Tidbits of the Tri-Cities by Jason Barrett

of the Tri-Cities Issue 23

Jan. 9- Jan. 15, 2009 Barrett Media Solutions, LLC.

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RIDE ‘EM, COWBOY! by Lynne Patrice

Few American icons are more recognizable than the cowboy. People from the Caribbean to the Middle East to Down Under recognize the rough-ridin’, cattle-herdin’, land-lovin’ cowboy. It’s a powerful image that has long served as a symbol of the United States.

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• Tom Mix, Hollywood’s first superstar cowboy, was born this month back in 1880. He grew up on a farm in Pennsylvania and became an expert horseman who had dreams of being a star in the circus. His parents frowned on such a “frivolous” career choice, and Mix instead enlisted in the Army during the Spanish-American War where he became an expert marksman.

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• After the War, Mix worked on a ranch in the Oklahoma Territory. His riding and roping skills caught the attention of a producer from a fledgling moviemaker, who invited Tom to come to Los Angeles to participate in a silent film about life on a ranch in the southwest. The picture turned out to be a surprise hit, and suddenly, America had an insatiable demand for “cowboy movies.” Tom Mix became a star; he appeared in 160 silent Western films, and then had his own radio series. Turn the page for more!

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Tidbits® of the Tri-Cities

Ongoing Ear Infection Frustrates Dog Owner By Samantha Mazzotta DEAR PAWʼS CORNER: My little dog “Sandy,” a 3-year-old Shih Tzu, has had an ongoing ear infection for the past four months. The vet said it was a yeast infection and gave me some drops for it. It cleared quickly, but within two weeks it was back again. This time the vet suggested I change his dog food, along with giving him the drops again, so now he is on a grain-free dog food. It cleared up for a while, but it is back again. Any suggestions on what to do now? -- Donna, via email DEAR DONNA: Keep trying! Continue working with your vet to find a solution to Sandyʼs recurring ear infections. It may take a combination of treatments to stop them from happening, including a change in diet (such as the prescribed grain-free diet), drops or oral medication. Signs of an ear infection in a dog typically include

head shaking, yellow or brown “gunk” in the ears, a yeast-like smell, redness and swelling. Causes include debris or water in the ears, allergies, or unexplained factors. Shih Tzus are prone to ear infections because of the shape of their ears, and because of the long hair growing over the ears -- fluids donʼt drain from their ears as easily. Owners must clear the hair from their dogsʼ ears frequently and must be sure to dry their dogsʼ ears after swimming or bathing. Dogs like Sandy who have repeat infections may benefit from having the hair clipped away from around their ears (let the veterinarian do this). Sandy may be given a long-term course of treatment, too -- usually oral medication. In severe cases, vets may recommend surgery to reconstruct the ear canal to improve drainage, but this should be considered only when other avenues have been exhausted.

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RIDE ‘EM, COWBOY! (continued): • When barbed wire began appearing around cattle trails and grazing pastures in 1870, cowboys dubbed the spiky fencing material the “Devil’s Rope.” In general, fences were rare on the Plains and in the West due to a shortage of available wood. Wire fencing was manufactured, however – not harvested – so many ranchers installed it to both mark their property and to keep their cattle from wandering. The thorny barriers forced some cowboys’ herds to make wide detours in order to find water and open grazing land. • The Singing Cowboy is not a Hollywood creation; cow punchers had been warbling to their herds long before Gene Autry ever picked up a guitar. Cattle (and horses) are creatures of habit, and any deviation from routine tends to make them skittish. Herds were used to hearing the cowboys call out commands and banter among one another during the day, and during the relatively silent nights, any outside noise (like a coyote’s howl) made them restless. As a result, the cowpoke on night watch would sing or recite hymns and verses to keep the animals reassured by a human voice. • America’s favorite cowboy actor, Roy Rogers, was really a Cincinnati-born man named Leonard Slye. His first film role of note was in support of Gene Autry. Once that the studio realized that Slye had matinee idol potential, they gave him a new name that they felt would look better on a marquee: Roy Rogers. • Why did cowboys of the Old West always wear leather vests? The obvious answer is that they protected the body against the inevitable bumps and bruises associated with the cowboy life. But equally as important to most cowboys was the fact that vests had interior pockets where they could keep their matches, tobacco, and cigarette papers dry.

