Tidbits of the Rogue Valley Vol 2 Issue 9

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MELLOW YELLOW

by Kathy Wolfe How many ways can you say yellow? Lemon, canary, ochre, saffron, amber, golden, mustard – no matter what you call it, this week, Tidbits is all about this color that the eye sees when it looks at light within the wavelengths of 570 and 590 nanometers.

• Yellow is the most visible color of the spectrum, with the human eye processing yellow first. That makes it the logical choice for caution and warning signs, as well as fire engines, school buses, and taxis.

• Studies indicate that yellow has a stimulating effect on mental processes and the nervous system, and activates memory, which makes it a good color for a room used for studying.

However, it’s also been shown to stimulate appetite, so it’s not recommended for use in kitchens.

• The term “yellow journalism” is used to describe news that hasn’t been well-researched, relies heavily on unnamed sources, uses misleading headlines, and sensationalizes the news. The term came about in the mid-1890s during a circulation war between two newspapers, Joseph Pulitzer’s New York World and William Randolph Hearst’s New York Journal.

Both were accused of exaggeration of news events, scandal-mongering, and misleading stories in an attempt to drive up sales. turn the page for more!

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MELLOW YELLOW (continued): • A yellow jacket might look like a bee with its yellow and black stripes, but it’s really a wasp.

A bee has a fuzzy coating on its body, while the yellow jacket does not. A honeybee’s stinger comes out when it stings, but the yellow jacket’s doesn’t, enabling it to sting multiple times. Some of their nests might have as many as 100,000 wasps. They like everything sweet, including fruits, sweet drinks, and other sugary treats on your picnic table. If you swat at the yellow jacket, you increase your chances of being stung.

• We’ve been looking up telephone numbers in the Yellow Pages since 1883, when a Cheyenne, Wyoming, printer was compiling a regular telephone directory and ran out of white paper and used yellow instead. The first official Yellow Pages directory for business listings came along in 1886. We didn’t start letting our “fingers do the walking through the Yellow Pages” until 1962 when a Massachusetts commercial designer named Henry Alexander designed the “walking fingers” logo. A year later it became the national trademark.

• John Hertz was a Chicago automobile salesman in 1907, and, finding himself with a surplus of seven used cars, decided to transform them into taxicabs. After reading a University of Chicago study that yellow was the color most visible from a distance, he painted the vehicles and the Yellow Cab Company was born. It wasn’t long before he had a fleet of 40 taxis, and by 1925, it was the largest taxi company in the world with 2,700 cabs. In 1929, Hertz sold his shares of Yellow Cab to focus his attention on his new rental car business.

Dog Flu Still a Threat DEAR PAW’S CORNER: My shorthaired terrier, “Blazer,” became very ill just before Christmas and was diagnosed with dog flu. He’s doing much better now, but it was touch and go for a while. Can you let your readers know that there’s a bad strain of the flu going around and to take care of their dogs? -- Bill C., Tucson, Arizona DEAR BILL: I’m glad to hear that Blazer is on the mend! Last year, the spread of a particularly severe form of canine influenza caught the attention of the media and had dog owners nationwide worrying. The illness has dropped from the headlines lately, but that doesn’t mean it’s no longer a threat. In fact, by midJanuary the influenza A H3N2 virus had spread to 18 states and is still spreading.

Symptoms of the flu virus may seem pretty benign at first: A dog may have no symptoms, or may have a runny nose and cough.

However, more serious symptoms, including a high fever, tend to develop. Dogs with the virus can become dehydrated very quickly, so prompt attention at the vet’s office is critical.

There isn’t a cure for the flu; pets need to be kept hydrated and get plenty of rest and supportive nutrition.

Recovery time for most dogs is about two or three weeks, according to the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention. While a dog is ill, he or she should not be around other dogs, as the virus can be spread easily by a sneeze or cough. The mortality rate from H3N2 among dogs is about 10 percent, making it a risk no pet owner wants to take.

