ISSUE 832 SH by Falcon Prince, Inc.

THE SUPER BOWL OF FIREWORKS DISPLAYS New Years Eve 2019

Paris: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7FjZwHbjDxw The Arch de Triomphe and Eiffel Tower as back drops with incredible graphic displays. It was a great effort. Having the massive populous lining the Av. des Champs-Élysées with lights just added to the ambiance. Unfortunately, the smoke eventually screened the overall effect. Always good to have a little wind to clear the air.

The 4th of July for the US seems to be the most relevant time to witness and explode fireworks. However, it is nothing compared to how the world at large embraces this visual phenomena for the celebration of each passing year. As incredible as the following may be, I would have to believe that we are just at the beginning of a yearly worldwide competitive event. The artistic expression engaged with combining technology and this fiery medium sometimes goes beyond belief. After San Francisco: eye-opening, and, yes, sometimes a yawning review of https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pwMwOchAziw major world city displays, I have chosen my top six. Speaking of wind, San Curious to see how you rate them. I’ve put Francisco had plenty of that, the link's adresses and the scanable QR codes for the and it cleared the view for following shows after each brief description. So, please some neat shells, but that’s do judge them, and email your ranking to: readers@ about it. From a city that realbits.com. I will have a drawing from all entries for produced Jefferson Airplane, a free Tidbits Trilogy. Please include your return email and a kalaidescope of other with the entry. Marin county 60’s music icons, I’d expect more surreal artistic expression. Ol’ well, Non Qualifiers To me these are just Ok, and then, maybe not this old hippy still thinks the golden gate is hip. even so-so. Check them out and you be the judge Chicago: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=pyVU-rFOGhI Moscow: A mis-mash of works viewed https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=SO8A1x9VPzA from a navy pier, no artistic Melborne: expression per/se, but they https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=141c78FtHsc All in the air, no artistic shot off some unusual shells. endeavor whatsoever. Entirely launched from Come on Chi Town, you Perfunctory, kind of like the building rooftops with won’t be my kind of town for speeches regarding the power not much sync nor artistic NYE unless you step it up! of their weapons and how conception. A huge amount of they would unite the people works fired off, purportedly behind a supposed feeling that more than used in Sydney they are a world power again. (which was over 8 tons). Berlin: (The point please?) They just all kind of went off. https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=9KdzXxcqRnY Even the finale was, well, just more of the same. Check out ach du lieber! the folks down under, and A lot of pomp, some don’t miss Sydney. precision, but not much circumstance. Also, can't tell what they are using for a Las Vegas: background, the Brandonberg https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=quxNPeaLDow More or less like Melborne Gate? with rooftop launch sites. Now, of all the cities in the world with unusual buildings that can be tapped for vertical structural creativity, Vegas Boston: could be one to look to for a https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=WyxR3jEQ7Eg massive leap forward. Just need to get those casino Here’s an idea lady, let’s take owners to band together about 4 tons of fireworks, and and gamble for the worlds’ let 'em go until they are all attention on NYE. gone. Even if it rains, some of them may ignite (and it The Publisher's Pick 6 did, and some did). continued on page 2

Rio De Janeiro: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ef1hgg4toqU Wide and massive in a country with some massive challenges ahead.

YES YOU CAN... seek compassionate, careful counseling if you are experiencing mental health or chemical health problems. “Let me help.”

Annette M. Larson Counseling Accepting all health insurance or private pay MA, LPCC, LADC

Northtown Psychology Associates 199 Coon Rapids Blvd., Suite 310

(763) 785-8111, ext. 10

This Tidbits® is published by Falcon Prince Inc., a Minnesota Corporation, under licensing agreement with Tidbits® Media Inc., Montgomery, AL www.tidbitsmedia.com Tidbits® or the North Metro: Email: dean@realbits.com ● www.tidbitstwincities.com ● Phone: 763-218-0033

DISCLAIMER: Falcon Prince Inc. provides text, QR codes, and website addresses in Tidbits® for retrieving

information, and they are deemed safe and reliable. By scanning these codes and entering these sites however, you do so at your own choice and risk. The information contained herein is deemed reliable. Tidbits Media Inc., Falcon Prince Inc. along with their subsidiaries and assigns are not responsible for the correctness of the content contained herein, nor for errors, typographical or otherwise.

▲ On Jan. 13, 1128, Pope Honorius II sanctions the military order known as the Knights Templar, founded in 1118, declaring it to be an army of God. The Templars protected Christian pilgrims during the Crusades, military expeditions aimed at defeating Muslims in the Holy Land. ▲ On Jan. 9, 1768, Englishman Philip Astley stages the first modern circus in London. The former cavalry sergeant major found that if he galloped in a tight circle, centrifugal force allowed him to perform seemingly impossible feats on a horse's back.

Minnesota Permit To Carry Classes Held Every Month at these Locations Princeton, St. Cloud. Alexandria, Perham

Paragon Gun Permit

Come with Friends & Save

Class Fee $80 - No Range fee!