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4 pork medallions, trimmed; 1-2 cloves garlic, finely chopped; freshly ground black pepper; 2 tsp fresh thyme leaves, chopped if necessary; 1 tbsp extra virgin olive oil; 1/2 red Special equipment: capsicum (bell pepper), seeded and Parchment Paper thinly sliced; 1 tsp grated ginger; 1 green apple, cored and thinly sliced (peel left on); 4 spring onions (shallots) trimmed, washed and finely chopped; quarter cup dry white wine; quarter cup apple juice;

Season the meat with the garlic and pepper rubbing it in well on both sides. Gently pat on the thyme spreading it evenly over the meat. Heat half the oil in a non-stick skillet or frypan to a medium heat and fry the meat gently turning only once – about 6-8 minutes each side. Transfer the meat to a serving dish and keep warm. Add the remainder of the oil to the pan and then add the capsicum - pepper, ginger, apple and spring onions and cook over a medium heat until the fruit and vegetables start to soften. Spoon the apple mixture over the cooked meat. Add the wine and apple juice to the pepper – season to taste with a little more pepper if desired. Bring the sauce to the boil, and allow it to reduce over a high heat for several minutes and then pour the sauce over the meat and apple mixture.

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Useful Tri-Cities Area Websites Colonial Heights:

General Information: www.colonial-heights.com Chamber of Commerce: www.colonial-heights.com/chamberofcommerce.htm

Hopewell:

General Information: www.hopewellva.gov Chamber of Commerce: www.hpgchamber.org

Petersburg:

General Information: www.petersburg-va.org Chamber of Commerce: www.petersburgvachamber.com

Chester:

General Information: www.co.chesterfield.va.us Chamber of Commerce: www.chesterfieldchamber.com

Charles City County:

General Information: www.co.charles-city.va.us

Dinwiddie County:

General Information: www.dinwiddieva.us Chamber of Commerce: www.dinwiddiechamber.com

and...

Prince George County:

General Information: www.princegeorgeva.org Chamber of Commerce: www.hpgchamber.org

Fort Lee:

Tidbits of the Tri-Cities: www.tricitiestidbits.com

General Information: www.lee.army.mil

Local Colleges:

John Tyler Community College: www.jtcc.edu Richard Bland College: www.rbc.edu St. Leo University: www.saintleo.edu Virginia State University: www.vsu.edu

Local Hospitals:

Make sure and view our paper online each week for “all the news you never knew you needed to know”

John Randolph Medical Center: www.johnrandolphmed.com Southside Regional Medical Center: www.srmconline.com

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Tidbits® of the Tri-Cities

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Fibrocystic Breasts Don’t Up Cancer Risk DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Both my left and right breasts have many lumps. They scared me, so I saw an OB/GYN doctor. She spent a long time examining my breasts and told me I had fibrocystic breast disease and that it was nothing to worry about. I had a mammogram, and no cancer was seen. I still worry. Does this turn into cancer? -V.B. ANSWER: Fibrocystic breast disease shouldnʼt be called a disease. It has been renamed “fibrocystic changes.” “Disease” is not a word that can be used when 60 percent of premenopausal women have the condition. “Fibro” refers to strands of scar tissue. Cysts are fluid-filled sacs. With fibrocystic breast changes, both breasts are usually involved, something that rarely happens in cancer. The cysts are soft and feel like theyʼre made of rubber. They can be painful, especially in the days before a menstrual period. Cancers are solitary, hard masses that cannot be pushed around, like a cyst can. Fibrocystic breast changes are not cancer and donʼt become cancer. If they do become painful, take Tylenol or one of the anti-inflammatory medicines like Aleve or Advil. Some women find that eliminating caffeine eliminates the pain of fibrocystic breasts. Others have gotten relief by adopting a high-carbohydrate, low-fat diet. You can put this issue to rest. Breast cancer is on every womanʼs mind. The booklet on it describes it, its detection and treatment in detail. Readers can obtain a copy by writing: Dr. Donohue -- No. 1101W, Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a check or money order for

