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Volume 2 Issue 13
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TIDBITS® CELEBRATES APRIL 10 WITH
FAMOUS SIBLINGS by Kathy Wolfe
Since April 10 is National Sibling Day, Tidbits is taking this opportunity to bring you facts about some famous siblings who’ve made the news over the years. • The Olsen twins, Mary-Kate and Ashley, were born to a mother who was a personal manager and a real estate developer/ mortgage broker father. The two were cast in the ABC sitcom “Full House” at the age of nine months, sharing the role of Michelle Tanner for the entire series’ run from 1987 to 1995. After two more sitcoms, they branched out into producing. The Olsens are authors and businesswomen, with the majority of their time now spent on their luxury fashion design business. Their combined net worth is estimated in the $300 million range. • Shirley MacLaine and Warren Beatty were born to a psychology professor father and a drama teacher mother. Shirley made her film debut at age 21 in an Alfred Hitchcock movie, and went on to fame in Terms of Endearment and Steel Magnolias. Although as a young man, Warren had been offered ten college football scholarships, he turned them down to study acting after seeing the success of his sister, who was already a Hollywood star. turn the page for more!
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FAMOUS SIBLINGS (continued):
• Country singer Naomi Judd has two famous daughters, Wynonna and Ashley. These sisters are direct descendants of famous Pilgrims Mary and William Brewster, who helped organize the first voyage of the Mayflower. Ashley, born Ashley Ciminella in 1968, has appeared in close to 40 films, but has many other accomplishments, including an MPA from Harvard’s Kennedy School of Government. She is active in humanitarian causes, including prevention of genocide and crimes against women. Sister Wynonna (birth name Christina Ciminella) teamed up with her mother to form a musical duo that had 14 No. 1 hits on the charts. The pair released seven albums before disbanding in 1991. Wynonna’s solo career has led to 20 more singles on the charts.
• Professional tennis playing sisters Venus and Serena Williams have faced each other 27 times in Grand Slam finals. Both have been ranked Number One in the world in their career, with Venus top-ranked for 11 weeks, and Serena for 200 weeks. Currently Serena is No. 1 and Venus is No. 16. Venus is a seventime Grand Slam title winner in singles, with Serena grabbing 21 titles. Each woman has won four gold medals in the Summer Olympics Games. A Williams sister has won the Wimbledon singles championship in 2000, 2001, 2002, 2003, 2005, 2007, 2008, 2009, 2010, 2012, and 2015. • The American pop band Hanson, consisting of three brothers Isaac, Taylor, and Zac have sold more than 16 million records, and have had eight Top 40 albums. When their first album “Middle of Nowhere” was released in 1997, Isaac was 17, Taylor, 14, and Zac, just 12 years old. The album sold 10 million copies worldwide. The young brothers were nominated for three Grammy Awards in 1998.
Cat Tears Up Furniture DEAR PAW’S CORNER: We adopted a friend’s cat sight unseen. “Tara” is a beautiful young tigerstriped cat, but she claws at every furniture leg in the house. My sofa, for example, is pretty much ruined. How can I get this behavior to stop? -Patricia, via email DEAR PATRICIA: Almost all cats claw at handy chair legs, and often prefer the corners of sofas -the more expensive, the better, it seems. However, you shouldn’t have to sacrifice your furniture for a friend’s cat. There are a few things you can do to minimize the scratching. I can’t guarantee that it will go away, but you should be able to save future sofas from the same fate. First, protect your furniture legs (specifically the furniture that Tara is targeting the most) by wrapping thick cloth or even multiple layers of newspaper around them, and taping in place with masking tape. (Duct tape could leave behind residue.) To discourage Tara from clawing at the protective layer, cover it with plastic wrap or tape -- when she sinks her claws into the tape, the uncomfortable sensation will stop the clawing. Next, give Tara some things that she CAN claw,
and that she can spend her time with: multiple scratching posts and toys. Third, spent more time with Tara, playing, petting or just being in the same room. Help her work off extra energy and assure her that despite the change in homes, she has nothing to worry about -- and much of the anxiety that may be behind her obsessive clawing may ease. If these steps don’t reduce the amount of furniture clawing going on, talk to Tara’s vet about medication that could ease her anxiety.
