tasks you suddenly have to take care of. But just say the magic word -help! -- and you’ll soon find others rushing to offer much-needed assistance. CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Finishing a current project ahead of schedule leaves you free to deal with other upcoming situations, including a possible workplace change, as well as a demanding personal matter. LEO (July 23 to August 22) Turn that fine-tuned feline sensitivity radar up to high to help uncover any facts that could influence a decision you might be preparing to make. Devote the weekend to family activities. VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) A state of confusion is soon cleared up with explanations from the responsible parties. Don’t waste time chastising anyone. Instead, move forward with your plans. LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) You might feel obligated to help work out a dispute between family members. But this is one of those times when you should step aside and let them work out their problems on their own. SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Your ability to resolve an on-the-job problem without leaving too many ruffled feathers earns you kudos from co-workers. You also impress major decision-makers at your workplace. SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Newly made and long-held friendships merge well, with possibly one exception. Take time to listen to the dissenter’s explanations. You could learn something important. CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Be prepared to be flexible about your current travel plans. Although you don’t have to take them, at least consider suggestions from the experts in the travel business. AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) A problem with a recent financial transaction could lead to more problems later on unless you resolve it immediately. Get all the proof you need to support your position. PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Daydreaming makes it difficult to stay focused on what you need to do. But reality sets in by midweek, and you manage to get everything done in time for a relaxing weekend. BORN THIS WEEK: Your ability to reach out to those in need of spiritual comfort makes you a much-revered, much-loved person in your community. (c) 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.
ForofAdvertising TIDBITS Kootenai County,Call Idaho(334) Issue #3505-0674 January 21st 2019 DONNA’S DAY: CREATIVE FAMILY FUN By Donna Erickson
Colorful Sun Catchers Brighten Winter Days Make colorful window decorations to brighten your child’s bedroom during gloomy winter days. When the glue has dried, these sun catchers will have the look of stained glass. Help your kids create a design of a character or object from their favorite books and stories. You’ll need: -- Plastic wrap -- Plastic or paper cups -- All-purpose, white household glue -- Food coloring -- Several thick, black pipe cleaners in 12-inch lengths -- Ribbon, string or cording Think about what kind of sun catcher you’d like to make, such as a star, heart or daisy. For your first project, make it as simple as possible. Use basic drawings from coloring books to get yours started, if you wish. As you get more proficient, make a shamrock for St. Patrick’s Day or a decorated egg for Easter. Bend and attach pipe cleaners together to get your desired shape, and then glue the shape completely flat onto a sheet of plastic wrap. Add details by gluing smaller lengths of pipe cleaner on the inside of the design, like a small circle for the center of a flower. (It is very important that pipe cleaners adhere to the plastic wrap.) Your design should look similar to the outlines on a coloring-book page. Let dry. Now it’s time to add the color. Pour 3-4 tablespoons of glue into a paper cup. Add 5-10 drops of food coloring, and stir. Mix glue and food coloring in additional cups if you wish to have a rainbow of colors. Pour the colored glue inside the pipe-cleaner shape. If you added details, pour different colors in the various sections. Let dry completely. (It usually takes about a day.) When dry, the colored glue will appear translucent. Carefully peel off the plastic wrap from the sun catcher and discard. Hang your beautiful design in a window using cording or ribbon. 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) 2019 Donna Erickson Distributed by King Features Synd.