1 2 3 4

4 hr. Class starts at 10am Gun, ammo & all paperwork included in class fee. Florida permit packet for $5 & carry in 35 states NRA Certified & USCCA affiliate instructor BCA & MCPPA approved course.

*Limited Seating*

NO WALK INS NO TELEMARKETING

Friend Friends Friends Friends= A

Save $20 Save $0 Save $60 FREE CLASS FOR YOU Register Online:

Paragongunpermit.com or call: 320-402-4015

Payment options: cash, check or credit card on day of class ●100 % Money back guarantee during class ▲ On Jan. 11, 1908, U.S. President Theodore Roosevelt declares the massive 800,000-acre area of the Grand Canyon in northwestern Arizona a national Egyptians. Restorers stopped using mortar and adopted ▲ On Jan. 15, 1972, Don McLean’s “American Pie” hits monument to ensure that it would remain as it was. the system of interlocking blocks practiced by the No. 1 on the Billboard charts. The song references the 1959 plane crash that killed famous stars Buddy Holly, Congress, however, would not officially outlaw private original pyramid builders. Ritchie Valens and J.P. “the Big Bopper” Richardson. development in the Grand Canyon until 1919. ▲ On Jan. 7, 1999, the Senate begins the impeachment ▲ On Jan. 8, 1946, Elvis Presley’s mother took him to trial of President Bill Clinton based on 11 grounds, ▲ On Jan. 16, 1991, President George H.W. Bush waits the Tupelo Hardware Store and bought a birthday gift including perjury, obstruction of justice, witness- to see if Iraq will withdraw from Kuwait by a midnight deadline mandated by the United Nations, or if war will that would change history: a $6.95 guitar. Legend says tampering, lying under oath and abuse of power. ensue. Just after midnight in the U.S. on January 17, Presley had really wanted a rifle or a bicycle. ▲ On Jan. 17, 1916, professional and leading amateur Bush gave the order for U.S. troops to lead an attack on ▲ On Jan. 10, 1967, President Lyndon Johnson asks golfers gather in New York City in a meeting that Saddam Hussein’s army. for enactment of a 6 percent surcharge on personal and will result in the founding of the Professional Golfers corporate income taxes to help support the Vietnam Association. The first annual PGA Championship took ▲ On Jan. 19, 2007, Beijing, China, gets its first driveWar. The proposal, approved by Congress in March place in October. James “Long Jim” Barnes defeated through McDonald’s restaurant. The opening ceremony 1967, backfired with an American public tiring of the Jock Hutchinson, taking home a silver trophy and included traditional Chinese lion dancers and a Chinese $500. Ronald McDonald. Kentucky Fried Chicken first opened controversial war. in China in 1987. ▲ On Jan. 12, 1984, the use of modern construction ▲ On Jan. 20, 1961, John F. Kennedy is inaugurated techniques to restore the Great Pyramids in Egypt is as the 35th president of the United States. At age 43, (c) 2018 Hearst Communications, Inc. abandoned in favor of methods used by the ancient Kennedy was the youngest candidate ever elected to the All Rights Reserved presidency and the first Catholic president.

The Publishers Pick 6

5. Hong Kong:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=4S_h7TZS4Ec

6. Seattle:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=7Ot2UIS_-hI From the space needle, it presents a perfect venue in a city that is exploding with growth and technology. Not sure about the music selection and syncopation, but ya gotta respect, and expect bigger and better stuff from this incredible city, especially in 2020?

GILLIGAN’S ISLAND (Continued) • Raquel Welch turned down the role of Mary Ann. Jayne Mansfield turned down the role of Ginger. Jerry Van Dyke, following in the footsteps of his older brother Dick, turned down the role of Gilligan because he didn’t want to be part of an ensemble cast, but preferred to be the star of his own show. Later he was cast as the lead in “My Mother The Car.” Carroll O’Connor, who later became famous for his portrayal of Archie Bunker on “All in the Family” tried out for the part of the Skipper but was turned down. • The pilot was filmed in Hawaii in 1963. In the opening credits, you can see a flag in the harbor flying at half mast, because President John F. Kennedy had just been shot. Although the pilot was filmed in Hawaii, the show itself was filmed on a sound lot in Los Angeles. Scenes taking place on the artificial lagoon could not be filmed during rush hour due to traffic noise from a nearby highway. • Bob Denver was familiar to the American audience after spending five years playing the role of beatnik Maynard G. Krebs in the popular sitcom “The Many Loves of Dobie Gillis.” Months before Gilligan’s Island hit the airwaves, Bob Denver and Tina Louise costarred in

