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A Minnesota Minnesota Mosquito Minute Minute Mosquitoes might be one of the worst things about summer — not only do they bite, causing terrible itches and irritations, but also these pests carry all kinds of diseases. While a lot of us see mosquitoes as a ubiquitous sign of summer, these buzzing bugs do more than just riddle us with swollen itchy bites; they carry a deadly potential to millions around the world. According to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention, there are more than 3,500 different species of mosquitoes, but only around three of those species are responsible for spreading diseases among humans. The tiny pests kill more than 725,000 people every year according to the World Health Organization. That’s almost twice as much as our next deadliest foe, ourselves, earning them the title of the deadliest animal in the world, according to a ranking from Gates Notes. “Far and away the worst of those is malaria. Malaria kills an estimated 625,000 people a year.” It is one of the top three killers of kids worldwide.” What are the worst places in the world for mosquito infested picnics? Mosquitoes are widespread and prefer to live in warm, humid tropical regions. They have spread across the world mainly by humans where they inhabit objects or water-filled containers like tyres or cut flowers which are transported by sea, vehicles, trains or aircraft. Mosquitoes have no respect for international borders and a mosquito borne disease can be spread quickly from human to human, causing major outbreaks. Dengue Fever affects the whole of the Americas, Asia and Africa and is the most rapidly spreading mosquito-borne tropical disease. Between 50100 million people contract the virus every year and the numbers are growing. The virus is not usually fatal, but it is the leading cause of death for children in Latin America and Asia. Contrary to Minnesota's claim that the mosquito should be the state bird it could be a lot worse. Brazil, Indonesia, Malaysia and Thailand are believed to have the highest numbers of mosquito species with Australia, Indonesia, Philippines and Brazil recorded as having the highest number of endemic species. However, it is the whole of Africa, South America and Asia where most of the mosquito-borne diseases occur. In Africa, in rural villages with poor drainage or highly polluted zones, mosquitoes are widespread and difficult to control. . Today, 90% of all malaria deaths in the world occur in Africa, south of the Sahara. So we might wonder, what if we eradicated mosquitoes... how many are there? It's always possible to estimate something like this so, of course, the question becomes how accurately can you estimate it. One approach that works well in this type of situation is to use "Fermi Estimation," where you take some values that are more easily estimated and you come up with something that shouldn't be off by more than an order of magnitude or two. Let's assume that mosquitoes inhabit all land between 70 degrees North and 70 degrees South. The total land area of the earth is about 57 million square miles, so we'll bump that down to 50 million square miles of land habitable to mosquitoes (probably an overestimate, but a good ballpark). Next, one would have to estimate how many mosquitoes inhabit each square mile on average. Some areas of the world the mosquito density is upwards of 1 mosquito per 2-3 square feet, but I think that's a gross overestimate of the world as an average. Deserts, for example, likely have a relatively low mosquito population density. We'll make a rough guess of 1 mosquito per 50 square feet on average; naturally, this number will vary greatly by area and time of year, but we're looking for a rough estimate here. Someone with more relevant knowledge of mosquito population density could likely