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ARIES (March 21 to April 19) You might feel more encouraged about changes in your personal and/or professional life. However, it might be best not to rush things but rather work with them as they evolve.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) The Bovine’s business sense is especially keen this week. But remember that it’s always best to investigate before investing. Make sure there are no hidden factors that can rise up later on.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Working on a family project could create tension between and among those concerned. Your good sense and your patience can help reduce bad attitudes and raise positive feelings.

CANCER ( June 21 to July 22) You should be seeing more progress in the development of your plans and more supporters joining in. News from the past could help change someone’s long-held position.

LEO ( July 23 to August 22) With personal aspects strong this week, Leos and Leonas might want to spend more time with family and others who are especially close to them. Also expect news of a possible career change.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Taking a strong stand can be helpful this week. But be careful you don’t cross the line into obstinacy. Best to take a position on facts as they are, not as you want them to be.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) You have a strong sense of the needs of others. This week, turn some of that sensitivity into an honest selfappraisal, and let it find places where you can help yourself.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Creating an emotional comfort zone to handle a personal problem helps at first. But by midweek, you’ll realize you need to deal with it directly or it could linger for too long.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Turning the page on a mistake to start fresh might not be the thing to do. Better to go over each step that led up to the decision you made and see which one misled you.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Goats enjoy a varied diet, but eating crow isn’t on the menu -- at least not this week. An embarrassing situation might have gone wrong before you got into it. Check it out.

AQUARIUS ( January 20 to February 18) Your sense of honesty might impel you to speak up about a situation you disapprove of. That’s fine. But do so without sounding accusatory. You might not know all the facts behind it.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Being asked to create a reassuring attitude in the middle of chaos isn’t easy, but you can do it. Support for your efforts comes slowly, but it does come. Enjoy an arts-filled weekend.

BORN THIS WEEK: Your honesty about people and issues is expressed in a positive, not painful, way.

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1. MUSIC: What was the name of the record company founded by the Beatles?

2. ASTRONOMY: Which planet in our solar system spins the fastest?

3. ANIMAL KINGDOM: Which insect can indicate the temperature with accuracy?

4. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What is the fastest known bird in the world?

5. CHEMISTRY: What is the only metal that’s liquid at room temperature?

6. MOVIES: What was Baby’s real name in “Dirty Dancing”?

7. GEOGRAPHY: What country is bordered by the Atlantic and Indian Oceans?

8. PSYCHOLOGY: What is the fear represented in the condition “herpetophobia”?

9. MEDICAL: What is the common name for hypoglycemia?

10. TELEVISION: Where does Homer Simpson work?

1. In 2015, Seattle’s Felix Hernandez became the fourth-youngest majorleague pitcher to reach 2,000 strikeouts (29 years, 32 days). Who was younger?

2. Name the A.L. player who debuted in 1986 and had 100-plus RBIs in each of his first two seasons, then never hit 100 RBIs again in his 16year career.

3. Who was the last University of Tennessee freshman running back to have four 100-yard rushing games in a season before Jalen Hurd in 2014?

4. Name the last NBA team before the Houston Rockets in 2014 to start a season 6-0 while winning each game by at least 10 points.

5. Who are the two NHL teams to start a season with 10 consecutive wins?

6. In 2015, Sebastian Vettel moved to fourth place on the list of most Formula One victories (42). Who had been fourth?

7. Who is the oldest female tennis player in the Open Era to become a Grand Slam champion for the first time?

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Preschool Tissue Paper Jellyfish Art

MELLOW YELLOW (continued): • The Beatles’ song “Yellow Submarine” was composed in 1966 by Paul McCartney, who wanted to write a simple children’s song about a submarine “where all your friends are with a band.” As with other Beatles songs, many listeners tried to read references to drugs into the song. A month after the song debuted, certain barbiturate capsules started to be known as “yellow submarines.” McCartney has always claimed it was just a nonsensical song for children about an ancient mariner. The water sounds on the recording were created by John Lennon blowing bubbles through a straw into a pan of water and others twirling chains in a tin tub. An animated film of the same title featuring The Beatles as cartoon characters followed in 1968.