Page 2

4. Sydney:

https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=u35GecOno2k

Birthplace of Sydney, Australia fireworks, with its A massive display own Chinese New centered from the Year. However, Harbor Bridge, Hong Kong is and a multitude of westernized and has artistically placed a big city, big harbor launch sites along the shore and city and big cutting edge works available center. It was right out of the the first one that I looked at and gave neighborhood. Heck this is where they me cause to search demo the new stuff! the world over for A great display, heavy throb of music and a lot of big better ones. One for the books. Melborne, it’s fiercely stuff going off. competitive rival city eats its heart out.

the 1964 summer beach flick “For Those Who Think Young.” UNCHARTED DESERT ISLE • Dawn Wells as Mary Ann was a lot shorter than Tina Louise, who played the glamorous movie star Ginger. Wells insisted on being costumed in short shorts to show off her legs in an era when belly buttons were not shown on TV. It was the first time in television history that short shorts had been worn. • Dawn Wells was crowned Miss Nevada in 1959, and then got a scholarship to attend the University of Washington where she studied theater. Once she graduated, Wells moved to Los Angeles to pursue her career. Her memoir, published in 2014, is entitled, “What Would Mary Ann Do?” • Natalie Schafer, who played Mrs. Howell, was actually 13 years older than Jim Backus, who played Mr. Thurston Howell III. She had a clause in her contract specifying that there would be no close-ups of her face because she didn’t want her wrinkles to show. Despite being in her mid-60s during production, she did all her own stunts, including fainting, falling, being submerged in quicksand, and jumping into the lagoon. • Schafer played the wife of a millionaire but was also a millionaire in real life, having bought properties on Rodeo Drive when they were cheap and turning an impressive profit when she sold them.

• When Schafer died at the age of 90 in 1991, she had no children or other heirs so she left much of her fortune to her teacup poodle, with instructions for the rest to go to the Lillian Booth Actor’s Home after the dog died. A wing of the assisted living facility is now named for her. She also reportedly left some of her money to Dawn Wells, who lived with her and cared for her as she struggled through breast cancer. • Skipper, the Howells, and Gilligan were in every single one of the 99 episodes. Ginger, Mary Ann, and the Professor appeared in 98 of the episodes. HERE ON GILLIGAN’S ISLE • Most of the actors were paid on a straight salary with residual income that ceased in 1968, but Dawn Wells insisted on a clause in her contract guaranteeing residuals from syndication in perpetuity. The clause was granted because no one imagined the show would still be in syndication 50 years later. Dawn Wells and director Sherwood Schwartz were the only ones who continued to reap rewards from the re-runs. Schwartz reportedly earned about $90 million from the show before his death in 2011. • In 1974, Schwartz attempted to recreate the popularity of Gilligan's Island using the same scenario in a Wild West setting. The result was “Dusty's Trail,” about a covered wagon that gets separated from its wagon train and ends up lost in the wilderness. It starred Bob

Denver as the bumbling assistant to the wagon master, played by Forrest Tucker (of “F Troop” fame) who is traveling with a rich couple, a brainiac, a farm girl, and a bombshell. The show tanked after one season, though four episodes were stitched together to make the 1976 movie “The Wackiest Wagon Train in the West.” • There was a reunion movie in 1978 called “Rescue from Gilligan’s Island” and another in 1979 called “Castaways on Gilligan’s Island.” Both enjoyed high ratings. The third and final reunion movie, “The Harlem Globetrotters on Gilligan’s Island,” released in 1981, bombed. • Schwartz had plans for a fourth movie in which the castaways learn that a nuclear war has destroyed human civilization. They hear it on the radio, and Gilligan breaks the radio just before a disclaimer comes on saying there was no nuclear war after all. The movie was never made. • Tina Louise (b. 1934) and Dawn Wells (b. 1938) are the only cast members still living.

Since 1996

Brain Smack♥n Good

DISCLAIMER: Falcon Prince Inc. provides text, bar codes, and website addresses in Tidbits® for

retrieving information, and has deemed them safe and reliable. By scanning these codes and entering these sites however, you do so at your own choice. Falcon Prince Inc. it's subsidiaries and assigns are not responsible for the reliability of the content contained herein or at these sites, nor for any adverse effects to any electronic device, its data and programs used to go to these sites.

3. London: https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=ifHxGz8mTaM

REMARKABLE PEOPLE KIM PEEK by: Janet Spencer • In the 1988 film “Rain Man” actor Dustin Hoffman portrays an autistic savant. The character was based on real-life savant Kim Peek: streaks of pure genius standing in stark contrast to an overall handicap. • Kim was born in 1951 in Utah, with an enlarged head and very little motor control. Doctors said he would never be able to walk, talk, or learn. His parents poured themselves into his education, reading to him constantly while pointing at the words on the page. • The doctors seemed to be correct in some regards, in that Kim Peek didn’t learn to walk until the age of four, and never mastered enough motor control to be able to dress himself or groom himself. • However, at the age of two he was able to pull encyclopedias off the bookshelves and leaf through their pages. His parents thought he was just playing. Then one day at the age of three he asked them what the word “confidential” meant. They were joking when they told him to look it up for himself- and were astonished to see him pull the dictionary off the shelf, look up the word, and read the definition out loud. Further investigation showed that not only