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ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Regarding your upcoming challenges, the Aries Lamb should very quickly size things up and allow you to make the best possible use of whatever resources you have on hand. Good luck. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) You rarely blame others for missteps that worked against you. But this time you need to lay out all the facts and insist that everyone acknowledge his or her share of the mistakes. Then start again. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) You might want to start making vacation plans. And don’t be surprised by unexpected family demands. Maintain control. Be open to suggestions, but don’t get bogged down by them. CANCER ( June 21 to July 22) Work with both your Moon Child and Crab aspects this week to keep both your creative and your practical sides balanced. Your intuition sharpens, giving you greater insight by the middle of the week. LEO ( July 23 to August 22) The Big Cat finally should have all the information needed to move on with a project. If not, maybe you’ll want to give everything a new and more thorough check before trying to move on. VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) Too much emotional pain caused by someone you can’t win over as a friend? Then stop trying to do so. You have other things you need to work on this week. Go to it, and good luck. LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) It’s a good time to reassess where and how your strengths can help you build, and where your weaknesses can hinder you. Remember to build on your strongest foundation. SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) That personal matter that seemed so hard to deal with should be less confusing now. Don’t rush. Let things happen easily, without the risk of creating even more puzzlement. SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) Change continues to be a strong factor in many important areas. Keep on top of them, and you won’t have to worry about losing control. A personal situation takes on a new look. CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) A business offer sounds intriguing. But if you don’t check it out thoroughly, you could have problems. Take a set of questions with you when you attend your next meeting. AQUARIUS ( January 20 to February 18) Your self-confidence should be coming back. That’s good news. But it might be a bit over the top right now, so best to let it settle down before you start making expensive decisions. PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Your life, your decisions. Good enough. But be sure you have all the facts you need to put into the decisionmaker mixing bowl and hope it will come out as it should. BORN THIS WEEK: You find much of your creativity with new people who give you much to think about.
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1. LITERATURE: How many words is Shakespeare credited with inventing? 2. FOOD & DRINK: What is the Irish dish called colcannon made of? 3. ASTRONOMY: What is the third planet from the Sun in our solar system? 4. HISTORY: Who was Britain’s first female prime minister? 5. SCIENCE: What is the scientific study of fingerprints called? 6. GEOGRAPHY: Where is the country of Palau located? 7. ANATOMY: Where are the three smallest bones in the human body found? 8. MATH: How many different ways can you make change for a dollar? 9. QUOTATIONS: What 20th-century mythologist made the observation, “We must be willing to let go of the life we planned so as to have the life that is waiting for us”? 10. FLAGS: What color is the maple leaf on Canada’s flag?
1. In 2015, Cleveland starting pitcher Corey Kluber tied a major-league mark for most strikeouts in eight innings or fewer (18). Who else holds the record? 2. From 1903 on, who recorded the most career wins as manager of the Chicago Cubs? 3. When was the last time before 2014 that the University of Memphis football team won at least a share of a conference title? 4. Name three of the four NBA players who won the Rookie of the Year award after not debuting in the year they were drafted. 5. The Montreal Canadiens have won the most Stanley Cup titles (24). Which NHL team is second? 6. Orlando’s Cyle Larin set a Major League Soccer record in 2015 for most goals in a season by a rookie (17). Who had held the mark? 7. American Pharoah, the Triple Crown winner in 2015, lost only twice during his 11-race career. Name either horse that beat him.
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Craft a Thank-You Card With Eggshell Art
FAMOUS SIBLINGS (continued):
• New Jersey brothers Paul, Joe, and Nicholas Jonas have sold upwards of 17 million records. Formed in 2005, they are the youngest band to be featured on the cover of Rolling Stone magazine.