give a much better estimate but at least we have a methodology. At this point it's just a matter of multiplying the two numbers and fixing the units. 50 mosquitoes/ft2 * 50,000,000 mi2 = 7 * 1016 , or 70,000,000,000,000,000, which is 70 quadrillion. Here's the number next to the human population for size comparison: 70,000,000,000,000,000 mosquitoes 7,000,000,000 humans This rough estimate would have mosquitoes out numbering humans 10 million to one, or about 25 kg of mosquitoes per person. This may be considerably high but, even so, with this estimate I suppose we're winning at least on the mass side. If you can find a better value for typical mosquito population density, then you may come up with a much better global population. Either way though, this estimate is probably not off by more than 3 or 4 orders of magnitude. Admittedly, that is a lot, but you can be confident that the actual value is somewhere in the trillions to quintillions range. We may have the weapons to eradicate mosquitoes, but, if we waged a full-out war against them, we might suffer serious consequences. “If we try to eradicate utilizing pesticides for instance, the damage to the environment would be far too great.” Using “Habitat modification, you'd have to clear forests and you'd essentially have created a desert. If you introduced a lot of predators, say the fish, dragon flies – yes, they'll probably take care of your problem, then they're probably going to start taking care of each other and other things you don't want them to take care of.” What are we left with? Genetic modification may be the safest route in ridding ourselves of mosquitoes. Oxitec has been working for more than a decade in eradicating dengue fever mosquitoes through genetic modification. “We insert a gene that makes them sterile. So, effectively what we do is, we put out into the environment males of the species, because males don't bite you or spread disease,” said Parry. “They go out and mate with the fertile females and the offspring then die. We can reduce the mosquito population of that one species in a town by over 90 percent.” Ultimately, for the foreseeable future, they are here to stay and some contend that while the mosquito, fleas and other insects help to spread disease, they also are keeping the human population in check. Kind of the guns, germs, and steel plaque thing. So who gets bit more, or less? Joseph Conlon, Ph.D., a medical entomologist who serves as the technical adviser to the American Mosquito Patrol Association, told weather.com. "All kinds of lore exist on what makes some people more "tasty" to mosquitoes, and what keeps these tiny terrors away. But there might be more myths than facts buzzing around." Potassium and saturated fat have anecdotally been linked to mosquito bites. Mosquitoes love people who produce a lot of certain acids, such as uric acid. High uric acid foods include meat and saturated fat. But, Conlon said, there have been no randomized controlled trials — the gold standard of scientific research — to show that any one food attracts mosquitoes to humans better than another. "The short answer is, there's nothing we know of that you can eat that can make you more attractive [to mosquitoes]," he said. "There's been some preliminary data out of Japan and The Philippines that drinking beer might make you more attractive to mosquitoes," Researchers suspect it's because drinking beer increases the ethanol in your sweat, and ups your body temperature, though these factors have not been found to increase mosquito bites independently. Other types of alcohol may cause mosquitoes to bite as well. Some people really are more attractive to these pests — but, unfortunately for them, it's mostly in their genes. For example, some bodies naturally emit more uric acid and other substances mosquitoes like. Other people naturally have a particular type of skin bacteria that makes them more attractive to insects.

"This also might be why mosquitoes are especially prone to biting our ankles and feet—they naturally have more robust bacteria colonies." One study found that mosquitoes prefer people with a Type O blood type, but Conlon emphasized that this has not been shown through any randomized trials. "There's a lot of poor science out there," he cautioned. Some have suggested that people with diabetes are more attractive to mosquitoes because of the sugar levels in their blood. But, because mosquitoes bite humans for protein, not sugar, Conlon doesn't think this theory holds up and says "Sugar emanations in your breath may theoretically attract mosquitoes, but that has not been demonstrated." One of the ways mosquitoes locate their human targets is through carbon dioxide. So individuals who exhale more gas overtime may be more likely to receive a bite, could be one reason why adults are bitten more than children. Myth: Both male and female mosquitoes bite. Fact: Only the female mosquito bites. She uses the protein from the blood she takes to develop her eggs. The male mosquito feeds on nectar from flowers. Myth: All mosquitoes carry diseases. Fact: Only fresh water species of mosquitoes pose a potential health risk to humans in Collier County. Myth: The mosquito dies after she takes a blood meal. Fact: Mosquitoes are capable of biting more than once. After the female mosquito takes a blood meal she completes the development of her eggs and may deposit up to 200 eggs. She may then seek another blood meal. Myth: Mosquitoes are capable of transmitting AIDS. Fact: No. There is no scientific evidence to support the theory that mosquitoes can transmit AIDS. Myth: Only the female mosquito makes a buzzing sound. Fact: The buzzing sound that you hear is made by the beating of the mosquitoes wings. The wings of both males and females make a buzzing sound. Females make a higher pitched sound than males. Most people never hear the male mosquito because it doesn’t bite. Myth: Bats and Purple Martins are very effective at controlling mosquito populations. Fact: Bats and Purple Martins are indiscriminate feeders and will eat any sort of insect that flies by. They don’t concentrate on mosquitoes and very rarely have any substantial effect on mosquito populations. Myth: Bug zappers effectively control mosquitoes. Fact: Bug zappers kill many kinds of insects, including moths and beetles. Mosquitoes make up a very small percentage of the insects that are killed by bug zappers. Bug zappers do more harm than good. Here are some Home Made repellants. "No guarantee, make and use them at your own risk" Lavender Vanilla Mosquito Repellent Ingredients: 15 drops of lavender essential oil, 3-4 Tbsp of vanilla extract, 1/4 cup lemon juice, Distilled water. Directions: Pour first 3 ingredients into a spray bottle, finish filling bottle with distilled water, shake to combine ingredients, spray on skin or clothing. Mosquito and Tick Repellent Ingredients: 6 oz witch hazel, 2 oz castor oil, 5 drops cinnamon oil, 15 drops eucalyptus oil, 15 drops citronella oil. Directions: Combine all ingredients in spray bottle, Be sure to shake well before each application. Organic Insect Repellent Ingredients: 5 ml Neem Oil, 2 ml liquid soap (organic), 1L Distilled Water. Directions: Pour water into spray bottle, add Neem Oil and liquid soap, shake and apply directly to exposed skin. You could also just rub lavender flowers on your skin and clothes, or apply vanilla extract to your pulse points. Both methods, along with the recipes above, are great ways to beat the bite of bugs this summer! As far as spray bottles goes, an amber colored glass 16 oz spray bottle will provide UV protection to keep the ingredients from becoming denatured and losing their potency. May your aim and slap be true, have a great Summer!

