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Volume 2 Issue 15
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TIDBITS® MAKES MUSIC WITH
GUITARS
by Kathy Wolfe
Did you know that April is International Guitar Month? This week, Tidbits is studying up on the best-selling musical instrument in the world, played by more than 50 million people worldwide.
• The guitar is a chordophone, an instrument that makes its sound via vibrating strings stretched between two points. The word “acoustic” refers to a guitar that is not electronically amplified. An acoustic guitar produces its sounds by transmitting the strings’ vibration to the air, with the sound waves resonating though the guitar’s body. A soundboard, a thin sheet of wood, is placed under the strings to increase the resonance. Electric guitars have electromagnetic pickups that convert the strings’ vibrations into electrical signals, which are fed into an amplifier. • The guitar’s origins date back around 4,000 years. The oldest known image of an instrument with a guitar’s feature is 3,300 years old, a stone carving of a Hittite minstrel in Turkey. A Cairo, Egypt, archaeological museum is home to a 3,500-year-old guitar that belonged to an Egyptian singer named Har-Mose. His instrument was made of cedarwood with a rawhide soundboard and three strings.
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GUITARS (continued): • Ancient stringed instruments used tortoise shells or hollowed-out gourds, with a bent stick for a neck, and strings of animal gut or silk. • In the early days, a guitar was defined as having “a long, fretted neck, flat wooden soundboard, ribs, and a flat back, most often with incurved sides.” • The word “guitar” is derived from the Spanish word, guitarra, which is a very large six-string acoustic bass played in mariachi bands. Other ancient terms from various languages include gitarre, qitara, cithara, kithara, and sihtar. • The neck of the guitar is comprised of the headstock (at the end of the neck), the fretboard (the fingerboard), the frets, which are metal strips embedded on the fretboard, the nut (a small strip of hard material at the junction of the headstock and neck), the tuners, and the truss rod, a metal rod along the inside of the neck. • Frets are located along the neck at exact points that divide the scale into half-step intervals. Which fret the string is pressed against determines the note’s pitch. • Decorative materials are usually set into the exterior of the guitar, such as dots on the fretboard to mark the positions or around the sound hole of acoustic guitars. These are known as inlays and are frequently made of mother of pearl. Inlays around the sound hole are called rosettes and serve as a type of reinforcement to the opening. • Acoustic guitars might be classical or flamenco versions. The classical guitar has a wide, flat neck to enable musicians to execute scales and arpeggios more efficiently. Strings are usually made of nylon.
Gifts That Aren’t Appreciated DEAR PAW’S CORNER: My mother has a 3-year-old mixed Shi-tzu/poodle. He is very spoiled and loves to go with her everywhere. The problem is that when she leaves him (it doesn’t matter what house he’s left at), he leaves a large, smelly “present.” I can see this is in defiance, but what can we do? Please reply; I’m desperate. -- C.L, via email DEAR C.L.: Your first move should be to erase the word “defiance” from your vocabulary. Yes, your mother’s dog (let’s call him “Fluffy”) is getting upset when he’s left behind, but he’s not being angry or defiant or petulant. The term here is “separation anxiety,” and many pets suffer from it. Fluffy is very attached to your mother. And your mom keeps the dog close by at all times, bringing him along on most of her errands, as well as to your house, where she occasionally leaves him while she runs out. The length of time she is gone doesn’t matter. When your mother leaves Fluffy behind, he becomes very anxious. Like many anxious pets, he engages in destructive behavior -- in this case, soiling. Some pets chew up their owners’ shoes or destroy the living room. Yelling at Fluffy, rubbing his nose in his own mess
or confining him will not stop the behavior. His anxiety has to be addressed. Fluffy needs independence training, possibly combined with an anti-anxiety drug. The veterinarian is the first step in the process. An obedience trainer can put together a regimen that gradually increases Fluffy’s ability to be left alone. If your mother follows the vet’s (or trainer’s) program faithfully, Fluffy will improve immensely. And your carpet will look much, much better.