• Baby boomers will remember the character of Opie Taylor on “The Andy Griffith Show,” a role that Ron Howard played for eight years. The Oklahoma-born Howard appeared in his first movie at 18 months, but had his first credited role at age 4. As a teenager, he began a six-year stint as Richie Cunningham on the popular sitcom “Happy Days.” At age 25, he left the series to focus on a career as a director. His many successful films include Cocoon, Apollo 13, A Beautiful Mind, The Da Vinci Code and Frost/Nixon. Ron Howard has cast his younger brother Clint in 16 of the films he has directed. Clint was also a child star, appearing in the 1960s series “Gentle Ben” as the son of a Florida Everglades game warden who kept a bear as a pet. Ron is worth a little more than his brother -- $140 million to Clint’s $20 million. •
There were more sets of siblings competing in the 2014 Winter Olympics than any other. Seven sets of siblings on Team USA competed either as teammates or as rivals, along with Ukraine’s female twins, three sisters from Switzerland, another three sisters from Canada, and two brothers from Norway. Two of the three Canadian sisters took gold and silver in the moguls event. In the men’s double luge event, two Austrian brothers won the silver medal, while two Latvian brothers took the Bronze. Dutch twin brothers won gold and bronze in the men’s 500-meter speedskating race. Over the years, there have been 19 families who have had three or more siblings compete at the Winter Olympics. The record is held by the Spanish Fernandez Ochoa family, who had three brothers and two sisters competing.
It’s the excitement of finding jelly beans, Peeps and a chocolate bunny in a festive basket on Easter morning, dressing up in one’s Sunday best, the lively backyard egg hunt and the delicious brunch at Grandma’s house that are just a few of many happy events that make Easter Sunday special. Then comes Monday, when all of the activity is but a memory of traditions, play, family and friends. Before the week flies by, take time to hang out with your kids and recall the experiences you shared by telling stories and looking at photos. While you are at it, teach them the important courtesy of saying “Thank you” to the hosts of the gathering with a homemade card that is as fun to make as it is special to give. For this crafty idea, start saving the colored eggshells from the remaining decorated hard-boiled eggs in your refrigerator, because you’ll be using them in the cover design. Here are the basic steps for making a card using those dyed eggshells. Let your imagination soar as you create your own variations along the way: 1. On a newspaper-covered table, place dyed eggshells in a variety of colors in a zipper-style plastic bag. Let your kids smash the shells lightly with their fists. 2. Mix white household glue with a few drops of water in a small bowl. 3. Fold an 8-1/2-inch-by-11-inch sheet of construction paper or cardstock in half to create a card. Trim off a side to form a square shape, if you wish. 4. Cut a 2-1/2-inch-by-4-inch egg shape out of heavy construction paper. Cut it in half in zigzags to resemble a cracked egg. Brush glue on the top of the paper egg halves, then sprinkle the shells on the glue in a single layer. Press lightly. 5. Glue the decorated halves on the bottom of the card, with zigzags tilted toward each other. Tuck in some Easter-basket grass along the jagged edges before the glue dries. 6. Write “THANK YOU” at the top of the card in big letters, or glue-on cutout alphabet letters from a magazine. When the glue is dry, write a note inside. Tuck in a large envelope, such as a manila office envelope. Hand deliver or mail.
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A Bit of Spring Cleaning! and sidewalks to brick, stucco and siding. The key is to adjust the pressure for each surface and attack the gunk from top to bottom, standing at least three feet away. This will prevent damage from intense pressure. If you have heavily soiled areas, you may want to look into using some type of cleaner and a scrub brush. Read up on the surfaces you intend to clean and prepare accordingly. You should also take time out to prep the site. Close all windows and doors. Remove all obstacles. Cover all plants. Then get ready to clean the surface from top to bottom, washing the dirt down. This will save valuable time and energy. Pressure washing is not hard, and doing it routinely could save you money and time later. If left long enough, gunk and grime can take a real toll on a home and cause rotting and other structural issues. It can also take a toll on your health. Don’t leave it to Mother Nature to care for the exterior of your home. A good hard rain won’t do as good of a cleaning as a pressure washer will. Borrow one, rent one or buy one and take the time to make the surfaces on and around your home shine. And if you don’t want to do it yourself, we have great referrals for contractors and “Handypeople” too--give us a call, our experience benefits you, we guarantee it!