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However, it would not be until 1980 that 16,000 women who had joined the early WACs would receive veterans’ benefits. ▲ On May 9, 1671, in London, Thomas Blood, an Irish adventurer known as “Captain Blood,” is captured trying to steal the Crown Jewels from the Tower of London. King Charles was so impressed that he made Blood a member of his court with an annual pension. ▲ On May 11, 1934, a massive storm sends 350 million tons of topsoil flying across the parched Great Plains as far east as New York. Even ships some 300 miles offshore saw dust collect on their decks.

▲ On May 13, 1985, in Philadelphia, police drop a small bomb on the roof of a row house on Osage Avenue in an attempt to end a standoff with the radical cult group MOVE. The explosion sparked a fire that killed 11 people and burned down 61 homes.

market, any oysters whatsoever” between May and September. This regulation was one of many passed in the early days of America to help preserve certain species.

▲ On May 20, 1873, San Francisco businessman Levi Strauss and Reno, Nevada, tailor Jacob Davis are given a patent to create work pants reinforced with metal rivets, marking the birth of one of the world’s most famous garments: blue jeans. They were ▲ On May 14, 1999, President Bill originally called “waist overalls.” Clinton apologizes directly to Chinese President Jiang Zemin on the phone for ▲ On May 21, 1881, humanitarians the accidental NATO bombing of the Clara Barton and Adolphus Solomons Chinese embassy in Yugoslavia. The found the American National Red Cross Chinese president had refused to accept to provide humanitarian aid to victims of a phone call from Clinton for four days. wars and natural disasters.

Selective Service Act, giving the U.S. president the power to draft soldiers. Within months, some 10 million men had registered. ▲ On May 16, 1929, the first-ever Academy Awards ceremony is held. Some 270 people attended, and tickets cost $5 each. After dinner, complete with numerous speeches, actor Douglas Fairbanks handed out 15 awards in a five-minute ceremony. ▲ On May 17, 1965, after a two-year investigation, the FBI declares the supposedly pornographic lyrics of “Louie Louie” to be officially unintelligible. Agents had purchased numerous versions of “Louie Louie” played and re-played the song at different speeds in their laboratory.