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® of Idaho TIDBITS of Kootenai IssueCounty #3 January 21st 2019 TidbitsCounty, Dallas
Q&A with Susan Ashley, MD
Vitamin D Crisis
Any of you that know me knows that the one supplement I recommend, above all others, is vitamin D. If you have the money for only one thing, this should be it. Why? Well it turns out that everyone in the pacific NW is low in this vital nutrient. We simply don’t get enough sunshine. And in the summer, when the days are long and beautiful, we cover up with sunscreen, completely blocking all absorption. Vitamin D has so many benefits. It enhances your immunity to make you more resistant to colds and flu, reduces joint pain and inflammation, reduces risks of heart disease and cancers, especially prostate in men and breast cancer in women, is critical for bone health, helps control blood sugars in diabetes, and helps with energy. I can’t tell you how many times I’ve “cured” fatigue simply by starting the patient on vitamin D. Seniors are especially deficient, as the older we get, the less we make from the sun, and the less we absorb from our foods. Levels of vitamin D are important to know. “Normal” is 30 or above. While this may well be normal, it is not optimal. Vitamin D must be at least 40 to protect the bones from osteoporosis, and optimal levels are between 70-90. I often see levels below 20.
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When supplementing with D, it’s important to always take it with food that has a little fat, or oil for absorption. I take mine in the morning with my fish oil. The other important thing to know about D is that, to work optimally, it should be given with Magnesium- or Mg - this is a key mineral. So many of us are Mg deficient as well, I recommend taking it on a daily basis. Mg glycinate, lactate, aspartate or maleate are well absorbed; Mg oxide or citrate are not well absorbed and cause diarrhea. The interesting thing about Mg is that it can raise or lower vitamin D levels. While this seems odd, what is happening is that Mg is helping to optimize vitamin D levels. In other words, if you need more vitamin D in your system, Mg will boost it. If you need less, it will lower it. It’s like magic! The most common symptom of Mg deficiency is muscle cramps - those awful Charlie horses we get in our calves at night. If you have those, you need Mg. Eat dark leafy greens to increase Mg intake, but this is frequently not enough. I recommend supplementing between 200-600mg a day, and often say to take it at night to help with relaxation and help with sleep. For a rapid increase in Mg, we offer IV nutritionals with a Myers cocktail - this will raise your levels quickly. So, for optimal health, take your vitamin D and Mg daily. Most adults need between 5000 10,000 IU of D in the winter, and half that in the summer.
Dr Ashley is board certified in Family Medicine and in Anti-Aging and Regenerative Medicine. She provides a mix of traditional with alternative medicine and specializes in bio-identical hormones for both men and women.
For ofAdvertising Call (334) 505-0674 TIDBITS Kootenai County, Idaho Issue #3 January 21st 2019
1. GAMES: How much do you have to pay if you land on the “Income Tax” space in Monopoly? 2. LANGUAGE: What does the Greek prefix “poly” mean in English? 3. GEOGRAPHY: What is the capital of the island of Fiji? 4. FOOD & DRINK: What is the substance in chili peppers that makes the tongue burn? 5. SCIENCE: What does the acronym DNA stand for? 6. MATH: What is the top number of a fraction called? 7. U.S. PRESIDENTS: What was the Secret Service code word for first lady Michelle Obama? 8. LAW: What is the 10th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution about? 9. ANATOMY: What is the rarest blood type in human beings? 10. MUSIC: The film “Rhapsody in Blue” was about the life of which composer? Answers 1. 10 percent of your assets or $200 2. Many 3. Suva 4. Capcaicin 5. Deoxyribonucleic Acid 6. The numerator 7. Renaissance 8. Rights retained by the states 9. AB negative (less than 1 percent) 10. George Gershwin
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® ofIdaho TIDBITS of Kootenai County, Issue County #3 January 21st 2019 Tidbits Dallas
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REMARKABLE PEOPLE: NICK VUJICIC How does a person born with no limbs rise above such a disability? Nick Vujicic has done just that! Tidbits has the story on this remarkable individual. • In December of 1982, Nick was born to Serbian parents living in Australia, where they emigrated from Yugoslavia. Although there had been no abnormalities detected in three sonograms, Nick was born with tetra-amelia syndrome, a rare disorder characterized by the absence or deformity of all four limbs. At first, his mother refused to hold him or even look at him, but she and her husband eventually accepted Nick. • Tetra-amelia syndrome is caused by a mutation in the WNT3 gene, the one involved in formation of limbs and other body systems. Mutations prevent cells from producing WNT3 protein, which leads to birth defects. There are seven known individuals on Earth living with this syndrome. • Nick was born with no arms, but with two very small, deformed feet, one of which he refers to as his “chicken drumstick” because of its shape. The toes of that foot were fused, and surgery was performed to separate the toes to enable him to use them as fingers that can grab objects, turn pages, and operate a cell phone, computer, and electric wheelchair. • At the tender age of 10, having been severely bullied, and feeling no purpose for his life, in the depths of struggling with depression, Nick attempted suicide. At age 17, he happened onto an article about a severely disabled man who refused to allow physical disabilities to rule his life. From that moment forward, Nick stopped looking at everything he lacked, focusing on what he could do with his life.
