Tidbits of the Tri-Cities - Issue 18 by Jason Barrett

of the Tri-Cities Dec. 8- Dec. 14, 2008

Issue 18

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HIP-HOP KANGAROOS by Kathleen Lakeland

Kangaroos have a profound effect on the food industry in Australia. Yes, they’re a source of meat, but they’re also a source of frustration when they horn in on farmers’ grazing land. To the rest of the world, however, kangaroos are unusual, mysterious, and, well, cute! • Why are kangaroos found only in Australia? Continental drift theorists say that at one time, ‘roos congregated on one part of a larger land mass called Pangaea. When a chunk broke off and became the continent of Australia, the kangaroos were stranded. Unable to swim long distances (or fly), they were unable to leave Australia. As a result, kangaroos are unique to the continent. • Four species of kangaroo are the most common and best-known: The Red Kangaroo is the largest (up to seven feet tall) and is native to Australia’s desert areas. The habitats of the Eastern Grey and Western Grey Kangaroo should be obvious. The Antilopine is the friendliest ‘roo, and the ones that are easiest to distinguish between males (which are reddish) and females (which are gray). Antilopines spend their time in the northernmost part of the continent. turn the page for more!

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Tidbits® of the Tri-Cities

Pineapple Cures Potty-Mouth Dog By Samantha Mazzotta

DEAR PAWʼS CORNER: I was at a friendʼs house when I read your column about the “potty-mouth dog” (a dog that liked to eat his own and other animalsʼ droppings). My dog “Sandy” used to have this disgusting habit too, but I cured her of it. I placed a piece of pineapple in the droppings. (I used canned, chunk pineapple and cut it into even smaller pieces.) I donʼt know why this worked, but it did. After a few days of eating pineapple-laced poo, Sandy wanted nothing more to do with droppings. Hope this tip helps, and happy “clean mouth” to that dog! -- Bill O., Sullivan, Ill. DEAR BILL: Thatʼs definitely a new method to try. I would exercise caution in using common “human-safe” foods as a deterrent to

copraphagia (stool-eating). While pineapple is not on the list of foods that are dangerous to dogs, it is a citrus fruit high in sugar, which might upset their stomachs. So, as illustrated above, cut the pineapple into very small pieces and use sparingly. Other techniques that are effective in stopping this annoying habit include sprinkling the stool with hot pepper sauce or spraying with a commercial solution designed to make the stool taste terrible to the dog. Training the dog to “go” in a designated area, in addition to standard obedience training, is another method to deter stool eating. Picking up waste immediately after the dog “goes” is another solution. But itʼs likely that most dog owners will need to use a combination of techniques to limit or stop the habit.

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HIP-HOP KANGAROOS (continued): • A baby kangaroo is called a joey. Although some kangaroo species can grow to be more than six feet tall, they’re so tiny at birth that they can physically fit into a teaspoon! Immediately after it emerges from the womb, the aroundone-inch-long joey must climb up its mother’s tummy, clinging to her fur, and work its way into her pouch. • The joey nurses while in the mother’s pouch and begins to grow. At this stage, the little ‘roo soon begins to venture outside of the pouch for short intervals. This will continue until the age of 7 to 10 months. If frightened, the joey will run back to the mother’s pouch to hide. Sometimes, the baby will leap into the pouch head-first, and turn around while still inside. Luckily, mom is a trouper, despite those huge hind legs kicking her right in the bread basket. • A female kangaroo is called a doe. Some researchers believe that these amazing moms can actively determine the gender of the baby they’re expecting – before giving birth. Doe kangaroos tend to have female babies first, since females stay together in groups for life. Newborn bucks (male kangaroos) stay with their mothers for just one year. Then they venture off to find a mate and form their own mob – the proper name for a “herd” of kangaroos. Scientists disagree about the reason mother ‘roos usually have female offspring first. Are they consciously seeking companionship, or is it just a genetic quirk? • Amazingly, a doe can also control the growth of its joey once it’s been born. During periods when food is scarce, mother ‘roos produce a different type of milk that nourishes her baby while minimizing its growth. Once conditions improve, her body automatically switches to “normal” milk, and the joey continues to grow and develop normally.