▲ On May 15, 1942, legislation creating ▲ On May 19, 1715, the colony of New ▲ On May 18, 1917, six weeks after the the Women’s Army Corps becomes law, York passes a law making it illegal to United States formally entered the First (c) 2016 King Features Synd., Inc. granting women official military status. “gather, rake, take up, or bring to the World War, the U.S Congress passes the

^hEͲ D ' ^</E͍ ZKh',͕ Z ^WKd^ d/E/ < Z dK^ ^͍​͍ Minnesota Clinical Study Center is evaluating an investigational topical medication for patients with Actinic Keratosis We need research study participants who: Are 18 years or older Have AK spots on the face or balding scalp Qualified research study participants will receive: Study related examinations by a Board Certified Dermatologist and investigational medication at no charge Compensation for time and travel If you are interested, please call today to find out more.

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• In 1971, engineers Nolan Bushnell and Ted Dabney created “Computer Space,” the first arcade game. The following year they founded Atari, and released the legendary arcade game “Pong.” Bushnell sold Atari to Warner Communications in 1976 for $28 million and remained employed as president of the company. By 1982, the company was experiencing $1.3 billion in annual sales and was the fastest-growing company in the history of American business. The Atari 2000 was introduced in 1977, a game system that incorporated joysticks, interchangeable cartridges, color graphics, and different settings for difficulty. • Before long, Atari wasn’t the only game in town. In 1979, Mattel debuted their game system Intellivision, an improvement over the Atari 2000, and experienced sales of three million units. • In July of 1980, a Japanese company, Namco, released the arcade game PacMan. It was designed by Toru Iwatani, supposedly while eating pizza. The player guides Pac-Man through a maze as he eats dots while pursued by four enemy “ghosts,” Blinky, Pinky, Inky, and Clyde. One of the highest-grossing video games of all time, it was followed by Ms. Pac-Man in 1982. • Nintendo acquired the rights to

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distribute the Magnavox Odyssey in 1974, the first home video game console, a system with 12 games. In 1981, the company released the first of its many successful games, “Donkey Kong,” featuring a carpenter named Jumpman. It was the world’s first look at the character who would later be called Mario, with a new occupation, that of plumber. “Donkey Kong” was the first game to have four levels. • In 1983, Atari suffered losses of $533 million, and the company was sectioned off and sold to three different buyers. • A 29-year-old Russian mathematician named Alexey Pajitnov released the puzzle game “Tetris” in 1984, featuring “Tetriminos,” geometric game pieces made up of four square blocks each. As the puzzle pieces fit together, lines are cleared, and when four lines are cleared, the player achieves a “Tetris.” The name comes from the ancient Greek word tetra, meaning “four.” • Nintendo released its game system in 1985, as well as the wildly successful “Super Mario Brothers” game. Another huge success, “The Legend of Zelda” came along in 1987. In 1989, the company introduced the hand-held video game device, the Game Boy. • Sega took a chunk out of Nintendo’s profits when they introduced their system, Sega Genesis, in 1989, with sales of nearly 31 million units, and their

Steven Kempers, M.D.

famous character Sonic the Hedgehog in 1991. Another competitor entered the scene in 1995 when Sony debuted their first PlayStation. Nintendo rebounded the following year with the Nintendo 64 system, and Sega followed up in 1999 with their Dreamcast console. • Microsoft unveiled their X-Box system in 2001, launching it with the new game “Halo.” Sony quickly answered with the PlayStation 2 the next year, the first game console to use DVD technology. PlayStation 2 is the bestselling home game console to date, with over 155 million units sold, while their latest upgrade, PlayStation 4, released in 2013, is the fastest-selling in history, with sales of one million consoles in the first 24 hours. • Anyone could become a musician like Jimi Hendrix with the introduction of “Guitar Hero” in 2005. With its guitarshaped controller, resembling a miniature Gibson SG, the player presses buttons on the controller keeping in time with the music notes on the screen. • Although Guitar Hero was enormously successful, (with sales of $1 billion in its first week), it had trouble keeping producers and developers, and the franchise shut down in 2011. • There are several negative aspects of playing video games, including tendonitis in the hands and wrists, backaches, carpal tunnel syndrome, the promotion of