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ARIES (March 21 to April 19) Whether a waiting period is taking longer than expected, or just seems that way, the anxious Lamb would do well to create a center of calm within her- or himself, and not do anything rash. TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) Practical matters dominate the week, but cultural activities also are favored, especially those that can be shared with someone special in the Bovine’s life. Some important news might be forthcoming. GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) You need to know more about a possible career move in order to see if it offers a real opportunity or just a change. You’re sure to get lots of advice -- some of it good -- but the decision must be yours. CANCER ( June 21 to July 22) The arrival of hoped-for good news about a loved one dominates most of the week and provides a great excuse for the party-loving Moon Child to plan a special event to celebrate. LEO ( July 23 to August 22) Leos and Leonas rushing to finalize their plans might want to think about slowing down the pace, or risk overlooking an important consideration that could become a sore point down the line. VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) The week’s challenges call for logical approaches. But sentiment also has its place. Sharing memories with a special someone, for example, strengthens the bond between you. LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) A brandnew approach to a problem could have a good chance of succeeding if it’s based on a solid foundation of fact to strengthen its potential for standing up to scrutiny. SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) A favorable report should give your optimism an important boost as you confront another phase of a challenge. Don’t be timid about accepting advice from someone you trust. SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) You might want to target another goal if your current aim is continually being deflected. But stay with it until you find that first sign of an opening, and then follow through. CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Although offers of advice might not always please the usually sure-footed Goat, good counsel is always worth considering, especially from those whose experience can be invaluable. AQUARIUS ( January 20 to February 18) Don’t rush to make up for lost time. Your productivity can be measured not only by what you do, but how you do it. Move carefully until the job is done the way you like it. PISCES (February 19 to March 20) Emerging facts about someone you know might cause you to rethink your relationship. But remember to make judgments in context of a full situation, not just on scraps of data. BORN THIS WEEK: You are known both for your love of acquiring beautiful things as well as for your generosity to others.
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1. MATH: What Arabic number doesn’t have a counterpart in Roman numerals? 2. THEATER: What is the longest-running musical in performances in Broadway history? 3. ASTRONOMY: What is a blue moon? 4. TELEVISION: Who played the lead in the drama “Perry Mason”? 5. LITERATURE: Who wrote the books “Ethan Frome” and “The Age of Innocence”? 6. GEOGRAPHY: What major city lies on an island in the St. Lawrence River? 7. U.S. STATES: What is the state capital of Idaho? 8. MOVIES: Who was the voice of “The Iron Giant” in the movie? 9. MEASUREMENTS: What is the name of the unit used to measure energy in food? 10. MUSIC: Who had a 1985 hit with the song “Saving All My Love For You”?
1. Who was the first major-leaguer to hit grand slams in both games of a doubleheader? 2. Which pitcher tossed the most shutouts during his major-league career: Phil Niekro, Joe Niekro, Gaylord Perry or Jim Perry? 3. When was the last time Mississippi State won an SEC championship in football? 4. Name the last time before 2014 that the Portland Trail Blazers won an NBA playoff series. 5. Which NHL team ended Montreal’s 9-0-0 start to the 2015-16 season? 6. In 2015, Jeff Gordon set the record for most consecutive NASCAR Cup starts. Who had held the mark? 7. When was the last time before 2015 that England won tennis’ Davis Cup?
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Fun Places to Read
GUITARS (continued): • A standard guitar usually has six strings, typically tuned from a low E to a high E, with A, D, G, and B in between. The 12-string guitar, used in folk music, blues, and rock and roll, has six courses of two strings each, usually made of steel. The bass guitar has four strings, turned to E-A-D-G, an octave below the lowest four strings of the six-string. • Les Paul came up with the idea of an electric guitar in the late 1930s. He wired a phonograph needle to his acoustic guitar and connected it to a radio speaker to amplify the sound. Unhappy with the hollow-body guitar, he designed a solid-body one from a cast-off railroad tie, an instrument with less feedback and a richer sound because of the wood’s mass. He nicknamed it “The Log,” and in 1940, the Epiphone guitar factory helped him produce a more attractive version with curved sides and an Epiphone fretboard. The Gibson Les Paul was first sold in 1952, and they have gone on to manufacture 100 different variations of Les Paul models. • In 1946, a southern California inventor named Leo Fender founded a new guitar company (although he was a saxophonist, not a guitarist!). In 1951, the company introduced a new solidbody guitar that would become known as the Telecaster. (It was first called the Broadcaster, but this was a conflict with a drum kit with the same name.) They also unveiled a brand new instrument, the electric bass, allowing those who played the upright bass to play a more compact instrument, rather than the cumbersome upright. The Stratocaster came along in 1954, created from ash wood. In 1956, the wood was changed to alder, which continues to be used today. In 1957, Buddy Holly and the Crickets made their television debut on “The Ed Sullivan Show.” That was also the television debut of the Stratocaster as Holly belted out “That’ll Be the Day” and “Peggy Sue.”