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Preparation: 1. Heat pan and add oil, ginger, and garlic. As soon as ginger and garlic begin to brown lift pan from stove 2. Add salt, pinch of ground tumeric, black pepper, ground red chillies and garam masala. 3. Add chicken and cook over low heat. 4. Add coconut milk, cream, and 2 Tbsp. saffron milk. (The remainder of the milk mixture is not used). 5. Add 1 Tbsp. chicken stock and fresh coriander and let simmer until chicken is cooked and sauce thickens to required consistency. 6. Garnish with fresh coriander or spring onion and red red or green peppers. Serve with rice or bread.

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Tidbits® of the Tri-Cities

To Your Good Health By Paul G. Donohue, M.D.

Are Sleeping Pills Worse Than Insomnia? DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am on Lunesta, a prescription sleeping pill for insomnia. The nurse practitioner wanted me to take half a pill every third night, but that didnʼt work for me. I have to take half a pill every night. Now she wants me to take half a pill every other night because sheʼs afraid that it will become habit-forming. What do you think of this medicine? -- S.S.

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ANSWER: All sleeping pills should be taken for as short a time as possible. “As short a time as possible” implies that the person recovers from whatever it is thatʼs preventing him or her from falling asleep. In the real world, a correctible cause for insomnia often isnʼt found, and then a person is faced with having to stay on a sleeping pill or stay awake for most of the night. I would choose option one, as long as the sleeping pill isnʼt causing any trouble, like daytime sleepiness. From time to time, itʼs in your interest to try and stop the pill. You might find that sleep isnʼt as elusive as it was when you started taking it. Lunesta is one of the newer sleeping pills, tolerated well by most. It starts to work in 10 minutes, so itʼs useful for those who find falling asleep difficult, and it has extended action to prevent waking in the veryearly-morning hours. Lunesta has caused some users to behave differently. A normally reserved person might become quite aggressive. It also has caused a very few to do things they have no recollection of doing. A very small number of people have driven a car under the influence of Lunesta and have not realized that they did it. If a person has such experiences, then immediately stopping the pill is common sense.

Have you tried nondrug approaches to falling asleep? Go to bed and wake up at approximately the same time every day. Relax before bedtime. If you donʼt fall asleep within 20 minutes of lying down, get up and read or listen to music. Keep daytime naps to 20 minutes or less. Donʼt use caffeine within six hours of bedtime. You can become dependent on Lunesta, as you can on most sleeping pills. Dependence means itʼs hard to stop the medicine. Gradually tapering the dose can usually allow people to break any dependence. I believe that sleeplessness is worse than the prospect of dependence. Fibromyalgia is a common cause of insomnia. The booklet on this ailment explains it and its treatment. To order a copy, write: Dr. Donohue -- No. 305W, Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a check or money order (no cash) for $4.75 U.S./ $6 Canada with the recipientʼs printed name and address. Please allow four weeks for delivery. *** DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Does breastfeeding protect against breast cancer or make it more likely? I have heard both sides. -- C.N. ANSWER: Many studies have shown conclusively that breastfeeding lowers the risk for breast cancer. For every 12 months a woman has breastfed, her chances of breast cancer drop by 4.3 percent. One explanation is that breastfeeding delays ovulation and the production of estrogen.

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The holidays are such happy times, but unfortunately, we seniors need to be aware of the potential pitfalls as we go about our holiday shopping. • Be cautious in mall crowds. Only take the credit cards and cash youʼll need, and carry those in a front pants pocket, with your car keys in the other. (Thereʼs something to be said for wearing jeans when shopping.) Go in a group, if you can. • If your time or energy is limited, consider giving the same type of gift to everyone. Calendars, especially chosen for each individual, are always welcome. The same goes for gift cards. (Ask to make sure there is no expiration date or fees on the cards.) • Beware shopping online. Use the Internet for price comparison, but only shop online if you absolutely must. Stick to the Web sites of “brick and mortar” stores youʼre already familiar with. Look for a Contact Us link on the site, and see if there is a phone number where you can

place the order instead of entering your credit-card number over the Internet. Beware especially of online auctions. If youʼre not experienced with them, the holidays are not the time to learn. *** If you can, do something for the needy this year. Charities are going to be stretched beyond their abilities to take care of all the families who ask for help. Think of the children especially. Every year I hunt for and buy one of those large metal dump trucks, painted bright yellow, and donate it to one of the local service groups who are gathering new toys for underprivileged children. I like to think that a little boy will be happy to find it under the tree from Santa. Matilda Charles regrets that she cannot personally answer reader questions, but will incorporate them into her column whenever possible. Write to her in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475, or send e-mail to columnreply@gmail.com.