• Tony Orlando and Dawn released “Tie a Yellow Ribbon” in 1973, and after three weeks, three million records had been sold in the U.S. It was #1 on the charts for four weeks that April.

The gist of the song is that someone who has “done his time,” presumably a convict, is on his way home, but is uncertain whether he will be welcome. He asks his love, if she wants him back, to tie a yellow ribbon around the old oak tree in front of the house where the bus will pass by. The end result is 100 yellow ribbons around the tree. This was not a new tradition, and may even date back to the Civil War when women wore a yellow ribbon in their hair to signify their devotion for their U.S. Cavalry soldiers. In 1979, when the U.S.Embassy in Iran was seized and the staff was held hostage, yellow ribbons were seen on trees across the nation as a symbol of support. They are also displayed for soldiers returning from the Persian Gulf.

It’s that time of year when a trip to the Caribbean sounds like the perfect dream vacation. But most of us don’t have the luxury of flying a family to an exotic destination to snorkel and swim. That’s when a visit to an aquarium can satisfy the longing to be eye to eye with exotic fish and other marine life.

Make a plan to visit your closest aquarium this winter. If you’re lucky to observe enchanting jellyfish, reinforce the memory with your preschooler, and make jellyfish art when you get home.

Before you begin, collect illustrated books about jellyfish and photos you took at an aquarium for reference. Or, if you can’t get up close and personal with jellyfish, watch this live-action jelly-cam online from the Monterey Bay Aquarium in California. The colors and graceful movements will surely inspire this artistic project: www. montereybayaquarium.org/animals-and-experiences/liveweb-cams.

Grab tissue and crepe paper from your stashed-away party supplies, and you’re on your way to making a large, eyecatching jellyfish to display on a bathroom window to let the sunshine through, or hang in your child’s bedroom for under-the-sea decor.

HERE’S WHAT YOU’LL NEED: Waxed paper Tissue paper in several colors, such as pink, blue and purple (common jellyfish colors) Six 20-inch lengths of crepe paper Pencil Scissors Iron Stapler HERE’S THE FUN: 1. Cut tissue paper into 1-inch squares, triangles and rectangles. You’ll need about 20 pieces. This is good cutting practice for children learning how to use scissors.

2. Sketch a basic 8-inch high and 11-inch wide dome or mushroom-top shape with a pencil to represent a jellyfish body onto a sheet of waxed paper. The bottom of the shape should be a 9-inch horizontal line. With the sketch as a guide, cut two.

3. Set one body shape in front of your child and let him arrange the cut tissue paper on it. Set the second sheet on top, wax side down, matching the edges. Place on a paper towel on an ironing board. Set another paper towel on top.

An adult should iron over it for a few seconds on medium heat until the waxed paper seals together.

4. For tentacles, cut each of the six crepe paper strips in half lengthwise without cutting through the top ends. Staple the uncut ends evenly onto the horizontal base of the body. You now will have 12 free-flowing tentacles.

5. Tape the jellyfish to a wall or window.

Note: Make smaller jellyfish by reducing the body shape by half. For tentacles, use two 10-inch lengths of crepe paper cut into fourths lengthwise.

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For Advertising Call (541) 203-0233 MELLOW YELLOW (continued):

Rogue Valley Real Estate Home buying is a complicated process, so most people spend time preparing themselves by getting to know the market and researching a good team.

Research can only take you so far, though.

Here are some things that might surprise you during your home buying process.

The paperwork. After the bad lending habits that led to the recent housing crash, there is more paperwork than ever. There will be paperwork when you sign an agreement with your real estate agent.

There will be paperwork when you make an offer, and there will be lots of paperwork when you go for closing. There will even be paperwork that verifies that your paperwork is your paperwork. It can be dizzying and confusing, but you should never sign paperwork that you don’t understand. Experts have a tendency to move through paperwork quickly because they know what it is, but you’ve got the right to demand explanation.

The home inspection. The home inspection can derail a home purchase.