$4.75 U.S./$6 Canada with the recipientʼs printed name and address. Please allow four weeks for delivery. *** DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My wife has been going through menopause for the past eight years. We have not been intimate through these years. When I bring up the subject of intimacy, she quickly states that she doesnʼt want to talk about it. She wonʼt even hug me. My wife is only 53 years old. It seems like she will be going through menopause for the rest of her life. I have been patient, but I would like to have my wife back. If you could give me some advice, it would be greatly appreciated. -- J.T. ANSWER: Menopause can lessen sexual drive, but it shouldnʼt completely eliminate it, and menopause doesnʼt usually drag on for eight years. Sexual desire is a complex process that involves hormones, nerves, blood vessels, general health and the brain. The brain is, perhaps, the most important element. Your wife needs professional help. Her total lack of sexual desire at a young age and for so long could be a physical problem, so the family doctor is the place to start. If, as is more likely the case, it is a psychological problem, the doctor can start treatment for that, or can refer her to a specialist. You have been more than patient. *** DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Does regular running cancel the danger of smoking cigarettes? My boyfriend says it does. -- K.H. ANSWER: Your boyfriend is delusional. (c) 2009 King Features Synd., Inc.

All Retirements Are Not Created Equal Not all of us are retired. Many seniors are just now wrapping up long careers or are going back to work for economic reasons. Some of us are looking for a different way to spend our retirement years. “Whatʼs Next In Your Life? How to Find Meaning Beyond the Money” is about how to retire in a new way -- without the stress that often comes with such a drastic change of life. We face new daily routines, plans that donʼt pan out, the loss of identity if it was tied with our profession, and disappointments in the choices we thought weʼd be happy with. Then thereʼs the simple fact of money: If we donʼt have enough to retire, we have to keep working. Many of us want to keep working, though, apart from financial reasons. The authors quote a study that revealed that 71 percent of us plan to keep working after we retire, and of those, a whopping 66 percent want to have a new profession. The question this book helps answer is: How

do we know what to do next? Whether youʼre retired or just thinking about it, take a look at this book. Written by Joan Strewler-Carter and Stephen T. Carter, “Whatʼs Next” (Rockhill Books) comes with a manual and a Web site. The manual guides you step by step through forming a new life plan by looking at the non-financial aspects of retirement. The Web site [www.whatsnextinyourlife.com] has a host of additional tools, resources and ideas. Donʼt miss “Road Trip” and “Time Calculator” under the planning tools. The results can be very revealing. 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. (c) 2009 King Features Synd., Inc.

For Advertising Call 1.804.731.7504 RIDE ‘EM, COWBOY! (continued): • Although today they’re worn more as a fashion statement, the footwear now known as cowboy boots developed out of practicality. The smooth soles allowed the cowboy to easily slide his feet into the stirrups. The high leather shaft of the boot protected his legs from the friction of rubbing against the stirrup leathers. The stacked heel prevented the foot from sliding forward through the stirrup (which could be life-threatening if the cowboy became unseated from the saddle). The loose fit and lack of laces allowed rider to slide out of his boots and not be dragged if he was thrown backwards from the saddle. • Some other staples of classic cowboy wardrobe were a bandana and a pair of chaps. The bandana was draped around the neck so that it could be quickly pulled up around the nose and mouth as a makeshift mask during dust storms (or in other unpleasantly odorous conditions). The heavy leather chaps protected their legs from prickly scrub brush and cactus, as well as the occasional snakebite. • The Boss of the Plains isn’t a “who,” but a “what.” It’s the nickname that was given to the Stetson hat that many cowboys relied upon. John B. Stetson grew up in New Jersey and learned hat-making from his father. Ill health forced him to travel West in search of a drier climate. In 1862, Stetson designed the famous hat that eventually bore his name. • Stetson’s first customers were gold miners who camped outdoors as they traversed the Rocky Mountains looking for riches. As legend has it, a rough-looking horseman approached Stetson one day and offered him a $5 gold piece for his hat. Soon, other cowboys were placing orders for “Stetsons.” The hats kept the sun and rain off their faces and necks, and were sturdy enough to be used to haul water or fan the flames of a campfire.