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HIP-HOP KANGAROOS (continued): Sometimes, orphaned joeys must be handraised by humans. They require the usual equipment required with raising an orphaned baby animal; milk replacement, baby bottles, and so on. But baby kangaroos also require a set of pouches – in increasingly larger sizes – to accommodate their growth. A joey pouch is rarely fancy. It’s often home-sewn out of soft cotton fabric. It’s packed with a hot water bottle for warmth, and then hung on a door or clothes hanger. Zoologically, kangaroos are not related to camels. Like the desert dromedary, however, ‘roos can survive for months on very little water. In desperate times, a kangaroo may use its powerful hind legs to dig into the ground to find water. The earliest European explorers to visit Australia were puzzled when they first spotted kangaroos. They referred to the creatures as having “the heads of deer without antlers,” and indicated that they “stood upright like men, but hopped like frogs.” But what frightened the Old-World men the most was their mistaken impression that some kangaroos actually had two heads! They didn’t realize that the secondary noggins that stuck out of some kangaroos’ abdomens were just joeys poking out of mom’s pouch … probably wondering what the Europeans were doing there. They don’t wear gloves, but male kangaroos do “box” one another, usually when competing for a female or trying to establish superiority. (Indeed, they fight for the same reasons most male creatures do.) The bucks face off on their hind legs and jab at one another with their smaller front legs. Every now and then, one of the kangaroo fighters will plant his tail on the ground and swing forward with his mighty back legs, kicking his opponent squarely in the gut. Ouch!

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Kyle Petty: A Character With Character Thereʼs a chance that Kyle Petty wonʼt be racing regularly in Sprint Cup next year. In fact, thereʼs a likelihood. Itʼs why Petty has already agreed to compete regularly in Grand American road racing next year. Heʼs the end of a NASCAR line as long and significant as the Frances. Lee Petty had won more races than anyone in the sportʼs history until Richard came along. Kyle, meanwhile, has had a merely respectable career. Eight victories is nothing to be ashamed of, though it would probably conjure up more pride in someone who isnʼt the son of Richard and grandson of Lee. Cruel fate brought us to what is apparently the end of the Petty line. Kyleʼs son Adam died in a practice crash at New Hampshire in 2000. Since then, Kyle and wife Pattie have built and expanded the Victory Junction Gang Camp for sick children in Adamʼs memory. Richard Petty won 200 races, more than anyone else by 95. Kyle is as great a person as his father was a driver. If heʼs not around much next year, it will be to NASCARʼs great detriment. Kyle hasnʼt won a Cup race since 1995. Things have grown complicated. Petty Enterprises is no longer a Petty production. This year, an outside group, Boston Ventures, invested in the most successful

PHOTO CUTLINE: Kyle Petty might say goodbye to his ride in the No. 45 Dodge Charger. Photo Credit: John Clark/NASCAR This Week team in the sportʼs history. Kyle has struggled once again, but let the record note that he has fared about as well as others who have taken turns in his No. 45 Dodge. After the race at Texas Motor Speedway in early November, Kyle and Kenny Schrader rode motorcycles from Fort Worth to Phoenix. They took all two-lane roads. They bided their time with strolls through exotic locales like Marfa, Terlingua and the Big Bend National Park. They picked up a few more stories to tell. In Kyleʼs case, there may be a new song or two to write. Heʼs a fine songwriter. When the One Great Scorekeeper finally tallies up the pros and cons of Kyle Pettyʼs career, there will be no qualms over how he played his game.