After a long search, you’ve finally put an offer in that has been accepted, and you’re elated. Now you’re waiting only on the home inspection. Be prepared—the home inspector will find problems. If it comes back with lots of problems, there will be negotiation. A bad inspection doesn’t spell the death knell for a deal, but if there are significant problems or the seller is unwilling to negotiate in ways that you think are reasonable, then a bad home inspection can lead you to pull out of an impending deal.

To Your Good Health

By Keith Roach, M.D.

How Safe Is Ultrasound?

DEAR DR. ROACH: Could you please discuss the use of ultrasounds during routine pregnancies? How many typically are performed, and are there any possible negative effects on the fetus? Are doctors today performing more ultrasounds (including 3-D ultrasounds) just because they can and because it’s exciting for the expectant parents, or is there a medical reason for performing these?

My daughter-in-law is in her sixth month and has had two ultrasounds, plus a 3-D session. She is under the impression that she will have at least one more. To my knowledge, this is not a high-risk pregnancy (she’s 26 and everything is going fine).

I’m just wondering if so many sessions are really

Surprise, Surprise!

Things You Didn’t Know About Buying a Home.

Extra expenses. While you’ve been saving for the down payment, there are always going to be some extra expenses in the home buying process.

You might need to pay for additional home inspections. You might need to pay for some estimates for repairs, whether structural or cosmetic. You might need to rent a storage unit for a few days. Stash away some extra cash to meet these needs.

Things will not go as you expect. With so many moving parts to a housing deal— buyer, seller, agents, lenders, inspectors and the like—there is always the possibility that someone will make a decision that will put a bump into the road to your new home. Trying to be flexible and available can help you meet the ever-evolving needs of this diverse group and keep you on track. The process is complex, but the reward is just as great, so it’s worth going through some unexpected hurdles to get into your first home or your next one.

We’re here to help you through the process, so give us a call. Our experience benefits you -- we guarantee it.

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needed and what is known about the effects on the fetus. -- G.M. ANSWER: There is some controversy over whether an ultrasound poses risks to the developing fetus. The Food and Drug Administration has noted that there may be some heating of tissues and that any long-term risks are unknown. I did find studies showing that there is no long-term risk of leukemia, hearing loss or abnormal eye development.

A 2013 guideline from multiple groups, including the American College of Obstetricians and Gynecologists, recommended a standard first-trimester ultrasound, and a standard second- or third-trimester ultrasound.

Any other ultrasounds would be based on a clinician’s concern for a potential problem.

The guideline specifically states: “Fetal ultrasound should be performed only when there is a valid medical reason, and the lowest possible ultrasonic exposure settings should be used to gain the necessary diagnostic information.” I don’t have enough information to know why your daughter-in-law has had more ultrasounds than is usually recommended for a normal pregnancy. Perhaps her obstetrician has a low-level concern she hasn’t shared with her, or your daughterin-law with you.

While not the case for her, I am concerned about the growing trend of so-called keepsake ultrasounds that

• Yellow means different things in the cultures around the world. Many see yellow as the color of happiness, enlightenment, sunshine, and Spring.

In fact, over 80% of people around the world agree that it’s the color of happiness. Yet it’s the color of mourning in Egypt, the color of sadness in Greece, and represents jealousy in France. In India, yellow represents a merchant or a farmer.

In North America, we refer to a coward as yellow or yellow-bellied, yet in Japan the color yellow represents courage. Some religions associate yellow with deity, and the garb of religious leaders is yellow. In China, it is the color of glory, virtue, and wisdom. At one time, Russians referred to an insane asylum as the “yellow house.”

• Why do bananas change from green to yellow?

Before the fruit is picked, it is green because of chlorophyll in the skin. After it is picked, hormones convert amino acids into ethylene gas, which produces several enzymes. The enzymes stop the chlorophyll supply and the yellow carotenoids present in the bananas replace the green color.