sedentary behavior, and social isolation. Violent games have been linked to aggressive behavior and desensitization to violence. Gaming marathons have even resulted in deaths, including recently when a 38-year-old man died after playing non-stop for five days, and another 32-year-old who suffered a heart attack and died after playing for three days straight without stopping. • Video games also have some positive benefits. Studies indicate that they improve hand-eye coordination, motor skills, and spatial reasoning skills. Playing also contributes to the ability to multi-task and make quick decisions, since most games require fast reactions. Brain scans have shown improved concentration and pattern recognition. Favorable results have been achieved in helping people with autism and with improving memory in those with dementia. • Who plays video games in America? More than 150 million Americans play on a regular basis, about two-thirds of American households. Four out of five U.S. households own a device that is used to play video games, with at least two gamers per household. Fifty-one percent of U.S. homes have a dedicated game console. The average age is 35, with 60% males and 40% female, with 42% of Americans playng three hours or more per week. Thirty-five percent of players use their Smartphone to play.

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Volunteer for a Psoriasis Study

People ages 18 years and older are being asked to take part in a clinical research study using an investigational topical medication This study is being conducted at the Minnesota Clinical Study Center located in Fridley, MN.

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For more information , please call • The homing pigeon is an ordinary sort of domestic pigeon derived from the common rock pigeon and trained to return home from long distances away. There is no real difference between a homing pigeon and a carrier pigeon aside from the amount of training it has received. • Chinese officials began using homing pigeons to transmit messages as early as 500 B.C. In the 1200s, Kublai Khan set up a network of pigeons that linked the entire Chinese empire. The system survived for over 600 years. • Caliph Aziz of Cairo had a passion for cherrries. In 980 A.D. he sent huge shipments of homing pigeons to the cherry orchards in Egypt. Slaves tied small bags containing one cherry each to the feet of the pigeons and sent them home to the Nile. • Homing pigeons made a fortune for the French Post Office during a siege of the Franco-Prussian War in 1870. The Prussian army encircled Paris, cutting telegraph wires, destroying communication cables, and strangling the postal service. From the surrounding countryside, about 1,000 privately owned homing pigeons were donated and the "Pigeon Post" was born. To get

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the mail through, messages were set in type, photographed in microscopic size and printed on thin film. Each bird could carry up to 8,000 letters per day in this manner, and two birds were dispatched each day. At a cost of ten cents per word, postal revenues brought in about $112,000. By the time the seige was over, pigeons had carried nearly 100,000 messages from Paris to the outside world. • In 1814, Nathan Rothschild learned of Napoleon's defeat at Waterloo by carrier pigeon a full day before the general public new. As a result, he made a killing on the stock market. • During World War I, nearly 200 soldiers of New York's 77th Infantry Division became isolated from other American forces. They were surrounded by enemy troops, and found themselves under fire from their own artillery. They had three homing pigeons and no other method of communication. On October 4, 1918, a message was attached to the leg of one pigeon and it was released, only to be shot down. The second pigeon was also killed. They had only one pigeon left—a carrier pigeon called Cher Ami, which is French for "dear friend." The message tied to his leg read, "Our artillery is dropping a barrage on us. For heaven's sake, stop it!" The bird was released, only to be

shot through the leg. Miraculously, he kept flying— and was shot through the breast. But the bird kept going and arrived at his loft with the message barely attached to his mangled leg. Within hours help arrived and the 77th Infantry Division was saved. Cher Ami was awarded the French "Croix de Guerre." He died in 1919 as a result of his wounds and his remains are on display at the Smithsonian. • In the 1980s Lockheed's plant in California employed 15 carrier pigeons to carry microfilm capsules to the test base 30 miles (48 km) away. The pigeons could make the trip in 40 minutes, faster than a courier in a car could. Also, they had an effectiveness rate of 100%. They never delivered to the wrong address, or showed up with damaged goods. • Homing pigeons and migratory birds can be deflected from their routes by radio transmitters. Homing pigeons cannot find their way if a magnet is tied to their necks. • The longest flight by a homing pigeon was 5,400 miles (8,690 km) by a bird released from West Africa which travelled to its home in England in 1845. The trip took two months, and the bird fell dead only one mile from its loft.