The wonderful thing about storybooks is that they can be part of our kids’ lives just about anywhere we go. Think of all the places where you’ve read a favorite book to a child. Maybe it’s the public library, where colorful soft cushions invite kids to relax and hear a tale. There’s the joy of reading shoulder to shoulder with a child above the clouds on a plane, or on a carved-out log under a colorful oak at a park. And at bedtime, what parent doesn’t enjoy snuggling on a puffy down quilt with a story in hand to wind down a busy day? Places and people are a magical part of engaging with books, and that’s what the creators of the “Enchanted Storybook Forest” at Brookgreen Gardens in the Myrtle Beach area of South Carolina must have had in mind when they transformed the wooded family area into a collection of storybook playhouses based on classical stories or rhymes -- Snow White and the Seven Dwarf’s Cottage, Rapunzel’s Tower, Dr. Seuss’ One Fish, Two Fish house and The Little Engine That Could. Accompanying books are available for adults to read when kids gather around a house after exploration and play. Inspired by the idea of storybook houses, discover fun ways you can provide creative reading experiences with kids on your own turf. It’s worth the effort. No matter where you read, remember that you are building your young child’s vocabulary, showing love in a tangible way and developing imagination with every page. Here are some ideas: STORYBOOK NOOKS Let your child pile pillows in a corner with space to sit inside and read about faraway and exotic lands. Or, toss a sheet over a card table and crawl inside with a flashlight. Pretend it’s a cave, and read a story about bats. STORYBOOK PARTY Use a storybook for the theme of your child’s next birthday party. Get your child involved in making invitations, setting up games and decorating an area in your home or outdoors where all will gather when you read the book to partygoers. From easy to complex, Pinterest.com is a great source for crafty party ideas and recipes.
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Primer when Painting! Do your homework. Know what brands experts recommend and why. Don’t just look at the cost. A low-cost primer may not yield the high-qualityresults you expect. Look for a brand that is consistently rated at the top. Traditionally, primer is applied under the topcoat. Some manufacturers today offer paint and primer in one. Instead of applying the primer first and then the topcoat, you can do it all in one step, saving valuable time. Paint and primer in one can be expensive, and not all brands are equal in quality. Do your homework and make sure you will get adequate coverage in fewer coats. You don’t want to spend $60 on paint and primer in one and still have to do five coats when you could have done the same for half the cost with a can of tinted primer and a can of latex paint. Consult with the experts where you shop, and should you need primer, make sure you choose the right one for the job. Painting takes time and money, and it is not something you want to have to redo. Do it right the first time with a quality primer if needed. And if you don’t want to do it yourself, we have great referrals for painting contractors and “Handypeople” too--give us a call, our experience benefits you, we guarantee it!
Rogue Valley Real Estate Looking for an easy way to change the look of a room in your home? Paint it, but before you crack open any cans, consider whether you need to use primer. Primer can be beneficial, but depending upon various factors, it is not always needed. Primer offers many benefits. It covers stains and seals the surface, allowing for faster, easier coverage with less paint and longer-lasting results. It prevents old colors from showing through and allows the topcoat to adhere better and shine more. Not every job requires primer, however. Whether you should prime your walls generally depends upon three factors: the condition of the walls, the color of the topcoat and the type of paint used. Light-colored, stain-free walls coated in latex-based paint may not require the use of a primer, providing you have chosen a latex-based topcoat in a darker color. If you are going lighter in color or using an oil-based paint or a latex-based paint in a different sheen, flat over gloss, for example, you may want to prime the walls first. This will provide you with a clean slate for the paint to come. Primer is also a good idea when you have selected a darker color of topcoat. You can have the primer tinted the same shade as the topcoat in order to allow for easier coverage in fewer coats. Primer is a must in some cases, and you may come across dozens of choices when shopping.