• Cycling fans will be familiar with the term maillot jaune, which is the yellow jersey worn by the leader of the Tour de France race, a practice that was put into place in 1919. During each stage of the race, the time each rider takes is totaled. The rider with the lowest overall time at the end of each stage receives the ceremonial yellow jersey and starts the next stage. Whoever has the yellow jersey after the last stage is the overall winner of the Tour.

are not performed for valid medical reasons, such as those done in shopping malls. These might not be administered with the same degree of expertise and safety as a medical ultrasound. *** DEAR DR. ROACH: I am 78 and have had urinary tract infections continually for the past eight or nine months. My urologist prescribed methenamine for six months, then a month of cephalexin, then back to the first prescription. Why is it so hard to get rid of UTIs? What would you recommend? -- A.C.S. ANSWER: Frequent urine infections are common.

However, it is important to find out if this is the same infection that hasn’t ever gone away, or a series of new infections. An infection that doesn’t go away needs an evaluation for something abnormal in the urinary tract, such as a kidney stone. Your urologist is treating you with medication to prevent new infections. Methanamine is a urinary antiseptic, and cephalexin is a broad-spectrum antibiotic.

You didn’t tell me if you are a man or a woman.

Men with recurrent infections should be evaluated for prostate issues. Women with recurrent UTIs frequently are affected by atrophic vaginitis. There are many other causes. It’s worth discussing further with your urologist.

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the vocabulary is “Donald Trump,” which, for at least the past 15 years, has been used as an equivalent for going to the bathroom. * It was Founding Father Thomas Paine who made the following sage observation: “He who would make his own liberty secure must guard even his enemy from oppression; for if he violates this duty he establishes a precedent that will reach to himself.”

UNUSUAL ANIMALS:

SLOTHS

How much do you know about the sloth? You’ll be wiser about these mammals after examining the facts.

• These medium-sized tropical mammals are related to anteaters and armadillos and live in the jungles of Central and South America. Species of sloths differ by the number of claws on their front feet and are simply called the two-toed sloth and the three-toed sloth. Other than that, they look pretty much the same, although the two-toed sloth is slightly bigger, about 27 inches (68 cm) long, weighing about 18.75 lbs. (8 kg.)

• The sloth’s claws are 3 to 4 inches (8 to 10 cm) long and make walking on the ground very difficult. As a result, sloths spend most of their time in the tall trees. They eat and sleep in the trees and mate and give birth in the trees. They do occasionally drop themselves into the water for a swim.

• A sloth is a herbivore (plant eater) and more specifically a folivore, a herbivore that eats primarily leaves. Their 12-inch (30.5 cm) long tongues enable them to collect leaves from distant branches. Because leaves provide very little energy or nutrients and do not digest easily, the sloth’s stomach is very slow-acting with several compartments. About 65% of a sloth’s body weight is made up just of the contents of its stomach. It can take a month or more for the digestive process to be completed.

• The sloth’s metabolic rate is very low as is its body temperature. It has only about a quarter as much muscle tissue as other animals its size, about 25% of total body weight.

* Most people prefer to kiss with their eyes closed; however, of those who do prefer to keep their eyes open, the vast majority are men. * It’s well-known that a certain segment of native Londoners speak in a dialect known as Cockney, which makes frequent use of rhyming slang -- some classic examples are “dog and bone” for “phone” and “apples and pears” for “stairs.” A more recent addition to

Scam: Seniors Used as Drug Mules

Seniors have long been the victims of scams: identity theft, lotteries, fake computer tech support, IRS impersonation, fake charities, home repair, utility sign-ups and more. Now there’s one that’s beyond comprehension -seniors are being conned into being drug mules in foreign countries.

These drug-mule scams usually start online with seniors being enticed by romantic relationships. Once trust is built up, the senior is asked to travel internationally, with the scammers making the arrangements that go through multiple countries. On one leg of the journey, the senior is asked to carry a package or extra piece of luggage.

One such senior, age 77, is a former pastor who never even had a traffic ticket. He’d been involved in an online romance, which was a

Blue Water Sailor Wins Agent Orange Benefits

It took six years and an aggressive attorney, but a Blue Water Sailor has finally been given full benefits for Agent Orange exposure.

When the sailor first applied in 2010 for benefits for ischemic heart disease due to AO exposure, the response was typical: The VA said no because he’d been on a carrier out at sea. He continued to appeal.