TIDBITS of Kootenai County, Call Idaho Issue #3 505-0674 January 21st 2019 For Advertising (334) NICK VUJICIC (continued): • Trusting God with his life, Nick credits his victory over his lack of purpose, his depression, and loneliness to his faith in God. While enrolled in Australia’s Griffith University, at age 19 he had his first motivational speaking engagement. Two years later he graduated from the university with a Bachelor of Commerce, with a double major in accounting and financial planning. •At 23, Nick founded an international nonprofit organization called Life Without Limbs, focused on ministry and evangelism. Two years later, in 2007, he established his motivational speaking company Attitude is Altitude, through which he has traveled to more than 60 countries delivering inspirational lectures to more than six million people. • Nick hasn’t let his disability get him down – he enjoys hobbies of fishing, painting, and swimming. In 2010, he released his first book Life Without Limits, which has been translated into over 30 languages, and he has since written seven more, including Stand Strong and Love Without Limits. He’s an actor, having starred in the short film The Butterfly Circus in 2010, and received the Best Actor in a Short Film award at the Method Fest Independent Film Festival. He’s a musician, releasing a single and music video in 2011. • In 2012, Nick married Mexico native Kanae Miyahara, a young woman who had attended one of his speeches. They now have two sons and a set of identical twin daughters. • “If God can use a man without arms and legs to be His hands and feet, then He will certainly use any willing heart .” – Nick Vuicic
A Resolution to Live By DEAR PAW’S CORNER: I chuckled while reading your recent column, because I remember a New Year’s resolution I made: I resolved to never tell any critter that enters our yard to go home! Three years ago I spotted a cat in our back yard. I yelled at it, “Go home! I don’t need you here.” It ran off, but one winter morning, I opened my front door to find the same cat laying on our porch. He was so skinny, and he wasn’t moving until I got close, when he tried to run off. Luckily, my service dog “Ehra” ran after him and caught him, gently picked him up by the scruff of his neck and took him to her dog house out back. Ehra curled up next to the cat to keep him warm. It took over two years for “Tiger” to trust me enough to let me pet him. Now, he won’t leave my side. Last week, another feral cat appeared in my back yard. I made my latest New Year’s resolution when I saw it: I’ll do my best to care for this cat, and hopefully convince it to stay on our property, even if it never becomes truly tame. Tiger is a constant reminder of what I have to do to help all animals. One more thing: People need to spay and neuter their pets. My “lottery dream” is to buy mobile spay/neuter vehicles for every county, state and even other countries. But it’s just a dream, for now. -- Dee in New York DEAR DEE: What an awesome resolution, and perfect advice to pet owners. The homeless pet population is huge. Owners can directly impact these numbers by getting their pets fixed. Send your tips, comments or questions to ask@ pawscorner.com. (c) 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.