had he been reading the encyclopedias, but he had memorized them. • As he grew, they noticed that he would read the left-hand page with his left eye, while reading the right-hand page with his right eye. He had a photographic memory and could recall 98% of the information he read. He devoured newspapers, maps, phone books, and books by the armload. He often read as many as eight books per day, and could absorb all the information on a page within ten seconds, retaining that information for the rest of his life. • Mega-savant Kim Peek worked his way through the entire high school curriculum by the age of 14. Yet, standardized IQ tests put his intelligence at around 87, which is below the normal range of 90-110. • CT scans and MRIs showed that the bundle of nerves that connects the left hemisphere of the brain to the right was missing. His brain had wired itself differently. Peek probably suffered from FG syndrome, a rare genetic abnormality that causes physical anomalies such as low muscle tone and a large head. • Peek was known as a human computer and earned the nicknames “Kimputer,”

and “human Google.” He could give driving directions to cities across the world based on maps he had seen only once. He could tell instantly what day of the week any date fell on, past or future. He could reel off area codes and zip codes, regional TV and radio stations, dates of historical events, and instantly add long columns of numbers. • He presented a confounding mix of disability and brilliance. He had problems with basic reasoning and lacked social skills. It was difficult for him to follow simple directions. He could recall any fact requested but was unable to carry on a conversation. • In 1984, Peek met screenwriter Barry Morrow, who had written a movie called “Bill” about a mentally retarded person. As a result, he was invited to a symposium on mental retardation where he was astonished by Peek’s abilities. The result was the movie “Rain Man.” The popularity of the movie led to many public appearances for Peek, who acted as an emissary for people with mental disabilities. By the time Kim Peek died of a heart attack at the age of 58 in 2009, he had read – and memorized – over 12,000 books.

1. New York:

https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=v7uktnxeWwU

No Done with prejudice the London at all, Eye as a even if it background is where and center they drop piece, you the ball. will see Not to be and hear outdone by flawless the Burj… syncing the entire with New York incredible skyline is aerials, darkened including some fabulous circular effects and then illuminated as a changing back from the eye. The music expression is drop in one of the most incredible lighting incomparable. technological feats I’ve ever seen. To be across the Hudson to witness this must have 2. The Burj in Dubai: been incredible.

https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=T0pvUKs-0ZQ

Our Finale

New Zealand, Sydney. Tokyo, Seoul, The Singapore, Hong Kong, Taipei, Manilla: technology https://www.youtube.com/ and artistic watch?v=CgKHdMLe9rs expression are hard to match. I mean, how could you possibly beat having the tallest structure in the world be the backdrop for one of the most incredible LED and works displays to date. Money is not everything, but, for this puppy, it was well spent.

Curtain Call

Please Don’t Litter

Top 5 Weirdest Fireworks: https://www.youtube.com/ atch?v=YV9UKzHZUm4 You are not going to believe some of these, and they are only going to get weirder.

An Atopic Dermatitis (Eczema) Research Study Volunteers, ages 2 and older, are needed for a research study of an investigational topical lotion being conducted at the Minnesota Clinical Study Center located in Fridley, MN. - Qualified participants will be seen by a board certified Dermatologist - Qualified participants will be compensated for their time and travel - Parental (or legal guardian) consent is required for all participants under the age of 18. Steven Kempers, M.D.

Minnesota Clinical Study Center 7205 University Avenue Fridley, MN 55432

For more information, please call: 763-502-2941 763-218-0033 - WWW.TIDBITSTWINCITIES.COM

Page 3

MAPLE GROVE

Wanted

Future Developement

Isanti

St Francis

Bi ig g Lake

Elk River

East Bethel

In your BackYard...

Montice llo

((SH) SH S SH) H)

Albertville Alb e

St Michael Mic l

Anok a

101

Rogers

Andoverr 242

Coo n

Future Developement

Co on R

Champlin

apid s

Ham Lake e

Blaine

O OSSEO

((NW) NW )

LYN OK BRO

169

C CRYSTAL

Bass 42ND

AVE

Lake

NEW

BROOKLYN CENTER 94

HOP

ROBB

INSD

Circlee Pines P

AS South out ut uth th

Fridley

694

494

35W Mou nds v iew

Colu m

bia

righton New B

K PAR

Hwy 101

MAPL E GRO VE

VE NA TO ING LEX

Spri ng Par Lake k

Lino Lakes

Lexington

610

169

Co Rd 30

35W

Rap ids

Blv d

Centerville

A East

0 610

Only with ad /1 per person / not combinable $10 Licensing fee also applies

Future Developement

UNIVERSITY UNIV

2 RIDES FOR $25 call for available times valid Maple Grove

Future Fu FFut uuttur ure Dev D De Developement evvelope elo ment ntt

Crosstown Blvd

Bunker Lake Blvd

Foley le Blvd Hanson Blv d

AW West es est st t

Ramsey

Otsego

Fast Drivers •Parties & Fund Raisers •Corporate Events •Leagues & Teams •Family Get Togethers