And appeal. And appeal.

The VA finally told him to either go away or go to court. Naturally he chose court and got an attorney. The VA was ordered to take another look at the facts and finally decided that 100 percent disability for ischemic heart disease due to AO exposure was appropriate, backdated to when symptoms first appeared, many years earlier.

* If you watch TV or movies at all, you’ve probably seen some variation of the Humane Society disclaimer “No animals were harmed in the making of this program.” You may not have considered that it’s also applicable to insects, but those who make the programs certainly do. In fact, if you see a bug being destroyed in a contemporary movie, it’s a safe bet that the bug was dead before the scene was shot. There are even people who stuff dead bugs with a sort of cream to fill it out -- and to ensure a satisfying squish for the camera. * You may be surprised to learn that many people never even feel it when they’re bitten by a venomous snake. (They certainly experience the aftereffects, though.)

scam. For years he’d been sending the woman money, to the detriment of his own financial situation. Eventually he was convinced to transport “real estate documents” from South America to London for his online friend.

Unbeknownst to him, the weighty packages contained cocaine. He was arrested and sits in a European prison.

According to testimony at a U.S. Senate Special Committee on Aging hearing, 145 seniors have been arrested by foreign governments for trying to smuggle drugs, and 44 of them are still in prison.

If you’re a senior or care for one, especially someone who is cognitively impaired, go online to www.aging.senate.gov/hearings and search for “Do You Know What Is in Your Suitcase?” Read the testimony from senators, the director of Immigrations and Customs, and the son of one senior who is still in prison in a foreign country. If you or a loved one have been the victim of fraud, please contact the anti-fraud hotline at 855-303-9470.

If you were on a ship near Vietnam, the questions to consider are: If you were assigned to a ship and were flown out to it, where had the plane been? Was the plane contaminated and bringing AO every time it landed on a carrier? Did you unload cargo from those planes or work on them? Did the ship ever bring on fresh fruits and vegetables?

Did the ship ever dock? Did it take on water for distillation inside the 12-mile limit? Did your mail and supplies sit on the runway near the AO storage area in Da Nang?

Meanwhile, the Blue Water Navy Vietnam Veterans Act (HR-969) was recently introduced in the House of Representatives.

The legislation will give AO presumptives to sailors and Marines who served in offshore waters of Vietnam.

If you’re fighting the VA, go online to The Veterans Consortium Pro Bono Program [www.vetsprobono.org]. You can hook up with a specially trained attorney -- for free -who will take your case. You’ll pay nothing unless you win back entitlement.

Vintage Newspapers Q: I have a partial set of Sakura china in the Laredo pattern. It was discontinued at least 20 years ago. Can you help me? I love this pattern and would like to at least have a complete set for six. -- Betty, Conway, Arkansas A: Replacements can probably help you track down the pieces that you’re missing, but be prepared for sticker shock, because it won’t be cheap. The address is P.O. Box 26029, Greenboro,

NC 27428. In addition to china, Replacements also helps complete silver flatware patterns and crystal, and even offers free pattern identification. Its tollfree telephone number is 800-737-5223. *** Q: My late great-aunt was a seamstress throughout the 1920s and ‘30s. I am in the process of liquidating her estate in a suburb of St. Louis. In addition to two Singer sewing machines, there are thimbles, thread cases and an assortment of numerous other items, all relating to her profession. Because I can’t save everything, I need your advice. -- Mandy, Tempe, Arizona A: I don’t want to needle you, but be very careful when sifting through this estate. Thimbles have become extremely collectible, so you should be aware of certain ones, especially those crafted by James Fenton, Charles Horner, the Simon Brothers, and ones featuring unusual designs such as the “Iles Ventilated Thimble.”