Thought of the week

“Conscience is a dog that does not stop us from passing, but that we cannot prevent from barking.” -- Nicolas de Chamfort By Samantha Weaver

• It was American author, humorist and storyteller Garrison Keillor who made the following observation: “They say such nice things about people at their funerals, that it makes me sad to realize I’m going to miss mine by just a few days.” • According to a recent poll of pet owners, the most popular name in the United States for male dogs is Max; for female dogs, it’s Maggie.

1. How many times has Dusty Baker won 90 or more games in a season during his 15 years as a manager entering 2009? 2. Name the last time before 2007 (Julio Lugo, Coco Crisp) that the Boston Red Sox had two players with at least 25 stolen bases each in the same season. 3. Which is the only school in the 13-year history of the Big 12 to have a winning football record every season? 4. In 2007, Orlando’s Dwight Howard became the youngest player (21 years, 343 days) to grab 3,000 rebounds for a career. Who had held the mark? 5. Name the three coaches to win NCAA hockey championships with two different schools. 6. In 2008, Arizona State’s Jacquelyn Johnson became the fourth woman to win four NCAA titles in a single track event. In what event did she do it? 7. Name the last U.S. Open men’s golf champ to have made the tournament through sectional qualifying.

• The murre, a bird found in the Arctic, actually dives into the water and swims to catch the small fish that comprise its diet. Interestingly, its eggs aren’t like those of any other bird in the world: The egg “whites” are blue, and the yolks are bright-red. • Statistics show that only 1 in every 1,461 people is born on Feb. 29, the date that occurs only once every four years, in a leap year.

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• You might be surprised to learn that the kilt originated not in Scotland, but in France. • Did you know that Dalton, Ga., is the Carpet Capital of the World? I didn’t think so. You no doubt were also unaware that Martinsville, Va., is the Sweat Shirt Capital of the World, and that Central City, Neb., is the Pump Irrigation Capital of the World. • Those who study such things claim that leeches have 32 brains. • The next time you get jury duty when you’d rather be doing other things, remember that the situation could be worse. One man in Liverpool, England, was discharged from a jury in 2003 because the other jurors in the case were complaining that his beard was infested with fleas.

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Tidbits® of the Tri-Cities • What’s on sale in December: Candles, loss-leader items (ask for rain checks when available) and after-holiday sales on cards, decorations and small gifts.

•

• This year, some friends and I came up with the brilliant idea of having a Christmas card swap. We all have leftovers from years gone by, but we can’t remember whom we sent them to. We got together for coffee and swapped leftover cards. One of the group is very computer savvy, and she had us bring our address books so she could print labels for us. It’s wonderful, and we expect to do this for as many years as we can. • Recipe Substitutions: If you need 1 cup of self-rising flour, use 1 cup of all-purpose flour plus 1 1/2 teaspoons baking powder and 1/2 teaspoon salt.

Open Door Policy By Samantha Mazzotta

Q: I read somewhere that when getting a home ready for sale, a person should balance any doors that wonʼt stay open. How does one balance the doors? When I contacted a handyman and asked if he would give me a price to balance three doors, he didnʼt seem to know what I was talking about. Please help. -Edna and Jim, via e-mail A: “Balance” probably means shimming up the doors so that they hang straight on their hinges, allowing them to open and close freely. But that doesnʼt guarantee that the door wonʼt swing shut on its own. Houses sometimes settle onto their foundations at a very slight angle, just enough that doors opposite that angle will slowly swing shut on their own. A balanced door is a nice touch, but personally, as a home buyer, a door that swings shut by itself is not one of the “big things” I would look for. I would be more interested in how well-cared for the interior and exterior look, and if the house is