Rogue Valley Real Estate Mold. Mildew. Dirt. Oil. Grime. They are not pretty, and if left long enough, they can wreak havoc on a home. Spring brings nice weather and green gunk on and around your home. Hosing away the gunk is a necessity for the health and happiness of your home, and the best way to go about it is with a pressure washer. A pressure washer makes quick work of outside cleaning. Water is directed through a high-pressure nozzle to sweep away all of the mold, mildew, dirt, oil and grime from siding, brick, stucco, decking and more. A pressure washer is not a hose. It is a tool, and it must be used properly to prevent damage and obtain a thorough clean. You can purchase a pressure washer or rent one for the day. Many brands are available. If you are buying a pressure washer, make sure you do your homework. Read up on the various brands available and choose the one that is right for you. Generally, the more powerful the washer, the more it will cost but the heavier jobs it will be able to tackle. Choose a model that will serve your long-term needs and your budget. Once you get the pressure washer home, make sure you know how to use it. Read the owner’s manual and know what pressure to use for the job. The cleaning of brick, stucco and wood siding usually requires a lighter touch, about 1,500 pounds per square inch. The cleaning of concrete may take more. Most exterior surfaces can be pressure washed, from decks and patios to driveways
To Your Good Health By Keith Roach, M.D.
How to Choosea Kidney Doctor DEAR DR. ROACH: How can I find the most successful, experienced kidney doctor? Would I be better off with a doctor who has his or her own practice, or one who works in a hospital? My kidney function is at 32 percent, down from 44 percent four years ago due to hypertension. -- J.A. ANSWER: I often have tried to point out when a teaching hospital or special expertise is critical to having the best chance for a good outcome. For chronic kidney disease, the expertise of the kidney specialist is seldom at issue, because virtually all kidney doctors are very experienced and are expert
• The Aurness brothers were born in the 1920s to a businessman and his journalist wife. James was the elder, who had his eyes set on being a World War II fighter pilot, but his height of 6’7” made it impossible. Instead, he served as an Army infantryman in Italy, where his leg was severely injured by machine-gun fire. After the war, James and his brother Peter, also a WWII vet, pursued careers in the entertainment field and both became well-known television actors in very different roles. James, who dropped the “u” in his name, became James Arness, the star of TV’s “Gunsmoke,” a long-running western set in 1870s Kansas. For 20 years from 1955 to 1975, Arness was Marshal Matt Dillon on the series, along with several made-for-TV “Gunsmoke” movies after the regular series ended. His brother changed his name to Peter Graves and became famous in his role of Jim Phelps, the director of the Impossible Missions Force on TV’s “Mission Impossible” from 1967 to 1973 and again from 1988 to 1990. The highly-successful 1980s comedy Airplane! films featured Graves as Captain Clarence Oveur, the pilot of a Boeing 707. • The 1977 Saturday Night Fever movie soundtrack album, recorded by siblings, Barry, Robin, and Maurice Gibb sold 15 million copies and was Album of the Year, with five the songs making it to #1 on the charts. The Gibbs composed half of 1978’s biggest songs, with Barry and Robin once writing three #1 singles in one afternoon. Their sales exceed 220 million records. Of the three, only Barry survives, Maurice having died from intestinal problems in 2003 at 53, and his twin Robin succumbing to cancer in 2012.
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at taking care of this condition. The main goal will be to slow down the decline of kidney function, but many people in your situation eventually will need dialysis. In my opinion, what you want to look at carefully is the dialysis facility, which vary greatly in quality. I found a watchdog group with an interesting look at dialysis centers at http://projects.propublica.org/dialysis/. This uses Medicare data to evaluate hospitalization, infection and even mortality. It’s not a perfect tool, but it gives you some information on which to base your decision. Find a doctor affiliated with the best dialysis facility around. *** DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a generally healthy 81-year-old lady. I retired from teaching two years ago. I had a very strange situation about a month ago. I was sitting on the toilet and suddenly had pain in both my legs, and I could not move my feet, toes or any other parts. My husband gave me two aspirin, which did not help the pain. He then gave me an oxycodone 5 mg from our son, who was recovering from a badly broken arm. The oxycodone worked after about an hour and a half, and I was able to get up and walk. My husband thought it was probably a leg cramp.