Because Singer sewing machines made during the 1920s and ‘30s are plentiful and often priced for less than $150 at local shops, I do not think they are worth keeping. The real value of these machines could, however, be the contents of the drawers. Look for vintage needle cases, because one made by W. Avery & Sons recently sold for $300 at auction. Examine carefully measuring tapes and other items issued as advertising premiums. So you won’t get stuck, steer clear of new thimbles advertised as limited editions. They rarely increase in value. *** Q: I have a first edition of Frank Yerbe’s novel “Bride of Liberty.” I have been offered $50 for it.

-- Bill, Akron, Ohio A: Take it. According to several used-book dealers I consulted, a first edition of the novel you mentioned generally sells in the $15-$25 range. It was published by Doubleday in 1954.

Chewy Peanut Butter Cookies These cookies work best with supermarket brands of peanut butter. The amount of artery-clogging trans fats in commercial peanut butter is small. In fact, you’d have to eat about 40 tablespoons to get 1 gram of trans fat.

2 3/4 cups all-purpose flour 1 teaspoon baking powder 1/2 teaspoon baking soda 1/4 teaspoon salt 1 cup butter or margarine (2 sticks), softened 1 cup creamy peanut butter 1 cup packed brown sugar 1/2 cup granulated sugar 2 tablespoons dark corn syrup 2 teaspoons vanilla extract 2 large eggs 1. Heat oven to 375 F. 2. On waxed paper, combine flour, baking powder, baking soda and salt.

3. In large bowl, with mixer at medium speed, beat butter, peanut butter and sugars until creamy, occasionally scraping bowl with rubber spatula. Beat in corn syrup, vanilla, then eggs, 1 at a time, beating well after each addition. At low speed, gradually add flour mixture; beat just until blended, occasionally scraping bowl. Cover and refrigerate dough 30 minutes for easier shaping.

4. Shape dough by rounded measuring tablespoons into 1 1/2-inch balls. Place balls, 2 inches apart, on ungreased large cookie sheet. With floured tines of fork, press and flatten each ball, making a crisscross pattern. Bake cookies 12 to 13 minutes or until pale golden. Transfer cookies to wire rack to cool. Repeat with remaining dough.

Makes about 5 dozen cookies. * Each serving: About 100 calories, 6g total fat (3g saturated), 2g protein, 11g carbohydrate, 0g fiber, 16mg cholesterol, 85mg sodium.

School-Night Meatball Soup 1/2 cup regular long-grain rice 2 cans (13 3/4 to 14 1/2 ounces each) chicken broth 3 medium carrots, sliced 3 medium celery stalks, sliced 5 ounces prewashed spinach (half 10-ounce bag) 8 frozen lean meatballs, thawed and sliced Shredded or grated Parmesan cheese (optional) 1. In 1-quart saucepan, heat 1 cup water to boiling over high heat. Add rice, heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 15 to 20 minutes until water is absorbed and rice is tender.

2. Meanwhile, in 4-quart saucepan, heat chicken broth and 2 cups water to boiling over high heat. Add carrots and celery, heat to boiling. Reduce heat to low, cover and simmer 5 to 7 minutes, until vegetables are tender.

3. Stir in spinach, rice and sliced meatballs, heat through. Serve soup with Parmesan cheese if you like. Serves 4. * Each serving without Parmesan cheese: About 400 calories, 7g total fat (3g saturated), 25g protein, 30g carbohydrate, 51mg cholesterol, 1,010mg sodium.

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SLOTHS (continued): • The sloth’s scientific name is Bradypus, which translates from the Greek for “slow feet.” It’s an apt name, since the sloth is the world’s slowest animal. They have very little energy and move only when necessary and even then, only at a maximum speed of about 6.5 feet (2 m) per minute. It moves so slowly that algae grows on its fur. This does work to an advantage, however, since the algae’s green color camouflages the animal in the trees, protecting it from predators.

Moths, beetles, cockroaches, and fungi also make their home in the sloth’s fur.

• A sloth is much more comfortable in the water and can move three times faster in water than on land, while easily performing the breaststroke.

• Sloths are not particularly friendly animals and prefer to live alone. Their idea of a social activity is sleeping in a tree with another sloth.

• Three-toed sloths have extra neck vertebrae that enable them to turn their neck 270 degrees.