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Where Are Medicare Hospital Ratings? If you had been hoping to go to the Centers for Medicare and Medicaid Services website and take a look at its new hospital ratings, you’ll be disappointed. It doesn’t exist yet. The very day before the site was to launch, it was delayed. It seems that Congress, along with the hospital industry, pushed to stop the launch in its tracks. For the survey, hospitals are rated for more than 100 measures of care, but the information is often confusing. (Or perhaps they’re afraid the information will make them look bad.) For example, hospitals objected to a Medicare patient death rate being known to women trying to choose a hospital for having a baby. Another objection

was that a hospital’s death rate might be because the patients are low income. Hospitals called 60 senators and more than 200 representatives and asked for the delay so the information can be reassembled. We have ratings on CMS for various patient surveys, and those are of value. The higher the number of stars, the lower the death and readmission rates. We have a star rating system for nursing homes -- covering health inspections, staffing, quality measures and more. There’s one for Home Health Compare that includes a patient survey rating. The new rating system for overall hospital quality was meant to make the information about hospitals easier to understand, with over 60 of the measurements being condensed into the star system, with ratings from one to five stars. Initially the CMS told Congress that the website would be running by July. Now they’ve backtracked and say it might be after July if they’re still working on the data. If you want to view the other ratings, go online to cms.gov and put ratings in the search box.

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♦ Never let a fool kiss you, or let a kiss fool you. ♦Those people who think they know everything are a great annoyance to those of us who do. ♦ A computer lets you make more mistates faster than any invention in human history - with the possible exception of guns and tequila. ♦ Kissing is a means of getting two people so close together that they can't see anything wrong with each other. ♦ A head of lettuce knows something you don't. It knows if the light in a refrigerator really goes out when the door is closed. ♦ To error is human - and to blame it on a computer is even more so. ♦ The sound of a kiss is not so loud as a cannon, but it's echo lasts a great deal longer. ♦ An investment in knowledge pays the best interest available. ♦ We used to have lots of questions to which we did not have the answers. Now with the computer and internet we have lots of answers to which we haven't asked a question. One final thought: Consistency is the last refuge of the unimaginative.

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What once was one of the absolute gems of the PGA Tour, The Bob Hope Classic gets under way in late January every year in La Quinta, California. The Hope used to be frequented by all the top stars back in the day, heck, Arnie won it five times, Johnny Miller, Billy Casper and Phil Mickelson are two time winners and Nicklaus won there back in ’63. A total charity effort, the Classic has raised many million dollars for the Eisenhower Medical Center and other deserving desert charities. Times have changed since Bob started this back in 1960 and The Hope doesn’t get the top flight golfers to play any longer. It’s a shame because Bob Hope was truly an ambassador of golf. Hope did more for the game than any one currently on tour today. For a man who played third billing to Siamese twins and trained seals, Bob Hope became the most recognized profile and talent in the world. And, in the entire history of show business, no individual traveled so far -- so often -- to entertain so many. Hope's entertainment persona was evident in every decade of the 20th century -- from impersonating Charlie Chaplin in front of the firehouse in Cleveland in 1909, to celebrating an unprecedented 60 years with NBC in 1996. The fifth of seven sons, he was born Leslie Townes Hope in Eltham, England on May 29, 1903. His English father, William Henry Hope, was a stonemason -- his Welsh mother, Avis Townes Hope, an aspiring concert singer. Bob Hope was not only a gift to golf but to military servicemen everywhere. In 1941 during, World War II, Hope started entertaining troops overseas and at home. Each Christmas he flew all over the world bringing his “Christmas Show” to servicemen in all corners of the globe. He continued to do so for over fifty years. This man had a Navy ship, an Air Force plane, even an airport named after him. He was also declared an Honorary Veteran by an act of Congress in 1997, the only man ever to receive such an honor. Bob had played on some 2,000 courses - from Brazil to Bangkok, Alaska to Australia - in the company of golf's top professionals, caddies, celebrities, generals and sometimes even presidents. In 1995, a famous foursome teed off at the Desert Classic featuring President Bill Clinton and former presidents George Bush and Gerald Ford and Bob Hope. His 'take' at the end of play included "Clinton had the best score, Ford the most errors and Bush the most hits... me, I cheated better than ever." It has been said of Hope that "if he could live his life over again -- he wouldn't have time." In the words of John Steinbeck, concerning Hope: "It is impossible to see how he can do so much, can cover so much ground, can work so hard and be so effective. There's a man. There really is a man."