• “I just got a big batch of baby clothes from a friend. Many of them were stained around the neck, and I thought they would be mostly unusable, but my mom came over and soaked them in hot water and OxyClean. It was amazing. Almost all of the stains came out! The moral of the story is: Trust Mom and don’t give up on stained clothes.” -- T.K. in Alabama • Just a reminder: The American Dental Association recommends replacing your toothbrush every three to four months. As the bristles get frayed, its effectiveness is reduced. So while you are out shopping for friends and family, pick up something for yourself! right for my needs, because I can fix a poorly hung door anytime. If you must have balanced doors, though, you can adjust their angle by a few degrees using shims. A shim is just a thin piece of wood or cardboard inserted behind one or both hinge plates in the doorframe. The difference in thickness repositions the hinge angle just slightly to either lift or lower one corner of the door. To match the angle of the door to the angle of the house, use a level (a straight measuring tool with bubble indicators, ideally for both vertical and horizontal measurements). Mark the bubbleʼs balance point on both the wall next to the doorframe, and on the hinge end of the door itself. Using a helper, unscrew the hinge plates from the frame and insert a shim (trimmed the same size as the hinge) in either the top or bottom inset, depending on whether the doorʼs angle needs to go up or down. Screw the plates back on (the screws will go through the shim material) and check the level again. Balancing a door to match the angle of the house this way will take several attempts, which is why Iʼm not sure itʼs worth the time spent. But if itʼs worth it to you, thatʼs what is important. HOME TIP: To remove paint or grime from door hinges or window handles, remove the parts and place in an old saucepan filled with four tablespoons of baking soda to one quart water. Heat until the water reaches a simmer, then turn off and let the hardware soak for 20 minutes. Remove and scrub with a soft brush.

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HIP-HOP KANGAROOS (continued): Cats meow and cows moo … but what sound do kangaroos make? You can mimic their call by placing your tongue against the roof of your mouth and make a clucking “tsk tsk” sound. That is basic kangaroo language. They also growl whenever they feel threatened. Red kangaroo bucks may even make a loud sound resembling a dog’s bark. Although the kangaroo is the bane of many farmers – and despite the fact that the animals pose road hazards there just like deer do in North America – it’s still considered an Australian icon. The animal is proudly represented on the nation’s coat of arms and on its coins and currency. A kangaroo also appears in a handful of corporate logos, including Qantas Airlines and Pocket Books. The kangaroo has few natural predators, but Australian wild dogs may attack small creatures like joeys. (Remember the oftenrepeated movie quote, “A dingo’s got my baby!”?) Beyond hunters, urban sprawl has been the main enemy of the ‘roo. As civilization encroaches on what was once the kangaroo’s wild habitat, the animals increasingly find themselves in unfamiliar situations – like crossing a highway with cars whizzing by. Kangaroo Crossing signs are as common a sight in Australia as Moose Crossing signs are in Alaska. While they do have the ability to swim, kangaroos don’t choose to do so unless it’s absolutely necessary. They’re very powerful swimmers, actually, thanks to those huge back feet. In fact, the only time a kangaroo moves its hind legs alternately (dog-paddling, right foot, then left) is while it’s in the water. On the ground, whether hopping or walking, a ‘roo uses its back feet in unison at all times. That way, the animal can cover more ground using less energy.

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ALL THE PRESIDENTS’ TIDBITS:

ABRAHAM LINCOLN

2009 marks the bicentennial celebration of Abraham Lincoln’s birth. A few years back, the Wall Street Journal conducted a poll of the best presidents of all time. Lincoln was second to Washington, followed by FDR, Jefferson, Teddy Roosevelt, Reagan, Truman, and Eisenhower. Honest Abe stands out on this list because of his limited service: each of the others spent at least seven years in office, while Lincoln was president for only four years. • On February 12, 1809, Abraham Lincoln was born in a tiny, dirt-floor log cabin near Hodgenville, Kentucky. (He was the first U.S. president not born within one of the Original Thirteen Colonies.) The farming family found life on the frontier difficult, even after moving to Indiana in 1816. Abe’s emotional distance from his father, Thomas, increased after his mother died two years later. Thomas quickly remarried, however, and Abraham became very fond of his stepmother. • Abraham BICYCLES had less than one year of formal (continued): education, but he learned to write and loved • In the 1890s, the first “modern” bicycles chain-driven to appeared: read. He devoured any vehicles book he with couldsimiget These safer than the hislarly-sized hands on, tires. from Poe to were Shakespeare to the high-wheel models (and were even called Bible. In 1831, shortly after his family moved “safety bicycles” as a result), but proved a step west once again (this While time to Abe backwards in comfort. theIllinois), long spokes of high-wheel absorbed bumpsin and ruts, the struck out on bikes his own and settled the town wheels on these bikes, particularly of smaller New Salem. There, he new became popular with when coupled with the hard-rubber tires of the the townsfolk thanks to his job as a clerk at the era, made for jarring, unpleasant rides. town’s general store. • More than a million bicycles were sold in the • Lincoln the Army earlyaround, 1832 Unitedenlisted States byinthe time 1895inrolled last improvement the at but the one outbreak of the Blackwould Hawkpropel War. He bicycle into the must-own category: the pneuproudly served as captain of his volunteer matic tire. Under the guidance of the Pope company, which Company fell under(which the command Manufacturing made biof cycles), Colonelthe(and future president) Zachary Hartford Rubber Works produced America’s first pneumatic in 1895. ProTaylor. Lincoln spent onlytires a few months viding a much softer ride, they soon became on active duty, and never saw combat. Hea standard feature on all bicycle models. later joked that any blood he lost during his • Dozens of smaller-scale improvements boosted military service was taken by mosquitoes. the speed, comfort, longevity and performance of bicycles during the 20th As women • Having enjoyed a taste of century. leadership in the began to find them as necessary as men, two Army, Lincoln returned to New Salem with varieties of bicycle were made. Men’s bikes hiswere sights on a political career. He studied law built with an extra stabilizer bar across the andtopcampaigned for the bikes Illinois legislature. of the bike. Women’s omitted the bar, Abe lost the 1832 election, a pattern that providing for easier mounting and dismounting of the vehicle when wearing skirts. would repeat later in his career. He’d go on to •lose The saw the state development of his twofirst bihis1970s first run at the legislature, cycle extremes. First came bicycles that took try at the U.S. House of Representatives, and you nowhere. Otherwise known as exercise hisbikes, first legitimate shot at being for these training aids firstnominated hit the home president. But never gave up. decade. Then, market at thehebeginning of the as time went on and the energy crisis sent fuel • A second run for the state legislature in 1834 prices skyrocketing, mopeds appeared. These proved successful, and Lincoln was reelected bicycle/motorcycle hybrids, most popular with three times. Abe was admitted to bar, city-centered business workers, couldthe either be pedaled like a regular bike or powered continued on backusing pagea small, low-powered gasoline engine.

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Jun 3 Itʼs not too May late 28 to - make some extra cash for the holidays. You Back mightPage find opportunities in surprising places. Call home decorators to see if they need help. These are the magicians who can transform a home into a winter wonderland, and often they are overscheduled and need little elves to hang the ornaments and mistletoe. If theyʼre decorating the outside of the house too, ask if the leaves need to be raked. If youʼre skilled yourself, call model homes or large businesses with lobbies and ask about decorating. Call housecleaning services. Theyʼre likely to have extra work as people want homes cleaned in advance of relatives coming. Call temp agencies. Not only are their regulars likely to take a few weeks off over the holidays, but companies need even more people as employees take off as well. Even rudimentary filing or phone skills could land you a temporary position. (If they like you,

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1. Five (with a high of 103 in 1993). 2. It was 1914 (Tris Speaker and Hal Janvrin). 3. Texas Tech. 4. Shaquille O’Neal was 23 years old when he did it. 5. Ned Harkness (RPI 1954, Cornell 1967, 1970), Jerry York (Bowling Green 1984, Boston College 2001, 2008) and Rick Comley (Northern Michigan 1991, Michigan State 2007). 6. The heptathlon. 7. Orville Moody in 1969.

it might also lead to a permanent job.) Call caterers and ask if theyʼre overwhelmed with business. Ask about a delivery position or offer to provide preparation-intensive foods like veggie trays. Caterers often need people to run last-minute errands too, or help serve at large company parties. (Youʼll likely need a white shirt and black pants for that.) Call all the stores in the local mall. If you catch a manager at the right time (overloaded with holiday shoppers and two employees who called in sick), you could snag a position. Ask local mall management if you can set up a table with holiday baked goods, even if itʼs on the sidewalk outside a door. Youʼll make more money if you offer hot drinks like cocoa or cider. If there is a rehab center, elderly facility or nursing home near you, ask management about acting as a personal shopper for patients who canʼt get out. Set realistic fees. Put up signs offering to baby-sit children whose parents need to shop alone, probably at night. If you have baking skills and are due to go to a meeting of any kind, take samples of baked goods that you can provide. Know in advance what youʼd charge and be ready to take orders immediately. Get part of your fee in advance. (c) 2008 King Features Synd., Inc.