• The pygmy three-toed sloth can only be found on the Isla Escude de Veraguas off the coast of Panama. Only 79 of this endangered species remain.

• Sloths were brought to the public’s eye when animated versions became movie stars. In 2002, Ice Age was released by 20th Century Fox, a film which featured Sid, a prehistoric sloth who teams up with Manny the Mammoth to survive the Paleolithic ice age. The fifth Ice Age film is set to be released in 2016. Another computer-animated movie The Croods features a prehistoric family in the Pliocene Era who have a pet sloth named Belt.

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FAMOUS DEAF PEOPLE

March is Deaf History Month, an appropriate time to pay tribute to these who have overcome the odds.

• At about age 30, composer Ludwig van Beethoven began experiencing severe tinnitus, a “roar” in his ears that made conversation and playing at concerts extremely difficult. Yet it didn’t stop him from composing hundreds of musical works, including nine symphonies, seven concerti, 32 piano sonatas, 16 string quartets, and scores of chamber music pieces.

There are differing opinions on what caused composer Ludwig van Beethoven’s deafness, including typhus, lead poisoning, or his habit of immersing his head in cold water to stay awake. An analysis done on a piece of his hair revealed an exceptionally high level of lead in his system. It’s also possible that his inner ear developed lesions that led to his deafness.

• An illness thought to be scarlet fever or meningitis robbed 19-month-old Helen Keller of her hearing and sight. At age seven, 20-yearold Anne Sullivan entered her life and began spelling words into Helen’s hand. It was the beginning of a friendship that would endure for 49 years. At Radcliffe College, Helen became the first deaf and blind person to earn a Bachelor of Arts degree. She published her autobiography, The Story of My Life at age 22, followed up by another book five years later, and another 10 during the course of her life. She met every U.S. President from Grover Cleveland up to Lyndon B. Johnson, who awarded her the Presidential Medal of Freedom. When asked if she could choose between deafness and blindness, she said she would choose to be blind because “blindness separates us from things, but deafness separates us from people.”

• Marlee Matlin is the only deaf person to win an Academy Award, something she accomplished at age 21 in 1986 as Best Actress for Children of a Lesser God. Being deaf since the age of 18 months from a genetic malformation didn’t stop Matlin from

1. Bert Blyleven, Sam McDowell and Walter Johnson.

2. Wally Joyner of the Angels.

3. Jamal Lewis, in 1997.

4. Denver, in the 1985-86 season.

5. The Toronto Maple Leafs (1993-94 season) and Buffalo Sabres (2006-07).

6. Ayrton Senna, with 41 victories.

7. Italy’s Flavia Pennetta, at the 2015 U.S. Open.

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pursuing acting at an early age. At seven, she started as Dorothy in a stage production of The Wizard of Oz. In recent years, she’s had a recurring role in “The West Wing” and has appeared in several other television series.

She’s published four books and was a finalist on NBC’s “The Celebrity Apprentice.”

An especially difficult challenge was her participation in ABC’s “Dancing with the Stars.”

• After a bout with scarlet fever and a severe blow to the head, at age 14, Thomas Edison was left with 20% hearing in one ear and none in the other, although he considered himself deaf. He maintained that his loss of hearing helped him to be a better scientist.

Dealing with dyslexia in addition to his deafness, Edison spent just three months in public school, before his mother chose to deal with his disabilities by homeschooling him. Credited with close to 1,100 patents (still a record number for one person), this brilliant inventor filed for a new patent on the average of every five days. Although we mainly remember his “big” inventions, such as the stock ticker, voting machine, motion picture camera and projector, phonograph, and incandescent light bulbs, Edison was also the inventor of waxed paper. He was often quoted as saying, “Genius is one percent inspiration and 99% perspiration.”

Answers 1. Apple Records 2. Jupiter, which rotates once in just less than 10 hours.

3. Crickets 4. Peregrin falcon 5. Mercury 6. Frances 7. South Africa 8. Fear of reptiles or creepy, crawly things 9. Low blood sugar 10. Springfield Nuclear Power Plant