I went to see my regular doctor the next day. He thought that I might have a blood clot in the leg and sent me to the hospital for more testing. After ultrasound testing, they did not find anything abnormal. I am now afraid to drive by myself or even to be at home alone. Do you have any idea what this might have been, or what I should do at this point? ANSWER: Sudden onset of pain and weakness does not sound like a blood clot to me. It sounds like a neurological event, such as a pressed nerve (actually nerves, since it was both sides). It is possibly in the brain or the spinal cord, but that seems less likely. A leg cramp usually would not be on both sides and usually does not cause weakness. I don’t agree with you taking your son’s oxycodone. It’s a very powerful and dangerous narcotic. Five mg is a relatively small dose, but people can be very sensitive to narcotics, and deaths have occurred from people using a friend or family member’s drugs. If your symptoms don’t occur again, I would suspect that this was caused by too much pressure put on the nerves.
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* It’s been reported that before Japan came into contact with the West, people in that country did not kiss. * It was early 20th-century English schoolmaster and lexicographer Henry Watson Fowler who made the following sage observation: “Display of superior knowledge is as great a vulgarity as display of superior wealth -- greater, indeed, inasmuch as knowledge should tend more definitely than wealth towards discretion and good manners.”
UNUSUAL ANIMALS
DOLPHINS
April 14 is National Dolphin Day, and what better time to examine the specifics on this group of marine animals! • The word “dolphin” comes from the Greek word “Delphis,” which translates to “womb,” leading to an interpretation of the meaning as “a fish with a womb.” Yet they aren’t fish at all, but mammals who breathe air, give birth to live young and nurse them with milk, and are warm-blooded, maintaining a constant body temperature. They do have hair, but only when they are first born. It falls out within two weeks, and doesn’t grow again for the remainder of their lives. • Of the 43 species of dolphins in the world, 38 are marine dolphins, living in saltwater, and five are river dolphins. The marine dolphins live mainly in shallower water near coastlines in warmer locations, and are common in Southern California, Chile, the tip of South Africa, and the Gulf of Mexico. Yet they’ve been found from Nova Scotia to Norway. • The most well-known species is the Bottlenose Dolphin. Because of the design of their face, they always appear to be smiling. The Bottlenose is large, ranging from 10 to 14 feet long (3 to 4.3 m) and weighing up to 1,100 pounds (499 kg). Their size varies according to their location, with living in cooler bodies of water a larger size than those in warmer temperatures. • Dolphins come up for air every few minutes, only able to remain submerged for up to 4 _ minutes without a breath. While traveling in their pods, each has a distinctive whistle that helps the others recognize them.
* In 2007, a British woman named Susie Hewer completed a marathon in less than six hours -while knitting a scarf. * Someday, Saturn might not be the only planet in our solar system that has rings. Those who study such things say that Mars’ gravitational pull on its largest moon, Phobos, could cause a catastrophic breakup, with the moon’s debris forming a ring around the planet -- in 20 million to 40 million years.
Beware: Medical Apps for Smartphones
There’s so much we can do with the new smartphones. But just because we can doesn’t mean we should. A study from the Illinois Institute of Technology Chicago-Kent College of Law revealed that a great many mobile health apps were sharing private medical information with third parties without the user being aware. Granted, for those of us with health conditions to monitor, a phone app can be handy to keep us on track. Sometimes our physicians recommend it. Some apps are even approved as prescriptions by the U.S. Food and Drug Administration. Specifically the study focused on Android diabetes apps and looked at whether there was indication that private information was being disclosed to third parties. (Android has the biggest market share of phone operating
All Hands on Deck Per the Department of Veterans Affairs, a Blue Water Sailor seeking disability for Agent Orange exposure only has to approximate when and where he or she was, and the VA will do the rest, helpfully hunting up the ship’s records for the veteran’s claim. But this takes time, which a lot of ill veterans don’t have. And you really can’t expect the VA to put a rush on digging through archives. The VA also throws up some silly roadblocks. For example, it has temporarily pulled the list of eligible ships off its website. There’s a little note: “The list of U.S. Navy and Coast Guard ships associated with military service in Vietnam and possible exposure to Agent Orange is currently being updated.” However, all across the country, sailors are banding together and swapping ship
* When the mantis shrimp attacks its prey, the swing of its claw is so powerful that even if it misses, the resulting shock wave can be enough to stun or kill its prey. * Coral snakes found in North America are relatively small, quite reclusive ... and deadly. You’re unlikely to be bitten by one (due in part to the species’ extreme avoidance of confrontation, coral snakes account for less than 1 percent of all snakebites in the U.S.), but if you are, the snake’s neurotoxic venom can cause severe pain and death. However, snake-bite experts say that in some cases, a bite will result in no symptoms at all for 12 hours -- at which point the victim dies from sudden respiratory failure. * The most common pigment in the world is chlorophyll.