Best and Worst of NASCAR ‘08 BEST RACE: On Sept. 28, Jimmie Johnson outdueled Carl Edwards at Kansas Speedway in a single race that summed up the whole season. It was the cool, efficient Johnson over the brilliant, impetuous Edwards. On the final lap, Edwards laid it all on the line, swooping past Johnson in the third turn only to drift into the wall after his Ford cleared the championʼs Chevrolet. Edwards managed to hang on to second. “I knew I was going to hit the wall,” said Edwards. “I didnʼt know I was going to hit it that hard.” WORST RACE: The Allstate 400 at the Brickyard (Indianapolis Motor Speedway) was barely a race at all. The tires provided by Goodyear popped like balloons. The longest green-flag sequence of the 160-lap race lasted a grand total of 18 laps. Indy did maintain its status as a predictor of championships, though. Johnson won. BEST STORY: Hands down, it was the rise and fall of Kyle Busch, who won eight of the 26 regularseason races only to collapse in the Chase. Buschʼs average finish in the first three Chase races was 35.0, meaning that his Chase was over shortly after it began. Still, Busch won a total of 21 races in NASCARʼs three major series, an incredible feat undermined only by the fact that no one else ever really tried to race that extensively in three, not two, series. (c) 2009 King Features Synd., Inc.

By Samantha Weaver

• Those who paint their fingernails these days tend to choose the color on a whim. In ancient China, though, it was a much more serious matter: The color of your fingernails was an indication of your social rank.

1. Who was the first pitcher to win a Cy Young Award? 2. Four major-league players played in all four decades from the 1970s to the 2000s. Name two.

• In 19th-century England, one Dr. William Palmer was suspected of going on a killing spree, poisoning his mother-in-law, his wife,

5. Name the first NHL team to win the Stanley Cup one season, then miss the playoffs the next two seasons. 6. When was the last time the winner of the World Series of Poker’s no-limit Texas Hold ‘em Main Event was a repeat winner? 7. After Evander Holyfield won the undisputed heavyweight boxing title in 1990, name the three men he beat before losing to Riddick Bowe in 1992.

WORST CRASH: Michael McDowellʼs qualifying crash at Texas on April 4 looked fatal. Attempting to straighten out his Toyota, McDowell overcorrected and shot into the wall almost head-on. He walked away with minor injuries, demonstrating the safety of NASCARʼs new car and the value of soft walls. BEST COMEBACK: After consecutive disasters at Talladega and Charlotte, Edwards trailed Johnson by 168 points at the Chaseʼs midpoint. In the remaining five races, Edwards won three times and had an average finish of 2.0. He fell short by 69 points, but fought the good fight. WORST SCENE: Excitable Carl Edwards and Kevin Harvick had to be separated in the Loweʼs Motor Speedway garage on Oct. 9. Photos, suppressed at the time, surfaced two days later showing Edwards halting Harvickʼs advance by grasping his neck. Attempts to keep the matter quiet wound up making it five times as loud. BEST GESTURE: Kyle Busch gave his purse money from a Nationwide Series race to help the great Sam Ard, whose career was shortened by injury and who now suffers from Alzheimerʼs disease.

“I like them to talk nonsense. That’s man’s one privilege over all creation. Through error you come to the truth! I am a man because I err! You never reach any truth without making fourteen mistakes, and very likely a hundred and fourteen.” -- Fyodor Dostoevsky

• Here’s something to consider the next time your allergies start acting up: It’s been reported that the force of the air movement generated by a sneeze can reach more than 100 miles per hour.