To Your Good Health By Keith Roach, M.D.
Rare Nerve Problem Causes Chronic Cough DEAR DR. ROACH: I have had a chronic cough for over 30 years. As you can imagine, I have seen numerous specialists through the years, and none of the prescribed treatments has worked. A friend suggested I might have laryngeal neuropathy. My doctor didn’t know anything about it. What is the solution for this condition? -- A.B. ANSWER: I can’t blame your doctor for not knowing anything about it. I’ve never recognized a case of it, though I wonder now, having researched it, whether it might be more common than we think. The word “neuropathy” just means “a nerve problem,” and in this case, it’s one of the nerves in
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the throat, the superior laryngeal nerve or recurrent laryngeal nerve. It’s a sensory neuropathy, meaning that the nerve is sending the brain incorrect information, which the brain misinterprets as a need to cough or clear the throat. Most people diagnosed with this condition have sudden onset of cough, often after surgery or viral illness. The condition is diagnosed by an expert ENT doctor via a nerve conduction test or a video test of the larynx. In the largest paper on this syndrome, about twothirds of study participants were relieved by gabapentin (Neurontin), a medication used for many types of neuropathy. Some physicians choose to try this medication without doing the testing. This approach sometimes makes sense, especially when diagnostic testing is difficult or expensive. *** DEAR DR. ROACH: I am a 47-year-old male in generally good health. In 1999, I was involved in a nasty car accident, ending up in a trauma center. I needed abdominal surgery to repair a ruptured small intestine. Today, 15 years after the fact, is it possible to have issues with the scar tissue from that surgery? I have some of the symptoms of scar tissue problems, but a doc has told me I have diverticulitis. Can you help me? -- M.F.
GUITARS (continued):
• Famous Fender guitar players include Jimi Hendrix, John Lennon, Jimmy Page, Bruce Springsteen, Stevie Ray Vaughan, Eric Clapton, and John Mayer. Artists who have chosen Gibson have included Chet Atkins, Chuck Berry, Bob Marley, Sheryl Crow, Peter Frampton, and Joe Walsh. • The Fender factor manufactures about 90,000 strings a day, equaling about 20,000 miles (32,187 km) in length, enough to circle the world. • In 2004, Eric Clapton sold his favorite guitar, a Stratocaster nicknamed Blackie at Christie’s Auction House in New York to raise funds for an alcohol and drug treatment center he had founded in 1997, the Crossroads Centre Antigua. The instrument fetched $959,500. • In 1998, a devastating tornado struck Nashville, Tennessee, felling a giant 275-year-old poplar tree that stood on the grounds of the plantation of 7th U.S. president, Andrew Jackson, The Hermitage. The Gibson Company built 188 guitars out of the old tree, inlaid with the name “Old Hickory” (Jackson’s nickname) and pictures of the president and his home. The first Old Hickory was donated to the Smithsonian Institute, and proceeds from the sale of the remainder were donated to support restoration of The Hermitage. • Some electric guitars have a lever attached to the bridge or tailpiece to enable the musician to quickly vary the tension and length of the strings to produce a vibrato or pitch bend effect. This accessory is referred to as a tremolo bar, or more commonly, a whammy bar. • The C.F. Martin guitar company was established in 1833 and to this day, remains in the hands of the Martin family, with the great-great-great-grandson of the founder as its current CEO.
ANSWER: Well, I can’t tell you what you have, but I certainly can confirm that scar tissue, called adhesions, can cause problems even years after the original trauma that caused them. Adhesions are bands of scar tissue that can envelop the intestine, causing an obstruction. Most of the time the obstruction is partial, and with time and bowel rest, the problem resolves itself. However, sometimes it doesn’t, or the obstruction is complete, and in those cases it will require another trip to the operating room. Diverticula are small outpouchings in the intestinal wall, most commonly in the sigmoid colon. The condition is called diverticulosis and is very common, with about 20 percent of people at age 40 and 60 percent of people age 60 having them. When they get inflamed, that is called diverticulitis, and symptoms include abdominal pain, fever, nausea and vomiting, or bowel changes. A CT scan usually can diagnose both conditions. It’s possible to have both problems at the same time, which makes determining the cause of current symptoms difficult. Still, the CT scan would be the next step if you are having symptoms.