systems.) Researchers found over 270 diabetes apps and chose 75 of them to monitor for transmission analysis. Within six months, 60 of those apps were no longer available. Of the group remaining, 81 percent didn’t even have a privacy policy. Of the ones that had privacy policies, only four would even ask if information could be shared. Of the 75 chosen for transmission analysis, there was a wide variety of information sent off to third parties: 86 percent placed tracker cookies in the app, and most of them shared information whether they had a privacy policy or not. Of the apps that actually had privacy policies, only 12 asked for the user’s permission before sending off their data to others. Ten shared the information with business partners, and 16 used the information for ads. The Health Insurance Portability and Accountability Act bars medical staff from disclosing your private information to others, but it doesn’t cover phone apps.
information. There’s a good chance that if just one sailor is approved for a certain ship in a certain location at a certain time, others on that ship will be as well. Here’s how you can help, even if you’re not working on a claim. If you have any old logs, dig them out. If you kept a journal or made notes on a calendar and noted where you were and when, find it. If you’re online, look around for Blue Water Sailor websites and share your ship location information. Find your ship’s website and read the posts. Is anybody looking for specific locations and dates in order to complete a VA claim? If you don’t have online skills, find someone who does. It’s that important. Go online to bluewaternavy.org and scroll to Update Logs. Click and look all around. See the NARA On-Line Deck Logs of Vietnam Era Ships spreadsheet. The National Archives and Records Administration has ships logs in archives as it gets them scanned, or call the NARA at 866-2726272.
“Gunsmoke” Comics Q: I was a big fan of the television show “Gunsmoke.” I purchased the first three comics released by Dell in 1956. They are in almost mint condition. Although I have no plans to sell them, I have always been curious about how much they might be worth. -- Steve, Casper, Wyoming A: I found your three comics listed in the “Standard Guide to Golden Age Comics” by Alex G. Malloy and Stuart W. Wells, and
published by Krause Books. According to this reference, issue No. 1 is valued at $300, No. 2 and No. 3 at $175 each. Your comics were released in 1956 and are not to be confused with “Gunsmoke” issued by Western Comics in April and May of 1949. *** Q: I purchased a collection of 1,750 78-rpm recordings from an estate sale. The records are all songs issued on the Tops label and originally belonged to a distributor. They are still in their cardboard mailing cartons from the 1950s. I paid $2,000 for the entire collection and wonder where I can re-sell them. -- Carlie, Temple, Texas A: The Tops Record Company was a dime-store label, not that there’s anything wrong with that, as Jerry Seinfeld would say. The problem is that most of the artists that recorded for Tops are unknown, the arrangements lackluster and the discs of little or no interest to collectors.
According to two dealers I contacted, Tops generally sell for less than 25 cents each, even in mint condition. Since the records are worth only a fraction of what you paid, selling this collection and recovering the $2,000 you invested will be virtually impossible. *** Q I have several dozen older books, and live in an area where my nearest book dealer is several hundred miles away. How can I find out how much my books are worth? -- Connie, Roundup, Montana A: One of the best resources for you is a nifty website, www.abe.com. Type in the name of your book and the author, and it will reveal where the book is being offered for sale and how much. Pay close attention to both the condition and edition, since prices will vary a great deal based on these two factors.
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DOLPHINS (continued):
• We’ve all seen photos of dolphins leaping high into the air. A dolphin can vault up to 20 feet (6.1 m) into the air before splashing back into the water. It could be they are dislodging parasites such as sucker fish or barnacles, or to escape predators. • The number of a dolphin’s teeth varies from eight up to 250, with only one set of teeth for life. Consuming between 10 and 35 pounds (4.5 to 15.9 kg) of food each day, they use their teeth to catch their prey, but not to chew it, rather, they swallow their dinner whole.