4. When was the last time a Boston Celtic grabbed 900-plus rebounds in a season?

The rise and fall of Kyle Busch (here celebrating his victory in the Coke Zero 400 at Daytona in July) earns, in Monte’s book, Best NASCAR story of 2008. (Geoff Burke/Getty Images for NASCAR)

Thought of the week

• It was newsman Dan Rather who made the following sage observation: “Americans will put up with anything, provided it doesn’t block traffic.”

3. Rice’s Chase Clement and Jarrett Dillard set an NCAA record in 2008 for touchdowns by a quarterback-receiver tandem. Who had held the mark at 39?

Page 5

his brother, five of his children and at least two people to whom he owed money. He was finally brought to trial for the murder of his friend John Parsons Cook, who had become violently ill and then died after having dinner at Palmer’s home. Palmer was convicted and sentenced to be hanged. As he was mounting the gallows, witnesses claim that Palmer looked at the trapdoor and exclaimed, “Are you sure it’s safe?” • If you’re ever lost in the wilderness of the eastern central part of North America, it might help to look for Silphium laciniatum, better known as the compass flower or compass plant. This perennial herb resembles the sunflower and can grow from 3 to 12 feet tall. The plant’s usefulness is based on the fact that its leaves tend to orient themselves so that they point north and south. (c) 2009 King Features Synd., Inc.

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Tidbits® of the Tri-Cities • Got a book club, moms’ group or card club? Ask for a discount at local stores for your members. In this economy, you’d be surprised how many stores will say yes to a modest discount in order to potentially get the business of a group.

• Keep a coffee can or two filled with kitty litter in your car. You might need it for tire traction or even to scatter in front of you on an icy walkway. • Go Green Tip: Check out the Web site www.rbrc.com to find where in your area you can recycle used rechargeable batteries, like the ones from electronic games, cell phones, camcorders, cordless tools and more. • If you want your deodorant to work harder for you, put it on at night. Since most of us don’t sweat while sleeping, it has a chance to fully be absorbed into the sweat glands overnight.

•

• “I live in Florida, the land of many fireplaces but no need for fire -- at least in the past 10 years I have lived here. I love my fireplace, though. I installed mirrored tiles inside it, and I have a bunch of candles in there. They sparkle just like the real thing, and it’s quite beautiful.” -- P.F. in Florida

•

• Starting that classic New Year’s diet? Try visiting the following Web sites for nutrition information: www.nutritiondata.com and www.mypyramid.gov. These two sites contain a wealth of information on healthy eating, and they’re free. You must register for Nutrition Data, but the information and calorie-tracking programs on the site are wonderfully informative and free to use. Send your tips to Now Here’s a Tip, c/o King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 328536475 or e-mail JoAnn at heresatip@yahoo.com.

•

Winter Boosts Carbon Monoxide Dangers By Samantha Mazzotta

Q: I wanted to write in hopes that you will remind readers how dangerous portable generators are when not used properly. Already this winter, three people in New England have died due to carbon monoxide poisoning because they were running unventilated generators after last monthʼs ice storm. Please remind people to be safe! -- Jack in Concord, N.H. A: Many thanks for the heads-up, Jack! Portable generators are just one item that produces carbon monoxide. Other appliances that can be a problem are home furnaces and fireplaces -- basically, any device that uses combustion to produce heat, because that item also produces exhaust. Even worse, carbon monoxide (CO) is colorless and odorless, and CO poisoning can happen very quickly.

So how does one prevent being overcome by CO? The best defense is a carbon monoxide detector with a battery backup, placed near sleeping or living areas of your home. This inexpensive item will detect dangerous CO levels before they can affect a homeʼs residents. Like a smoke detector, it should be tested monthly and the battery replaced at least once a year. The second best defense is properly installed and vented appliances that are maintained regularly. Third, read the instructions before using any combustion-based appliance, like a heater or generator. Never use charcoal grills indoors. Never run generators indoors. Donʼt run the car in a closed garage. Finally, if the CO detector goes off or you or others begin experiencing the symptoms of initial CO poisoning -- dizziness, headache, fatigue, nausea, irregular breathing -- get everyone, including pets, out of the house immediately and contact emergency services.