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Maritime College. His job? Teaching students how to stand watch.
* It was award-winning Canadian novelist, poet, essayist and literary critic Margaret Atwood who made the following sage observation: “Your romantic tragedy when you were 19 becomes a funny anecdote by the time you’re 45. And then, 30 years later, you can’t remember their name.”
UNUSUAL ANIMALS:
ELEPHANTS
Let’s observe Save the Elephant Day on April 16 by focusing on the facts about this pachyderm.
• There are two species of elephants, African and Asian. The African elephants are the larger, and can reach a height of 13 feet (4 meters) head to toe and weight up to 14,000 lbs. (6,350 kg). The smaller Asian variety grow to a height of 9.8 feet (3 m), weighing up to 11,000 lbs. (4,990 kg).
• The African elephants, the largest of all land mammals, have two subspecies, the savannah and the forest, with the savannah breed dwelling in the grasslands south of the Sahara Desert and the forest elephants inhabiting the rainforests of western Africa. Asian elephants are found in India, Sri Lanka, China, and Southeast Asia.
• You can tell the difference between the two species by looking at the ears, since the African’s are much larger. Its skin is also much more wrinkled than its Asian counterpart. The African elephant’s trunk has two “fingers” at the end of the trunk, enabling it to pick things up, while the Asian breed has just one “finger.”
• The elephant’s trunk contains eight major muscles on each side, and another 150,000 portions of muscles throughout this unusual appendage. Although there are no bones in the trunk, it’s strong enough to push down trees, yet nimble enough to pick up a piece of grass. The elephant uses the trunk to drink, with water sucked partway up the trunk. The animal then tilts its head back, emptying the trunk into its mouth.
* In 1819, some Native peoples in the United States got quite a surprise. Fearing trouble from tribes, a group of western river explorers traveled in a steamboat that had been modified to resemble a fire-breathing serpent. * After the disaster of the Exxon Valdez, the oil tanker’s former captain, Joseph Hazelwood -- who evidently had been so drunk that he was passed out in his bunk when the devastating collision occurred -- was hired by the New York
Do You Owe Taxes on Social Security?
One of the perks of retirement for many seniors is not having to pay taxes any longer ... except when we do. And sometimes when we discover that we have to pay taxes after all, it’s a tough situation. According to a Social Security assistant deputy commissioner in a recent newsletter, one-third of seniors receiving benefits have to pay taxes because of disability and survivor benefits, as well as income that is in addition to Social Security. You’ll need your benefit statement (Form SSA-1099), which you likely received in January, to calculate whether you need to pay taxes. This document is similar to a regular Form 1099 in that it’s used to send information about your income to the Internal Revenue Service. The amount
Relocation Scammers Get Slap on Wrist The acting principal deputy undersecretary for benefits at the Department of Veterans Affairs has been suspended for 15 days for letting two of his underlings work the system. The two had forced others to move and transfer to different jobs and then grabbed the newly vacated posts for themselves. For this he only gets a 15-day wrist slap?! Adding to the debacle was that the VA’s Office of the Inspector General had unearthed over 20 hefty relocation-scam cases wherein senior executives were relocated to new positions and given fat raises during a time when others were blocked from salary increases. The new deputy replaced the one who’d had to retire after all the allegations came out, so he should have known exactly what was
* At one time in New York City it was against the law to play pinball. * Tombstones weren’t always used to record information about the deceased’s life; they were originally just large, unmarked slabs of stone placed atop a fresh grave -- a barrier to ensure that no undead creature or ghastly spirit could escape to trouble the living. * The woman who was declared the female winner of the 1980 Boston Marathon had the title stripped from her after officials noticed her absence from any of the photographs or video footage from the middle of the event. It seems she veered off course, killed a little time around town, then rode the subway a spot less than a mile from the finish line, rejoining the race at the very end.
listed is what you received the previous year. Specifically, if your benefits and any additional income exceed $25,000 (or $32,000 for a married couple filing jointly), you’ll have to pay tax. Depending on your income, you might be taxed on up to 50 percent of your benefits. You’ll never pay taxes on more than 85 percent of your Social Security benefits. If you didn’t get your benefits statement in the mail or have misplaced it, there are two ways to find out the amount of your benefits. You can go to your My Social Security account (if you don’t have one, you can open one online) and select “Replacement Documents” to get a new form, or you can call Social Security at 1-800-772-1213 and ask that one be sent to you. Even if you don’t have to pay federal taxes on your Social Security benefits, beware of state taxes. There are more than a dozen states that may tax that income.