Future Developement

Zimmerman 10

Heig

hts

ALE

763-428-1333 ProKartIndoor.com

(Hwy 81 & Troy Lane) MAPLE GROVE

MONTICELLO

FRIDLEY

We Buy, Sell & Loan Cash for Most Anything Now Hiri

BINGO

ng! Guns - Tools - Electronics - Jewelry - Gold - Coins Military Items - Trailers - 4 Wheeler’s - Motorcycles Campers - Musical Instruments - Interesting / Unusual Items

Every Game Wins $99 +2 coverall games 7820 University Ave NE Fridley: 763-444-1347

TURNING UNWANTED STUFF INTO CASH

MontiPawn.com

Mondays 6:30pm

763-295-6955 1219 Hwy 25 S. Monticello, MN. 55362

packet sales

start at 6:45 route47pubngrub.com “Helping us to support and contribute to community needs”

Don't Just Sit and Wait

Lic# 00306

ELK RIVER

30 Custom Breads

“Baked Fresh Daily”

Pastries Sandwiches Coffee Cakes & more

y.... toast Toasty! Very dcbread.com

763-441-0002

Downtown Elk River

The Veteran’s Post by Freddy Groves

Blue Button Health App Opens Records to Vets The Department of Veterans Affairs is adding more features to Blue Button, the program veterans can use to access their health information from multiple sources on cellphone and web apps. But the greatest benefit, I believe, is the Health API, which allows veterans to access, download and even update their own medical records. If something is incorrect in your records, you’ll know it. If something is missing, you’ll spot that omission. So far, over 2 million veterans have downloaded 32 million of their health files. With Blue Button, if you’re signed up for My HealtheVet, you can select a text file or .PDF that you can read, print or save on a computer. You can choose a date range and the kind of information you want from

Page 4

Reach 10,000 readers for $35 CALL: 763-218-0033

Located in the Basement Next to Kemper Drug

your VA health records. If you have the premium My HealtheVet, you can enter information and data into the record, such as your medical conditions and medical history, allergies and adverse reactions, medications, family health, weight and blood pressure, and your personal goals. Data present from the health record will include notes after January 2013, pathology reports, radiology reports, vitals, wellness reminders, allergies and immunizations, as well as your current and past two years of appointments. Data from the Department of Defense will include your military service information. To learn more about Blue Button, go online to www. va.gov/bluebutton. To see how comprehensive this is, scroll to near the bottom and select either the text or .PDF sample to view. Blue Button is part of the whole VA API system. This includes Benefits API (track and receive notifications about your claims), Facilities API (get locations, hours, wait times at your facility) and now the Health API. To learn more about what these do, go online to https:// developer.va.gov. (c) 2018 King Features Synd., Inc.

DISCLAIMER: Falcon Prince Inc. provides text, bar codes, and website addresses in Tidbits® for

☺

Classy f lI des

Meets Commerce PROFESSIONAL SERVICES ♦ PRODUCTS AND OPPORTUNITIES MEDIA CONVERSION

CONVERSION SERVICES

homevideostudio.com/elk

ELECTRONIC REPAIR

Electronic Repair TV’s, A/V, Amplifiers

VHS, Cam Corder. 8mm, Super 8, 16mm film

Photos, Slides, Discs, Print Media

We Can Save Any Video to a DVD or Storage Device

In Home Service Available

Cheers, it's a new year and another chance for us to get it right.”

Authorized Warranty Service

msm2.com

Call Kelly: 763-274-2400 / 612-328-4634

EVENTS & OPPORTUNITIES

GUN & KNIFE SHOW

Feb 2nd, Sat. 9-5pm, Feb 3rd, Sun. 9-3pm Duluth Conv. Center (DECC) 350 Harbor Dr. Exit 256B off I-35 Adm. $5 763-754-7140 Crocodileproductionsinc.com

OWN YOUR OWN BUSINESS

763-441-1753

INSTRUMENTS / LESSONS

Learn Music at Reynolds

763-421-1062 ReynoldsMusicAnoka.com MOVING SERVICE

Celebrating it's 23rd Year

TIDBITS IS LOOKING FOR PARTNERS Call 763-218-0033

Household & Office Movers MN/DOT NO. 137492

For Over 45 Years

Call for Great Service & Pricing 763-566-8955

$956* Bankruptcy** $570* Divorce

TOWING SERVICE

ALL VEHICLES

$$ WANTED $$

Criminal - DUI

start at $330*

*court fees additional ** Debt Relief

612-326-3300

7 Days a Week

763-218-0033 - WWW.TIDBITSTWINCITIES.COM

612-267-9906

BE EXCLUSIVE!

