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TIDBITS® TURNS EVERGREEN WITH ENVY!by Patricia L. CookAt this time of year, Christmas trees, evergreen wreaths, garland and more are displayed all around us. This Tidbits examines some fascinating facts about evergreens. • Mostpeopleonlythinkofconiferslikepine,fir,cedarandsprucetreeswhenthey think of the term “evergreen.” This is not incorrect because most conifers qualify as evergreens, but many additional plants that are not conifers are evergreens as well. Evergreens have “foliage that persists and remains green throughout the year.”• The word “conifer” comes from theLatin words conus (cone) and ferre (to bear). The word conifer literally means “cone bearing.” While many conifers are evergreen, some are not. Larches and bald cypress trees are conifers that lose their needles every fall. • Thereare thousandsofspeciesofevergreen trees, shrubs and smaller plants. Just within the pine family there are 115 species. While pines and many other evergreens have needle-like foliage, some have leaves, fronds (ferns and palms) and other types of foliage. • Even though the name implies it,evergreens are not always green. Manyevergreens actually have foliage that is red, brown, yellow and other colors.

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Published Weekly For Ad Rates call: (785) 404-1000 www.tidbitsofsalina.comNovember 30, 2011 Issue 15

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Triple-Cheese Mashed Potato Casserole

Mashed potatoes are always a popular din-ner choice, and when you add three kinds of cheese to the mix, no one can resist a second helping.

5 pounds all-purpose potatoes, peeled and cut into 1-inch chunks1 tablespoon salt2 teaspoons salt5 tablespoons margarine or butter3/4 cup finely grated Parmesan cheese3/4 cup plain dried breadcrumbs2 cups reduced-fat milk (2 percent)4 ounces Cheddar cheese, shredded (1 cup)4 ounces Neufchatel cheese, cut up

1. In 6-quart saucepot, heat potatoes, 1 ta-blespoon salt and enough water to cover to boiling over high heat. Reduce heat to medi-um-low; cover and cook 10 minutes or until potatoes are tender.2. Meanwhile, in small bowl, heat 3 table-spoons margarine in microwave oven on high 30 seconds or until margarine melts. Stir in Parmesan and breadcrumbs; set aside.3. Preheat oven to 325 F. Drain potatoes well; return to saucepot. With potato masher, mash potatoes with 2 teaspoons salt. Stir in milk, then Cheddar, Neufchatel and remain-ing margarine until cheese melts.4. Grease 13- by 9-inch glass or ceramic bak-ing dish. Spoon potato mixture into dish. Sprinkle breadcrumb mixture evenly over po-tatoes. Bake, uncovered, 15 minutes or until top is lightly browned.5. Optional for storage: Follow recipe through step 3. Spread potato mixture into greased 13- by 9-inch glass or ceramic baking dish; cover with foil and refrigerate overnight. Re-frigerate crumb mixture in a sealed plastic bag. To serve, let dish stand at room tempera-ture for 30 minutes. Bake, covered, in preheat-ed 325 F oven for 1 hour and 15 minutes; un-cover, sprinkle with crumb mixture, and bake until browned, 15 minutes. Serves 20.

Q: I loved seeing a different side of Bill Pullman in “Torchwood: Miracle Day.” Where else can I see him? -- Betty T., via e-mailA: Bill is headlining TNT’s Mystery Movie Night by star-ring in “Scott Turow’s Innocent,” which is the sequel to “Presumed Innocent,” picking up the lives of Rusty and Barbra Sabich two decades later. The movie opens with Rusty being accused of murdering his wife, mir-roring the accusation he was cleared of years before with his mistress.You can catch your favorite stars this winter in crime-novel adaptations of books by authors like Scott Turow, Mary Higgins Clark, Sandra Brown and more. While Bill himself is not a big television watcher, he loves the artistic opportunities it presents to actor and viewers, telling me: “I like the image of people on their sofas on a winter night just getting down with a good, compel-ling thriller. Makes me want to watch more television.” Check your local listings for the date and time of each movie’s airing during TNT’s Mystery Movie Night series. And stop by celebrityextraonline.com for my entire in-terview with Bill.***Q: What is the lovely Annabeth Gish up to lately? I loved her on “The X-Files.” -- Gabrielle V., Portland, Ore.