going on and stopped it. The official bio for the new acting deputy says that he’s in charge of 20,000 employees across the 56 regional offices and is responsible for $90 billion in benefits to veterans and their dependents. These involve the whole list of benefits, including compensation, home loan guaranty, vocational rehab, education ... all of it. And what of those two regional directors who abused their authority and pushed others out of their jobs? They were demoted ... not fired, not sent to jail, just demoted. And now they’ve apparently been reinstated, although with a 10 percent cut in pay. The Merit Systems Protection Board gave them their jobs back because their bosses at the time had allowed all the mischief. Nowhere is there any talk of their having to pay back the $400,000 in moving expenses they received, even though one of them only moved 140 miles and netted $300,000 in travel expenses, which included reimbursement for $76 for alcoholic beverages.
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We are so proud of our Club Members for giving back to their Community! Every day we get to see our kids #RiseToGreatness! A few Service Learning Projects our Clubs have focused on this year include: • Raptor Creek Farm • Josephine County Food Bank • Josephine County Animal Control • Jackson County Fuel Coalition
Follow us on Facebook, Twitter and Instagram to see our Club Members in action! #RiseToGreatness #BGCRV # GreatFuturesStartAtBGCRV www.begreat4kids.com Grants Pass Club 541-479-1923
Illinois Valley Club 541-479-5258
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When school’s out, the Clubs are in.
Ruby Glass Q: I have a 50-piece set of ruby glass. Several years ago, I was offered $75 per glass, but I want to sell the entire set. Any suggestions? -- Marilyn, Sonoma, Calif. A: Ruby glass is a flashed glass, deeply red in color, and was manufactured by numerous companies beginning during the 1890s and continuing through the 1940s. Although it is sometimes confused with red carnival glass, it is made differently and not the same. Values
are tricky. It might be a good idea to consult the numerous price guides available and monitor ruby glass prices on eBay. Another suggestion is to contact a good appraiser. Although you will pay a nominal fee, you will get an expert’s opinion of what your collection is worth. *** Q: We have a collection of 78-rpm and LP recordings, mostly classical. Could you provide me with the names of buyers? -- Janice, via e-mail A: I get questions about older recordings at least a dozen times a month, and my answer is always the same: Unless you have real rarities, there is little market for older recordings. I contacted used record dealers in Los Angeles, St. Louis, Dallas and New York, and I was told that it was difficult, if not impossible, to sell classical recordings in the secondary marketplace. You might consider donating your collection to a charity. ***
Q: I have a series of 12 postcards that were printed to promote the 1939 New York World’s Fair. I have been offered $100, but I do not feel that is enough. -- Josie, Ormond Beach, Florida A: According to three collectors I consulted, postcards from the 1939 World’s Fair are fairly common. Your postcards are probably worth between $2.50 and $5 each. If you have been offered $100 for the set, my advice is to take the money and run. *** Q: I have six vintage irons, all pre-1900. Whom can I contact about them? -- Betty, Shreveport, Louisiana A: David Irons (yes, that’s his real name) is an expert and can help you determine the value of your irons. His contact information is dave@ ironsantiques.com; 223 Covered Bridge Road, Northhampton, PA 18067; 610-262-9335.