THIS SPOT ONLY $15

Call Today: 763-218-0033

13 issue (6 mo) minimum requirement

Page 5

Volunteer for a Psoriasis Study WHO: - People 18 years and older with plaque psoriasis WHAT: - An investigational topical spray applied twice daily for 4 weeks 4-5 clinic visits over the course of 4 weeks

- All participants seen by a board certified Dermatologist - Qualified participants will be compensated up to $200 for time and travel

Steven Kempers, M.D.

WHERE:

Minnesota Clinical Study Center 7205 University Avenue Fridley, MN 55432

For more information, please call: 763-502-2941 REMARKABLE PEOPLE:

WARREN BUFFETT

by: Kathy Wolfe

How does a young man from Nebraska progress to being one of the world’s wealthiest people? Follow along as Tidbits chronicles the story of this remarkable achiever. • Warren Buffett, the son of an Omaha stockbroker, got an early start in the investment business. Spending many hours at his father’s office as a child, Warren could be seen at the blackboard there, chalking in stock prices. At age seven, he borrowed a book from the Omaha public library, One Thousand Ways to Make $1000, and he was on his way! • He was just 11 when he handed over $114 to invest in three shares of Cities Service Preferred stock. He learned about the volatility of the stock market when his stock quickly dropped by $9 a share, but held on until he made a $6 profit. • At 13, Buffett was delivering newspapers and selling a horseracing tip sheet. He filed his income taxes at that tender age, being sharp enough to claim his bicycle as a $35 deduction. At 14, he dipped into his savings and bought a 40-acre farm for $1,200. During high school, he partnered with a friend to buy a used pinball machine for $25, which they set up in a barbershop. In less than a year, they owned several machines, and sold the business for $1,200. • A mathematical genius, Buffett was able to add large columns of numbers in his head, and seemed to have a natural-born aptitude for business. Yet Harvard Business School rejected him, causing Buffett to enroll at Columbia Business School, where he had earned a Master’s degree in Economics by age 21. By graduation, his savings account totaled $9,800, the equivalent of $101,000 in today’s money. • After two years of working at an investment

firm, at 26, Buffett started up his first partnership, and a year later, was operating three partnerships. He and his wife and children moved into a five-bedroom stucco house in Omaha, purchased for $31,500. • In 1965, when Buffett was 35, he assumed control of Berkshire Hathaway, a conglomerate holding company. While under his control, the company became owners of GEICO, Dairy Queen, Fruit of the Loom, BNSF Railway, among many others, as well as owning a significant share of Kraft-Heinz, American Express, Wells Fargo, Coca-Cola, Bank of America, and United, Delta, Southwest, and American Airlines.

• In 2008, Buffett was the richest person in the world, with a net worth of about $62 billion. For several years, he and Bill Gates had traded places as number one and two. In 2009, Buffett dropped to number two with $37 billion, after donating billions of dollars to charity. Between 2006 and 2017, Buffett gave away nearly $28 billion. He has challenged other wealthy people to give away the majority of their fortune. • Although Buffett owns a $4 million dollar house in Laguna Beach, California, (which compared to other homes of the wealtthy is quite modest) he spends the majority of his time in that stucco house he purchased in Omaha in 1957.

He loves the game of bridge (plays 12 hours a week!) and enjoys playing the ukulele. • Even with his hefty donations, in the last quarter of 2018, Buffett’s estimated worth still topped $90 billion, making him the world’s third-wealthiest individual. Not bad for a guy whose yearbook picture notation read: “likes math; a future stockbroker.”

Changing the World, Little by Little

320.253.1616

Page 6

www.bbbscentralmn.org DISCLAIMER: Falcon Prince Inc. provides text, bar codes, and website addresses in Tidbits® for