•

RIDE ‘EM, COWBOY! (continued): The chuck wagon has been around since about 1866. “Cookie” (as the chef was often called) worked longer hours and got less sleep than the rest of the cowboys. He had to rise at 3 a.m. to fire up the stove and prepare and cook the food… starting with scratch biscuits. When the outfit hit the trail, the chuck wagon hurried to arrive at the destination ahead of time so that the food was ready when the cowboys arrived at camp. Arbuckle’s was the Starbucks of the Old West. Until the mid-19th century, coffee beans were sold “green,” and consumers roasted them in a skillet before grinding and boiling. In 1865, the Arbuckle brothers of Pittsburgh patented a process of roasting and coating coffee beans, then packing them in air-tight packages. Their coffee beans proved popular among chuck wagon cooks of the era, and “I need my morning Arbuckle’s!” became something of a cowboy catchphrase. Beef was in ready supply on the cattle trail, so fried steaks, pot roast, beef stew, and short ribs were common entrees on the menu. Beans and sourdough biscuits were served on the side. Pie, with apple or some other fruit, was a typical dessert. Cowboys loved their meals so much that they observed certain rules of etiquette while physically near the chuck wagon. Kicking up dust was taboo, for instance, it might in the WANTsince TO RUN YOURget OWN BUSIfood. NESS? a of branding Papercalves in Yourdeveloped Area ThePublish practice If You Can Provide: Sales Experience · A Computer · during mid-1880s, when cattle freely Desktopthe Publishing Software · A Reasonable Financial Investment grazedWe onprovide grassytheplains in Texas, Oklahoma, opportunity for success! and Wyoming. Cowboys had to drive herds Call 1.800.523.3096 across longwww.tidbitsweekly.com distances, and hungry cattle would often mingle with other ranchers’ cows when searching for food. The ownership brands on the bovines made it possible for cowpokes to identify the animals under their care from those owned by others. Information in the Tidbits® Paper is gathered from sources considered to be reliable but the accuracy of all information cannot be guaranteed.

HOME TIP: CO poisoning can occur very quickly. If your homeʼs CO detector sounds the alarm or you experience symptoms, donʼt take chances -- get everyone out of the house immediately and call 911. Send questions or home-repair tips to homegu ru2000@hotmail.com, or write This Is a Hammer, c/o King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475.

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THE ORANGE ‘50’ LIST We recently polled several Tidbits readers and asked them to help us come up with a list of 50 things that are (or can be) orange. Some approached it literally, while others had a bit more fun with the task. And yes, some of these items lean into yellow or red, but we gave everyone the benefit of the doubt. See how many orange things you can think of before you dive in to read the list that follows:

• • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • • •

An orange Many types of butterfly Outdoor extension cords A city and county in California Rust The cap on a bottle of Elmer’s Glue-All The sky, sometimes, at dusk The very tips of candy corn pieces Road Construction highway signs The grease left by a cooked slice of pepperoni on a pizza Autumn leaves Uranium trioxide (!) A Reese’s wrapper The logos of both of Ohio’s NFL teams (the Bengals and Browns) The handle of a decaffeinated coffee pot Nickelodeon’s blimp Most basketballs Fire, sometimes A Stanley Kubrick movie An oriole’s chest Some varieties of carrots and yams The roof of a Howard Johnson’s A pumpkin A Home Depot sign Cheddar cheese The 5-ball and 13-ball in a billiard ball set A goldfish The inside of a sweet potato or cantaloupe The stripe of a container of Agent Orange Lots of Frisbees and hula-hoops A tiger’s fur Cream-flavored frozen treats Most Halloween decorations A Dutch house of royalty Oscar the Grouch’s fur, originally An egg yolk An NCAA college football bowl game Some life jackets and hunting vests A screwdriver (the type you order at a bar) Several types of flowers Orange-flavored soda pop Patches of land on Mars Traffic cones The bills of many birds Cheetos Some Reese’s Pieces The end-zone pylons on a football field Roughy (the fish dish) A not-quite-ripe Roma tomato Tony Stewart’s NASCAR Chevrolet