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® of Idaho TIDBITS of Kootenai County, IssueCounty #3 January 21st 2019 Tidbits Dallas
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THE FLYING DUTCHMAN The legend of The Flying Dutchman has been around for centuries. Follow along as Tidbits looks into this mysterious ship. • Back in 1641, a Dutchman named Hendrick van der Decken was a captain employed by the Dutch East India Company, in charge of a trade ship bringing spices, silks, and dyes to Holland from the Far East. The journey required a passage around the Cape of Good Hope on the southern tip of Africa, often called the Cape of Storms, a dangerous trip filled with huge crashing waves and vicious howling winds. • A horrendous storm sprung up, and, against the urgings of his crew, van der Decken ordered the men to continue the journey. Because of his arrogant determination, the ship and all its crew was lost, and legend has it that as the ship was sinking, van der Decken screamed that he would sail around the Cape, even if it took until Doomsday to accomplish it. As a result, van der Decken was cursed, “condemned to sail the oceans for eternity with a ghostly crew of dead men, bringing death to all who sight your spectral ship and to never make port or know a moment’s peace.” • Van der Decken was given the name the Flying Dutchman, as he sailed his glowing, ghostly ship around the globe. Legend claims that the Dutchman has led ships astray for centuries, causing them to crash on rocks and reefs. Sailors have claimed that when a violent storm is threatening off the Cape of Good Hope, they’ve caught a glimpse of the Captain and his skeletal crew. However, gazing upon the Dutchman brings a promise of a grisly death. According to lore, the ghost ship appears suddenly, then vanishes.
TIDBITS of Kootenai County, Idaho Issue #3 January 21st 2019
VA Suspends Changes to Caregiver Program
The Department of Veterans Affairs recently asked for public comment about proposed changes to the Family Caregiver program, and many of you must have replied because it has now issued a press release. Officials declared a moratorium on its practice of discharging or decreasing caregivers, citing the “inconsistent application of eligibility requirements by VA medical centers.” Meanwhile, the VA will continue processing applications for caregivers based on current eligibility criteria. Since 2011, the caregiver program has assisted more 38,000 family members, mostly wives and mothers, who receive a monthly stipend ranging from $600 to $2,600, depending on what assistance the veteran needs and where they live. Are you eligible for caregiver services? You might qualify if you have a serious injury (for example, loss of limbs, psychological trauma, mental disorder, traumatic brain injury) suffered in the line of duty and you need personal care for one or more activities of daily living. Currently the eligibility date is injury on or after Sept. 11, 2001. The proposed changes to the caregiver program would take place over two years. The clock starts when the VA proves to Congress that it has implemented the required information technology system upgrades. Changes also include expanding the caregiver program to include veterans from World War II, Korea and the Vietnam era. A new addition to the program will include veterans who need regular or extensive instruction or supervision to be able to function in daily life. Another proposal would expand services for financial planning and legal services for injured veterans and their caregivers. Go online to www.caregiver.va.gov and click around to find more information and to download an application. You also can learn about qualifying as a caregiver. Each veteran can have one primary and two secondary caregivers as backup.
THE FLYING DUTCHMAN (continued): • It wasn’t until 1795 that the first written reference was made to a ghostly ship referred to by sailors as the Flying Dutchman. • In 1843, German composer Richard Wagner put the legend to music with his opera, The Flying Dutchman. In the opera, the Dutchman was cursed to sail the high seas until he could find a woman who would love him until death. Every seven years, the ship is cast upon the shore, and the captain is given the chance to find his love and be released from the curse . • Another version of The Dutchman declares that Davy Jones is the captain of the ghost ship, a craft given to him by his love, the sea goddess Calypso. The goddess gave Jones the task of guiding the souls of those who died at sea into the afterlife. Every ten years, Jones would be allowed to come ashore to look for Calypso. However, each time he came to shore, she couldn’t be found. After several disappointments, legend has it that he carved out his own heart and locked it in the Dead Man’s Chest. He forsook his duty, and instead unleashed his heartbreak and bitterness on sailors lost at sea, making them part of his crew for eternity, condemned to never utter a word again. • The Flying Dutchman makes its first appearance in the Disney Pirates of the Caribbean film series in 2006 in Dead Man’s Chest. Pirate Jack Sparrow’s crew is finally freed from its curse in the fifth installment, Dead Men Tell No Tales.