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Remembering Bob Hope and His one Liners on Golf ● If I’m on the course and lightining starts, I get inside fast. If God wants to play through, let him. ● If you watch a game, it’s fun, if you play it, it’s recreation, if you work at it, it’s golf. ● Sammy Davis Jr. hits the ball 130 yards and his jewelry goes 150. ● (in playing golf with president Ford and his security men) It’s fun to run down the fairway and have the trees run with you. ● (on Arnold Palmer) Arnold Palmer is the biggest crowd pleaser since the invention of the portable sanitary facility. ● Golf is my profession, show business is just to pay my green fees.

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� For centuries, the wrinkling of skin on fingers and toes when they soak in water was cause for puzzlement (among those who take the time to wonder about such things, if nobody else). Researchers believe they’ve found the answer: traction. Like the treads on a tire, the wrinkles of wet skin help improve the gripping power of our extremities; for our ancestors, this made it easier to walk and grip objects during wet seasons.

� It was 20th-century English novelist E.M. Forster who made the following sage observation: “We must be willing to let go of the life we have planned, so as to have the life that is waiting for us.�

� The University of Gottingen, in Germany, is in possession of a rare Bible -- it’s printed on 2,470 palm leaves.

� If you’ve ever had to explain yourself the morning after a raucous night out, you might be glad to know that the Tsonga people of southern Africa have a word that can be useful in certain of these circumstances. “Rhwe� means to sleep on the floor without a mat, while drunk and naked.

� You might be surprised to learn that actor James Doohan, best known for his role as Scotty in the original “Star Trek� series, served in the Royal Canadian Artillery during World War II. He saw combat for the first time at the invasion of Normandy on D-Day, where he led his men through a field of anti-tank mines to reach higher ground. After defensive positions had been established that night, he was crossing between command posts when he was shot six times -- by a Canadian sentry. One of the bullets hit his chest, but it was stopped by a silver cigarette case that his brother had given him.

� It was 20th 20th-century century American politician and diploma diplomat Adlai Stevenson who made the following sage observation: “The hardest thing about any political campaign is how to win without proving that you are unworthy of winning.�

� John Sylvan is known as the creator of Keurig coffee pods, used in abundance throughout the world these days. Despite the success of his inventions, however, he refuses to use them himself; he says that he abhors the effect the non-recyclable, non-biodegradable pods have on the environment. Thought for the Day: “It is paradoxical that many educators and parents still differentiate between a time for learning and a time for play without seeing the vital connection between them.� -- Leo Buscaglia

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Approximately 1.23 billion people around the world spend an average of an hour a day playing video games. This week, Tidbits studies up on the history of this industry. • Video games were being developed as far back as the 1950s, when New Mexico’s Los Alamos Laboratories developed the first blackjack program on an IBM 701 computer in 1954. A checkers game came along two years later on the same type of IBM computer. (This game defeated a checkers master in 1964!) • William Higinbotham was an American physicist who was a member of the team that developed the first nuclear bomb. In 1958, he created “Tennis for Two,â€? played on an oscilloscope. Although Higinbotham obtained twenty-plus patents during his life, he never patented his video game. • In 1962, Steve Russell, a computer scientist from MIT, led a team that developed a game on one of the first PDP-1 computers, which were the first to use a screen and a typewriter keyboard. “Spacewar!â€? is considered the first recognized widely available computer game. This two-player game required each player to take control of a starship while firing photon torpedoes in an attempt to destroy the other. A star in the center of the screen pulled on both ships as they maneuvered to keep from falling into the gravitational pull.

by Kathy Wolfe

TIDBITSÂŽ PLAYS SOME FAVORITE VIDEO GAMES

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