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ELEPHANTS (continued):
• The diet of the herbivorous elephant consists of grasses, leaves, fruits, and bark. This pachyderm spends about 16 hours a day eating, and can consume over 400 pounds (181 kg) of food a day. • An elephant’s ivory tusks are actually its incisors, the only incisors it has. The animal also uses tusks to defend itself, to dig for water and food, and for lifting. An elephant’s first tusks present at birth fall out after a year, similar to human’s baby teeth. The tusks are about 12 inches (30.5 cm) when they fall out, and the replacements grow throughout
P E T S - FA R M
R E A L E S TAT E
the elephant’s life. In addition to tusks, an baby calf weighs nearly 250 lbs. (113 kg) elephant also has four molars about the size at birth and will gain 2 to 3 lbs. (0.9 to 1.4 of a brick, two up and two down, that weigh kg) every day for its first year. It won’t be about 5 lbs. (2.3 kg) each. weaned until it is almost three years old. • Although the elephant’s ears are very large, • The elephant population is on the decline. it has a poor sense of hearing. Its eyesight is At the turn of the 20th century, a few million also quite weak. African elephants occupied their habitat, and about 100,000 of the Asian variety. • A herd of elephants is led by the oldest female The African population has plummeted to of the group. While the females all stick between 450,000 and 700,000, and there are together, adult males enjoy wandering on an estimated 35,000 – 40,000 wild Asian their own. The gestation period is 22 months elephants remaining. Their lifespan can be and a litter will consist of just one calf, with up to 70 years. more than one a very rare occurrence. The
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JELLY BEANS
With National Jelly Bean Day scheduled for April 22, Tidbits wants you to be in the know on this favorite confection. • Did you know that jelly beans were the first candy to be sold by weight rather than by the piece? In 1905, the first recorded ad for the little beans was published in the Chicago Daily News, with a price of nine cents per pound. However, a Boston candy maker named William Schrafft was making them long before that, encouraging people to send his product to Union soldiers in the Civil War. It wasn’t until the 1930s that they became associated with the celebration of Easter. • About 16 billion jelly beans are manufactured in the U.S. every year just for Easter. Laid end to end, that’s enough to go around the world more than three times. • The process of making jelly beans is called “panning,” a method that creates the firmer outer shell while preserving a gummy interior. It takes between one and three weeks to make a jelly bean. • In 1869, 24-year-old German immigrant Gustav Goelitz and his brothers established a candy business in Belleville, Illinois, featuring caramels and candy flowers for cake decorating. His sons relocated the business to Ohio in 1898, and specialized in candy corn and buttercreams. The company remained family-owned for decades. In the 1940s, the Goelitz plant introduced mint wafers, followed by tangerine slices, spice drops, and jelly beans. • In 1965, a new item was introduced by the Goelitz family, a mini-jelly bean, infused with mint flavor in the center. Then-California governor Ronald Reagan was attempting to give up smoking a pipe and munched on the little beans whenever he craved tobacco. • In 1976, the Goelitz beans, now called Jelly Belly, were offered in eight gourmet flavors – root beer, green apple, licorice, cream soda, lemon, tangerine, very cherry, and grape. By the 1980s, 40 flavors were available, including now-President Reagan’s favorite,
1. The New York Mets’ Robin Ventura, in 1999. 2. Gaylord Perry had 53 shutouts, followed by Phil Niekro (45), Jim Perry (32) and Joe Niekro (29). 3. It was 1941. 4. It was in 2000. 5. The Vancouver Canucks. 6. Ricky Rudd, with 788. 7. It was 1936.
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blueberry, created expressly for him. More than 7,000 lbs. (3,175 kg) of red, white, and blue Jelly Belly beans were served at Reagan’s inaugural ball in 1981, and the President was reported to order 60 cases of the beans every month. He also gave jars of the beans to visiting dignitaries as a welcome gift. • Visit the Ronald Reagan Presidential library in Simi Valley, California, and you can view a portrait of the former chief executive made from 10,000 Jelly Belly beans. • Jelly Belly owns the distinction of being the first jelly beans in space when they were part of the treats packed on the 1983 Challenger Space Shuttle. • Jelly Belly has had some unusual flavors over the years, including the first “savory” flavor, buttered popcorn, which then debuted in 1989. In 2000, the “Harry Potter” flavors were introduced – dirt, bacon, spinach, earwax, and vomit. Their “Boozled” line was presented with yummy flavors of dog food, baby wipes, and pencil shavings. • The term “jelly bean” isn’t always about candy. In the 1920s, it referred to a young man who dressed stylishly for the ladies, but had nothing much else to offer. • “You can tell a lot about a fella’s character by whether he picks out all of one color or just grabs a handful.” -- Ronald Reagan
Answers 1. Zero 2. “The Phantom of the Opera” 3. When there are two full moons in the same month 4. Raymond Burr 5. Edith Wharton 6. Montreal 7. Boise 8. Vin Diesel 9. Calorie 10. Whitney Houston