P E T S - FA R M
R E A L E S TAT E
• As far as senses, they have excellent vision, experiencing emotions. They are highly both in and out of the water, with special trainable, and actually pass their knowledge corneas that adapt to both conditions. on to fellow dolphins. They exhibit concern Although their ear openings are only small for other animals, staying and helping the the middle ear, it’s believed that sound injured, even saving the lives of humans in moves to the inner ear via fat lobes located some cases. in the jaw and other bones in the skull. Their • Did you know that the orca killer whale is sense of smell is poor, due to the absence of actually a member of the dolphin family, the olfactory nerves. largest member of Delphinidae category? • Dolphins are the second most intelligent • Living in the wild, a male dolphin will have a animals, behind human beings. MRI scans lifespan of 40 to 45 years, while a female can of dolphin brains indicate a large brain live to age 50. with an intricate neocortex, and capable of
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CHARLIE THE TUNA
You probably didn’t know that April 6 has been designated Charlie the Tuna Day, honoring the “spokesman” for StarKist tuna. There’s nothing fishy about these facts. • The StarKist tuna company got its start in 1910 when an immigrant from Yugoslavia, Martin Bogdanovich, started fishing along the California coast. Business was good and in 1918, Martin and five partners established a tuna business, naming it the French Sardine Company. They retained that name until 1942 when the name of StarKist was introduced. • In the midst of World War II, more than half of StarKist’s production was being used to supply the U.S. Army. In 1952, the company opened a new and expanded tuna cannery on Terminal Island, California. In 1953, they began production of 9 Lives cat food, using tuna by-products. • In 1961, StarKist hired the Leo Burnett Advertising Agency to create a catchy ad campaign. The Agency was already famous for its creation of the Jolly Green Giant in 1935, Tony the Tiger in 1951, and the Marlboro Man in 1954. (The agency would go on to come up with Fruit Loops’ Toucan Sam in 1963, the Pillsbury Doughboy in 1965, and Morris the Cat and the Keebler Elf in 1968.) An employee of the agency, Tom Rogers, created Charlie the Tuna, based on a good friend of his, Henry Nemo, a jazz composer who was a Cotton Club musician and sometimes referred to as the creator of jive. • Charlie was created as a hip, cool beatnik tuna with a beret and trendy shades. • He was animated by the same studio that had created the Pink Panther. Charlie’s goal was to be chosen by Starkist. He believed himself to be so cultured that he had “good taste,” and was the perfect catch for Starkist. Throughout his 85-commercial career, Charlie was always rejected with
1. Seattle’s Randy Johnson, in 1992. 2. Charlie Grimm won 946 games over 14 seasons as manager of the Cubs. 3. It was 1971. 4. Jerry Lucas (1964), Larry Bird (1980), David Robinson (1990) and Blake Griffin (2011). 5. The Toronto Maple Leafs, with 13. 6. Chicago’s Damani Ralph, with 11 in 2003. 7. Om and Keen Ice.
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a note on a fish hook that said, “Sorry, Charlie.” The point of the message was that StarKist wasn’t looking for tuna with good taste, but rather for tuna that tasted good. • The voice of Charlie the Tuna was actor Herschel Bernardi, known for his roles in the television series “Peter Gunn” and “Arnie.” He was also the voice of the Jolly Green Giant. • Charlie himself never said the popular catchphrase “Sorry Charlie,” but at the end of most of the ads, he said, “Tell ‘em Charlie sent ya.” Both of these phrases are considered among the most recognized advertising slogans in history. • In 1963, StarKist was purchased by the H. J. Heinz Company, although a Bogdanovich descendant remained as company president. During these years, a new manufacturing facility was established in American Samoa. StarKist was acquired by Del Monte in 2002, who sold it again just four years later to a South Korean concern, Dongwon Industries. • In the late 1980s, the Charlie ad campaign was retired. He enjoyed a brief comeback in 1999, when StarKist brought him back to introduce their new line of healthier tuna products.
Answers 1. More than 1,700 2. Cabbage and mashed potatoes 3. Earth 4. Margaret Thatcher 5. Dermatoglyphics 6. Western Pacific Ocean 7. The middle ear 8. 293 9. Joseph Campbell 10. Red