THE BROOKLYN BRIDGE by: Janet Spencer

• The Brooklyn Bridge is one of the oldest roadway bridges in the U.S. It connects Manhattan and Brooklyn, spanning the East River. Construction started in 1869 and it was completed 14 years later. It has a main span of 1,595.5 feet (486.3 m). Over 600 laborers worked on the bridge, and 27 of them died during construction. The bridge cost $15 million, equivalent to $320 million today. • To construct the bridge pilings under water, engineers dropped huge metal tanks to the sea floor and then pumped compressed air into them. Divers would descend to the air-filled tanks, where they could work freely on the footings. But when the workers rose to the surface of the water again, they frequently had sudden attacks of joint pain, which caused them to walk stiffly bent over. • In the fashion of the day, women tended to wear corsets that were so tightly laced that they were unable to stand up straight. This posture was called the “Grecian Bend.” Because the stance of the deep sea workers resembled the posture, they too were said to have the Grecian Bend. The term was shortened and is now called “the bends.” • John Roebling was the engineer, but when his foot was crushed by a ferry, he contracted tetanus and died, whereupon his son took over. When his son was so incapacitated by the bends that he could no longer work, his wife Emily took over. When the bridge was finished, she was the first to cross it. • On opening day, the mayors of Brooklyn and Manhattan met in the center and locked arms as part of a spectacular celebration. Special trains had brought thousands from Long Island and Philadelphia to see the novel bridge. In the first day alone, 150,300 people made the crossing. • It was by far the longest bridge in the world at the time, and 50% longer than any suspension bridge ever attempted. In the previous decades, dozens of failed suspension and iron bridges had collapsed around Europe and the U.S., killing hundreds. Since this was the first suspension bridge to use steel cables, it was new, unproven technology. • Tragedy struck only six days after the bridge was opened to the public. On May 30, 1883 a woman tripped and fell while descending the wooden stairs on the Manhattan side of the bridge. Apparently, this caused another woman to scream at the top of her lungs, which caused those nearby to rush towards the scene to see what was wrong. The commotion sparked a chain reaction of confusion, as more and more people panicked and mobbed the narrow staircase, creating a massive pileup. Thousands were on the promenade, turning the situation deadly. • The bridge was suspended 135 feet (41 m) above the water, and terrified pedestrians were convinced the bridge was about to collapse. They scrambled for the exit, trampling one another, and trapping people against the iron fences that lined the narrow promenade. Twelve people died on the stairs, and more than 35 were wounded. • The following year, P.T. Barnum reassured the public of the bridge’s safety (while publicizing his circus) by leading a parade of 21 elephants and 17 camels over the bridge to prove the sturdiness of the construction. The bridge actually had a capacity of 18,700 tons, or over 2,500 African elephants. • More than 150,000 vehicles, 4,000 pedestrians, and 3,100 cyclists cross the Brooklyn Bridge each day. So rest assured next time you cross the Brooklyn Bridge, but please be careful on the stairs.

SENIOR NEWS LINE by Matilda Charles

The Harsh Reality of Social Security The start of the New Year means having to face just what our 2.8 percent Social Security increase really means. I had done the math: my 2018 Social Security plus the welcome 2.8 percent increase equals the benefit amount for 2019. There would be more money to spend, I assumed. Here is where it actually stands: Groceries -- Last January I saved all my grocery receipts for the month so I would have a list of what everything cost. It’s only been a year, but everything has gone up. Not one single item has gone down in price. Housing -- Two months ago, the notice arrived about rents going up $20

22 Years of

Thank You Advertisers and Readers! The Publishers,

Dean and Diane

on Jan. 1. TV/Internet -- The monthly cost of cable TV and Internet service rose over $30. I called and threatened to cut the cord, and they suddenly found a deal that brought the increase down $20. Electric -- The power company just announced a 13 percent increase in kilowatt-hour costs. Miscellaneous -- On the occasional expense end of things, my favorite shirt, which I wear out and then replace every year, went up $10. Oil changes are up $15. The sum of all this means that I’m actually worse off than I was last year. Many of us are in this same situation. Over 20 percent of married couples and over 40 percent of singles have Social Security for 90 percent of their income. We not only aren’t adding to emergency savings, we’re barely hanging on. I’ll include as many cost-saving tips in this column as I can this year. But if you haven’t retired yet, spend 2019 practicing living on only the amount you’ll get from Social Security. Use every extra dollar to pare down debt or add to your savings. (c) 2018 King Features Synd., Inc.

763-218-0033 - WWW.TIDBITSTWINCITIES.COM

Page 7

Go To: TidbitsTwinCities.com

To Find Our Pickup Establishments and Advertisers

Now in it's 23rd Year !

● The heaviest rainfall in a 24-hour period ever to fall in the United States occurred in Alvin, Texas, in 1979. In that year, a total of 43 inches of rain fell in the space of a single day.

● The next time you’re tempted to whip out the plastic to make a purchase, you might want to consider this little factoid: The average American spends 20 percent to 30 percent more when using a credit card than when paying with cash.

● If you want to have an especially memorable -- and chilly -- vacation, consider heading to Finnish Lapland. There, more than 150 miles north of the Arctic Circle, you can stay at the Kakslauttanen Hotel. The quarters aren’t luxurious, but the sights are amazing. All the accommodations are geodesic glass igloos, offering amazing views of the aurora borealis.

● Considering their unsavory reputation, you might be surprised to learn that jackals often help raise their younger siblings, even after they’re fully grown.

● Paleontologists claim that Neanderthals used toothpicks. How can they tell, you might well ask? It seems that toothpick use leaves distinctive grooves on teeth.

● The food eaten by a typical American travels between 1,500 and 2,500 miles from the farm where it was grown to the plate where it’s consumed.

● If you’re a runner -- and a compulsive counter -- you might already be aware of the fact that the average person’s feet hit the ground approximately 800 times per mile when running.