ANSWERS

• • • • • • • • • •

Pennies Count With belts tightening everywhere, itʼs more important than ever to look for ways to save money. Pennies count, and you can hold on to many of them if you surround yourself with a network of money-saving opportunities and make it a way of life. • Get involved in a food-supply group. Angel Food Ministries [www.angelfoodministries.com], for example, makes bulk purchases of food and has distribution points in 38 states. The cost of the food is very low. Often the program is run by local churches, but there are no qualification requirements. Once a month, orders are taken and the food delivered to a central location. If there is no distribution group near you, look into starting one. • Look for other low-cost food distribution groups in your area. Do an Internet search for “low cost food” and put in your town and state. • On FreeCycle [www.freecycle.org], you can ask for what you need and give away what you donʼt need. Areas are broken down by ZIP code across the country. The generosity of many people in this group is unsurpassed. Donʼt be afraid to ask for things.

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1. Brooklyn Dodgers pitcher Don Newcombe in 1956 (only one award was given that year). 2. Rickey Henderson, Mike Morgan, Jesse Orosco and Tim Raines. 3. Tim Rattay and Troy Edwards of Louisiana Tech, and Colt Brennan and Davone Bess of Hawaii. 4. Robert Parish had 996 in 1988-89. 5. The Carolina Hurricanes (who won the Cup in 2006). 6. It was 1997, when Stu Ungar won his third title. 7. George Foreman, Bert Cooper and Larry Holmes.

• Check the craigslist [www.craigslist.org] Free section for your area before spending money. Lots of useful items are being given away all the time. • Do it yourself, for everything possible. Need clothing altered, a roof repaired, oil in the car changed? Read up on it. There are manuals and how-to books for everything under the sun. If you can learn how to do a task, not only will you save yourself money, but youʼll then have a skill thatʼs valuable to others. Assess your skills and see what you might barter for things you need. • Consider adopting a philosophy of voluntary simplicity where less is more. Voluntary simplicity can put a whole new face on a tight budget. Instead of feeling pressure about what you canʼt buy, in a simpler lifestyle you wonʼt want extras cluttering your life. The less stuff you buy, the less you have to take care of and the more money you keep in your pocket. Bottom line: Become extremely proprietary about your cash. Take a hard look at each and every situation in which you might spend money. Make every penny count. David Uffington regrets that he cannot personally answer reader questions, but will incorporate them into his column whenever possible. Write to him in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475, or send e-mail to columnreply@gmail.com. (c) 2009 King Features Synd., Inc.

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Chester: Henricus Historical Park: Winter Month February, Daily, 10:00am-5:00pm

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Interpreters demonstrate how to winter-proof your home in 1611-1622 and the daily chores that go along with short days and long nights! Daily admission fee. For more information call 804748-1613 or visit www.henricus.org

Colonial Heights: 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. For more information contact the Colonial Heights Recreation and Parks Department at 520-9390. Register at Shepherd Stadium or online at http: //activenet2.active.com/colonialheightsva/

Hopewell: Knights of Columbus Free Throw Contest Jan. 24, 2009 at 2:00pm Contest for Boys and Girls 10-14 years old. See who can make the most free throws and become the best free throw shooter of 2009 in Hopewell. Register:The day of the event at Mallonee Gym with parental signature. Forms will be available at the Hopewell Community Center. Cost: Free Parent / Child Tea Party Jan. 31, 2009 Celebrate National Tea Month with an English-style Tea at the Hopewell Library. Be sure to register by January 23rd by calling Dee Dee Whitman, 804-458-6329 ext. 1013. The event is free but space is limited.

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American Red Cross BLOOD DRIVE Jan. 14, 2009 at 12:30pm-6:00pm Sponsored by the Southside Area Chapter at the Train Station at 103 River St in Old Towne Petersburg. Call Rosalyn B. Andrews, Executive Director, American Red Cross at 804-733-5711 for more information.