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City of Colonial Heights: Interior Decorating Class Dec. 9, 2008 This class will cover decorating basics of wall décor, furniture arrangements, color concepts, accessories, lighting window treatments, flooring, and greenery. Classes will be held at the Colonial Heights Public Library from 6:00-8:00pm. Cost is $40 per person. Instructor: Nikole Jiggetts. www.mycustomhomedesign.com

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The Mad Italian Pasta and Steak House

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Christmas at the Jefferson and “Tacky Lights”Tour Dec. 16, 2008 Includes Round trip motorcoach transportation, dinner at the elegant Jefferson Hotel, “Tacky Lights” tour, refreshments on bus, all tax & gratuities. Join us for a spectacular dinner at the beautifully decorated Jefferson Hotel and a “tacky lights” holiday tour of Richmond. This will be a special evening that you don’t want to miss! Register by Nov. 21, 2008. Cost $88.00

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Contact the center at (804) 541-2304 for more information

Don Jose Mexican Restaurant

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Scrap Booking The Colonial Heights Recreation and Parks Department is pleased to announce several Scrap Booking classes for youth, adults, and seniors. All classes are $10.00 and include supplies for a two page 12x12 layout. Scrap booking topics vary by date, participant age and class however, topics range from genealogy, holiday hurrah, resolutions, and friendships. Instructor: Deborah Malbone. www.mycraftivity.com/groovy/doodles/

To Advertise Call (804) 731-7504

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Friday for the Arts! Dec. 12, 2008 Join in the fun on Friday, November 14th for Petersburg’s monthly (2nd Friday) celebration of the arts. Activities begin in Old Towne Petersburg <http://www.petersburgarea.org/Index.aspx?page=68> at 6:00p.m. Art exhibits, concerts, dining, & specialty events galore. There are 15+ arts venues and 7+ music venues. Locations are clustered in a walkable loop, or you can take the free Arts Bus. Information: 733-2400 www.petersburgarea.org Christmas Homes Tour – Sponsored by Historic Petersburg Foundation Dec. 14, 2008 Christmas Homes Tour features seven homes on Westover Avenue in Walnut Hill, decorated for the holiday season. Information: 1-5pm 732-2096 www.historicpetersburg.org

CHRISTMAS HOMES TOUR

ALL THE PRESIDENTS’: (continued) and opened a law partnership in Springfield, the state capital. He courted Mary Todd (ten years his junior) and married her in in 1842.

SUNDAY, DECEMBER 14TH 1:00 p.m. 5:00 p.m. Westover Avenue in Petersburg

• Lincoln won election to the U.S. House in 1846. To honor Whig tradition, he left office after a single term, and returned to his law practice. When Lincoln’s efforts helped Zachary Taylor win the White House, the president offered him the governorship of the Oregon Territory. Abe refused the job, however, since it would distance him from his Illinois constituents. Instead, he focused his efforts on the 1858 Senate race. A series of highprofile debates with Democrat Stephen Douglas greatly increased Lincoln’s popularity, but didn’t win him the election.

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The term “kangaroo court” to describe a sham trial is said to have originated during the California gold rush in the mid-19th century. Quickie trials to settle disputes between claim jumpers (jumpers = kangaroos) are the first on record to be described as such.

Because of its large, bulky tail and the unusual shape of its oversized hind legs, the kangaroo has difficulty moving backward. That is part of the reason that the kangaroo is pictured on the Australian coat of arms: it’s meant to symbolize a nation that never retreats, but always moves forward.

• Again, he refused to submit. When the Republicans nominated Lincoln for president in 1860, he found himself competing against a familiar face: Stephen Douglas. This time, Lincoln emerged victorious. Although his election precipitated the Civil War, the United States emerged wiser from the struggle. Abe made tough decisions during the War, doing what he felt necessary to preserve the Union. Only days after the War ended and Lincoln began his second term as president, he fell victim to a cowardly assassin’s bullet.

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