● Fans of old Westerns have doubtless seen depictions of Native Americans scalping their enemies. Most probably don’t realize, though, that the brutal practice didn’t originate with the Indians. When the Dutch and English settlers were trying to clear out the natives, they were paid a bounty for each scalp they brought back. The Native Americans adopted the practice only after the Europeans’ arrival on the continent.

by: Samantha Weaver

● I bet you didn’t know there’s a word specifically used to refer to the space between your eyebrows. Yep: It’s called the “ophryon.”

● It was way back in the 17th century when noted Scottish scholar Patrick Young made the following sage observation: “The trouble with weather forecasting is that it’s right too often for us to ignore it and wrong too often for us to rely on it.”

Affordable Plans-Save!

$45

for the Set

Order by phone 763-218-0033

(includes tax, shipping & handling)

Onlyy

Books I, II, & III

The Trilogy

Over 700 Pages of Vintage Tidbits Articles

Just Call: 763-218-0033

OWN this BACK PAGE spot.

Gain Community Popularity!

Your Looking at the Most Popular Page in Tidbits Reader Voted!

GOLD & SILVER EXCHANGE

Old Comic Books, Hunting & Fishing

Buying All Types of Coins

Criminal / DUI etc. 612-326-3300 start at ●WE ACCEPT PAYMENTS ●NO CO-SIGNER REQUIRED $330*

The New Justice System

BUYING AND SELLING

*court fees additional

Custody & Divorce $570*

Debt Relief -----------

Bankruptcy www.affordableresourcecenter.com

$956*

Call 763-218-0033

FOR THIS EXCLUSIVE Back Page Spot

We Are Looking For A Real Estate Agent

While They Last

$3,000

BY JANET

SPENCER

TIDBITS® VISITS GILLIGAN’S ISLAND

scanlife.com qrstuff.com

GET A FREE APP

↑*

Full Business Set-Up

Start at $18

Just sit right back and you’ll hear a tale, a tale of a fateful sitcom called “Gilligan’s Island.” A THREE SEASON TOUR • In September of 1964, the S.S. Minnow HR and up first set out on its fateful three-hour tour when *depending on location “Gilligan's Island” premiered. Even though No Experience Necessary there were only 99 episodes over the course Free Training - Flexible Hours of three seasons, the iconic sitcom about a group of tourists stranded on a deserted island ran in syndication for decades after the show www.firstgroupcareers.com ended, ensuring its popularity among several or Call: 763-421-2219 generations. ** bonus is for a limited time call today for details • The cast included Bob Denver as Gilligan; Alan Hale, Jr, as the Skipper; Jim Backus Helping New and as Thurston Howell III; Natalie Schafer as Existing Businesses Eunice “Lovey” Wentworth Howell; Tina Louise as Ginger Grant; Dawn Wells as Mary Ann Summers; and Russell Johnson as the Professor. • Gilligan’s full name was Willy Gilligan, the Professor’s name was Roy Hinkley, and +Custom Support the Skipper’s name was Jonas Grumby. and Training • Director Sherwood Schwartz picked the name Gilligan randomly out of a phone II I Wayne A. Blosberg PA book. He wanted the show to demonstrate the ridiculous nature of social strata, showing that on a deserted island, there was no class Accounting Services Bookkeeping structure and everyone had to work together. Payroll Tax Planning & Preparation Each character represented a different segment of society. 763-780-4015 THE TINY SHIP WAS TOSSED 8338 Hwy 65 Spring Lake Park • Schwartz had an ongoing feud with head of the Federal Communications Commission (FCC) Newton Minow, who once famously called television programming “a vast Use your wasteland.” Because of the feud, Schwartz Smart Phone named the ship “The S.S. Minnow.” • In the untold backstory, the Skipper and to Scan Our Gilligan were both in the Navy during World QR Codes War II, serving on a destroyer together. A and depth charge got loose and rolled down the B Inspired deck. It would have crushed the Skipper if Gilligan had not pushed him out of the way, and a friendship was born. Continued Pg. 2

Hirin Bonu g s**

School Bus Drivers

NOW HIRING!

Sherburne Co. E-mail: dean@realbits.com

763-323-9491

Lifetime Warranty

HWY 10 NW ELK RIVER Ben Bauman / Licensed agent

763-241-7900

is here for you

If you are turning 65, becoming eligible for Medicare or if you have questions on your current coverage give us a call

Medicare Questions? Part D Question?

Nowthen

8060 VIKING BLVD NW

-Glass Replacement -Custom Painting -Motorcycles, RV’s, Snowmobiles -Free Estimates -Free Loaners -Insurance & Special needs

Fixing Broken Bodys for 31 Years

laurababneau@edinarealty.com

__ 763-232-4274 __

commited dedicated compassionate

Voted “Best Agent” by Minnesota Monthly 2018

Rogers, St. Michael, Albertville, Monticello, Big Lake, Zimmerman, Elk River, Otsego Issue 832 Published by: Falcon Prince Publishing For Advertising Call: 763-218-0033

Now in its 23rd Year

Since 1996