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FIND YOUR ROOTS AND
family tree. Family research, family trees, pedigree charts, living relative look-ups, family history books and posters. Digital documentation included. Samples available upon request. 20% off any research service. John Donovan, Genealogist MBA, 509-251-0921, Post Falls,
johndonovan1@aol.com DonovantheGenealogist.com
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TIDBITS of Kootenai County, Idaho Issue #18 April 30th 2018
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TIDBITS of Kootenai County, Idaho Issue #18 April 30th 2018
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TIDBITS of Kootenai County, Idaho Issue #1 January 7thy 2019
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TIDBITS of Kootenai County, Idaho Issue #3 January 21st 2019
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UNIVERSITY OF UTAH RESEARCHERS: ALZHEIMER’S PATIENTS CAN BENEFIT FROM FAMILIAR MUSIC
SENIOR NEWS LINE By Matilda Charles
Should You Join a Gym? Did you sign up for a gym membership as a way to fulfill your New Year’s resolution to get fit? If so, good for you. If not, also good for you. A gym membership is only as good as your determination to use it, and there are many reasons not to sign up. At the first of the year you’ll be one of many who joined, and the gym might be crowded. If you get on a schedule of going on certain days, something likely will come up to break your routine, possibly bad weather. If you’ve signed a contract, that money is coming out of your account every month no matter what. You’ll likely need to drive to the gym, and you might feel like you need to buy workout clothes or a gym bag. On the other hand, if you’re determined to exercise and don’t want to spend money on a gym membership that you might not use, there are ways to work out at home. Check YouTube on the Internet. Sample types of exercise you’ve never tried. Yoga comes in many varieties. Tai chi and qi gong are similar but not the same. Look for workouts with hand weights or seated exercises. Google “seniors exercising at home” for ideas. Opt to have a few pieces of equipment at home and alternate days with walking, either outdoors or at an indoor facility like a mall on days when you need to run errands anyway. Ask your doctor to suggest a few pieces of equipment. Working out at home is free, private, with no waiting for equipment and no driving to the gym. If you still want to join a gym, wait a few months. Most of the people who signed up as a resolution will be gone. (c) 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.
SALT LAKE CITY — MRI scans of patients who have Alzheimer’s disease show that playing songs with personal meaning to them activates parts of their brain that still have a semblance of memory retention, researchers at University of Utah Health say. “No one says playing music will be a cure for Alzheimer’s disease, but it might make the symptoms more manageable, decrease the cost of care and improve a patient’s quality of life,” said Dr. Jeff Anderson, a professor of radiology and imaging sciences at the U., in a prepared statement. U. researchers recently carried out a study on the topic of music therapy for such patients, beginning by spending three weeks to help “participants select meaningful songs and trained the patient and caregiver on how to use a portable media player loaded with the self-selected collection of music,” explained Stacy Kish, science writer for University of Utah Health. Kish said in a release that researchers “scanned the patients to image the regions of the brain that lit up” each time they listened to one of eight 20-second clips from their music collection, comparing them to brain activity shown during eight different clips of the same music played backward and eight 20-second “blocks of silence.” “The researchers found that music activates the brain, causing whole regions to communicate. By listening to the personal soundtrack, the (brain’s) visual network, the salience network, the executive network and the cerebellar and cortico-cerebellar network pairs all showed significantly higher functional connectivity,” Kish wrote. Dr. Norman Foster, senior author of the study and director of the Center for Alzheimer’s Care at University of Utah Health, said the resultant findings are “objective evidence from brain imaging” showing that “personally meaningful music is an alternative route for communicating with patients who have Alzheimer’s disease.” “Language and visual memory pathways are damaged early as the disease progresses, but personalized music programs can activate the brain, especially for patients who are losing contact with their environment,” Foster said in a prepared statement. Of particular interest in music’s effect on an Alzheimer’s patient’s brain, Kish said, is how it interacts specifically with the region called the salience network, which she said “remains an island of remembrance that is spared from the ravages of Alzheimer’s disease.” Additionally, “activation of neighboring regions of the brain may also offer opportunities to delay the continued decline caused by the disease,” according to Kish. Prior studies have explored how a personalized music program affects patients’ moods, and the results have been encouraging, but generally “people don’t really know why,” Anderson, contributing author on the study, told the Deseret News. He said that is why it is helpful to explore specifically the ways activity increases in the brain as a result of the music. Dr. Jeff Anderson, a professor of radiology and imaging sciences at the University of Utah, preps an MRI scanner at the Imaging and Neurosciences Center in Salt Lake City on Friday, Dec. 28, 2018. U. researchers found MRI scans of patients who have Alzheimer’s disease show that playing songs with personal meaning to them activates parts of their brain that still have a semblance of memory retention. (Photo: Jeffrey D. Allred, KSL) Kish said the findings could have implications for how medical professionals “approach anxiety, depression and agitation in patients with dementia” — a broader term for conditions affecting a person’s memory. Anderson agreed, adding, “when you have somebody that’s really impaired, small gains can be really meaningful.” While the new study focused on examining Alzheimer’s patients specifically, Anderson said, he doesn’t “necessarily have a lot of reasons to believe that most other dementia syndromes … (would) not behave similarly” in response to music. “When you put headphones … and play familiar music, they come alive,” said Jace King, a graduate student researcher and first author of the study. “Music is like an anchor, grounding the patient back in reality.” The study has limitations, among them a small sample size of 17 patients and the fact that each of them were subjected to just one imaging session, Kish said. Anderson added that more research is needed to help answer the questions of “how long does the effect last” and “exactly what type of symptoms it is most helpful for.” The study, first published in The Journal of Prevention of Alzheimer’s Disease in April, was carried out with the help of researchers from Jewish Family Services of Utah, University of Colorado, and Massachusetts General Hospital. It was funded with financial support from A. Scott Anderson, Zions Banks president/CEO and philanthropist, as well as the American Otological Society. (By Ben Lockhart, KSL|Posted - Dec 29th, 2018 @ 12:05pm) Contact Linda Davis, 208-755-3637 for a tour when the time is right for your loved one and for your family.
Linda Davis Director of building relationships. 208.457.3403 www.LodgeLiving.net
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TIDBITS of Kootenai County, Idaho Issue #3 January 21st 2019
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TIDBITS of Kootenai County, Idaho Issue #3 January 21st 2019
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TIDBITS of Kootenai County, Idaho Issue #3 January 21st 2019
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TIDBITS of Kootenai County, Idaho Issue #3 January 21st 2019
By Mick Harper 1. “Happiness Is a Warm Gun” debuted on which Beatles album? 2. What English singer released “You Don’t Have to Say You Love Me” in 1966? 3. Who released “Conquistador” on their debut album? 4. “Cosmo’s Factory” was the fifth album for which band? 5. Name the song that contains this lyric: “There is none so blind as he who will not see, We must not close our minds, We must let our thoughts be free.” Answers 1. “The Beatles,” aka The White Album in 1968. The working album title had been “A Doll’s House.” Most of the songs on the album were written during the time they spent with a yogi in India learning Transcendental Meditation. 2. Dusty Springfield. The original song was Italian, which she heard on a trip to Italy and had rewritten. It took 47 takes before she was happy with it. 3. Procol Harum, in 1967. A live version was released as a single in 1972 and reached No. 16 on the Billboard Hot 100. 4. Creedence Clearwater Revival, in 1970. The title comes from the name of a warehouse where they practiced. 5. “Everything Is Beautiful,” by Ray Stevens in 1970. The song topped charts around the world and even snagged a pair of Grammys. (c) 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.
TOP TEN MOVIES 1. Aquaman (PG-13) Jason Momoa, Amber Heard 2. Mary Poppins Returns (PG) Emily Blunt, Lin-Manuel Miranda 3. Escape Room (PG-13) Deborah Ann Woll, Taylor Russell 4. Spider-Man: Into the Spider-Verse (PG) animated 5. Bumblebee (PG-13) Hailee Steinfeld, Jorge Lendeborg Jr. 6. The Mule (R) Clint Eastwood, Bradley Cooper 7. Vice (R) Christian Bale, Amy Adams 8. Second Act (PG-13) Jennifer Lopez, Vanessa Hudgens 9. Ralph Breaks the Internet (PG) animated 10. Holmes & Watson (PG-13) Will Ferrell, John C. Reilly (c) 2019 King Features Synd., Inc.
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* On Feb. 1, 1887, Harvey Wilcox officially registers “Hollywood” with the Los Angeles County recorder’s office. Wilcox and his wife bought 160 acres of land in the foothills west of Los Angeles. They envisioned it as the perfect site for a utopian-like community for devout Christians, where they could live a highly moral life free of vices such as alcohol.
SPORTS QUIZ By Chris Richcreek 1. Which teams hold the major-league record for most hits in a nine-inning game? 2. When was the last time before 2017 that the Houston Astros won a division championship? 3. Dallas’ Dak Prescott set a rookie NFL record in 2016 for highest completion rate (67.8 percent). Who had held the rookie mark? 4. Which original member of the ACC has never won the conference’s men’s basketball tournament? 5. John Bucyk (545 goals) and Phil Esposito are the top career goal scorers in Boston Bruins history. Who is No. 3? 6. Which is the only host country to be eliminated from the Group Stage in men’s World Cup soccer history? 7. When was the last time before 2017 that Maryland won the NCAA men’s lacrosse championship?
Answers 1. The 1901 New York Giants and the 1992 Milwaukee Brewers, with 31 hits each. 2. The Astros won the N.L. Central in 2001. 3. Pittsburgh’s Ben Roethlisberger, who had a 66.4 percent completion rate in 2004. 4. Clemson. 5. Rick Middleton, with 402 goals. 6. South Africa, in 2010. 7. It was 1975. (c) 2019 King Features Syndicate, Inc.
* On Jan. 29, 1936, the Baseball Hall of Fame elects its first members in Cooperstown, New York: Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Matthewson and Walter Johnson. * On Jan. 31, 1950, President Harry Truman announces his decision to support development of the hydrogen bomb. On Nov. 1, 1952, the United States successfully detonated “Mike,” the world’s first hydrogen bomb, on the Elugelab Atoll in the Pacific Marshall Islands. * On Feb. 3, 1966, the Soviet Union makes the first controlled landing on the moon, when its unmanned spacecraft Lunik 9 touches down on the Ocean of Storms. After a soft landing, it began transmitting images back to Earth. * On Feb. 2, 1970, antiwar protestors file suit against the Dow Chemical Company in a Washington, D.C., court in an attempt to prove that it is still making napalm, a jelly-like gasoline used in bombs during the Vietnam War. Dow had lost its government contract to produce napalm in June 1969. * On Jan. 28, 1986, the space shuttle Challenger lifts off from Cape Canaveral, Florida, with seven crewmembers aboard. Seventy-three seconds later, the shuttle broke up in a forking plume of smoke and fire. There were no survivors. * On Jan. 30, 1994, American speed skater Dan Jansen sets a new world record of 35.76 at the World Sprint Championships in Calgary, Alberta, Canada. Jansen would win Olympic gold three weeks later in final race of his career, the 1,000-meter event in Lillehammer, Norway. (c) 2019 Hearst Communications, Inc. All Rights Reserved
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TIDBITS of Kootenai County, Idaho Issue #38 September 17th 2018
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