A: Annabeth is starring alongside Pierce Brosnan in A&E’s miniseries “Bag of Bones,” which is based on the Stephen King novel. In the miniseries, best-selling novelist Mike Noonan (Pierce) can’t stop grieving after the death of his wife, Jo (Annabeth). A dream inspires him to return to the couple’s lakeside retreat in west-ern Maine. Of course, mysterious things are going to happen. Go to celebrityextraonline.com to read my full interview with Annabeth about her role in this series, which premieres Dec. 12 at 9 p.m. ET/PT.***Q: I was reading that Universal is going to pull the “Har-ry Potter” movies from the shelves soon. Is this true? -- Andrew R., via e-mailA: On Dec. 29, Universal is indeed pulling “Harry Pot-ter” movies from the shelves -- right after the Christ-mas rush -- and offer them only on a sporadic basis, like Disney has done with its animated classics. If you can, I’d hold off on buying the eight-disc boxed set featuring years one through seven. It contains only the movie discs with no special features or extras. At the end of 2012, Universal plans to release a more compre-hensive boxed set of all eight movies, with the extras and special treats we’ve all been waiting for.***Q: I loved Sheldon’s “Soft Kitty Song” on “The Big Bang Theory.” My roommate told me I can buy the Soft Kitty stuffed animal. Please tell me this is true! -- Paula F., Youngstown, OhioA: Just in time for Christmas, Stylin Online is offering the official Soft Kitty cat and T-shirt for all you “Big Bang” fans. The stuffed cat will sing you the “Soft Kitty Song” from the show, and it’s available at StylinOnline.com

Write to Cindy at King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475; or e-mail her at [email protected].

Canister SetQ: I have a spun aluminum canister set which made in 1957 by Kromex. It includes four sugar, tea and coffee canisters in addition to matching salt and pepper shakers, a spice rack with eight contain-ers and a bread box. All are in excellent condition. I would like to know the approximate value of this set. -- Joyce, Daytona Beach, Fla.A: As more and more people are restoring mid-cen-tury homes, the price of accessories such as your canister set from 1957 continue to edge up in value. It’s a plus that your set appears to be fairly complete and is in such excellent condition. One of the bet-ter reference books for kitchen accessories from the post-war period is "Spiffy Kitchen Collectibles" by Brian S. Alexander (Krause Publications, $24.99). This guide features several canister sets, and most are valued in the $25 to $75 range.***Q: I have a silver spoon from the Columbian Exposi-tion of 1892. How much is it worth? -- Glenn, Peoria, Ariz.A: A souvenir spoon from the Columbian Exposition recently sold on eBay for $35. There were dozens of spoons with various designs sold at the event, but most seem to be selling in the $25 to $35 range. On the other hand, one of the most popular fairs was the Louisiana Purchase Exposition of 1904, commonly known as the St. Louis World's Fair. A spoon show-ing an image of Jefferson and Napoleon currently sells in the $50 to $100 range; a demitasse spoon with twisted handle, $35 to $50; and one showing Festival Hall and the Cascades, $600 to $800.***Q: I have several Life magazines covering the assas-sination of President John F. Kennedy and a Look magazine from 1964 with an article about JFK. I also have "Kennedy: His Family in Pictures" from the edi-tor of Look, and a Robert Kennedy memorial issue dated 1968. -- Sharon, Rio Rancho, N.M.A: Most of the items you listed are fairly common. Keep in mind that Life magazine published millions of copies each week and even more of special is-sues. The JFK and RFK magazines that you listed are probably worth about $10 each. The Kennedy book generally retails for about the same.

Write to Larry Cox in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475, or send e-mail to [email protected]. Due to the large volume of mail he receives, Mr. Cox is unable to personally answer all reader questions. Do not send any materials requiring return mail.

EVERGEEN (continued):• Some popular evergreens notpreviously mentioned are: hemlock, laurel, holly, eucalyptus, rhododendron, magnolia, palm, juniper and redwood. Even some oaks are evergreen. • Evergreens are found in hot andcold, humid and dry climates on every continent but Antarctica. • Goose Island State Park inAransas County in southern Texas is the home of the “Big Tree.” Named the State Champion Coastal Live Oak in 1969, this tree is thought to be one of the largest in America. The large evergreen oak is estimated to be over 1,000 years old, has a circumference of 35 feet (10.7 m), is 44 feet (13.4 m) tall and has a crown spread of 90 feet (27.4 m). Live oaks are known for their massive spread, and there are many in the Southern states around old historic homes. This Texas tree is truly impressive.• Washington, the only state namedafter a president, is famous for its rainy weather and large forests of evergreen trees. Nicknamed the “Evergreen State,” western Washington actually has rain forests in the Olympic Mountains.• EvergreenPointBridgebetweenSeattle and the eastern shore of Lake Washington is the longest floatingbridge in the world. It was built with a line of concrete pontoons linked by cables and attached to ordinary bridges on each end. The total length of the bridge is 7,578 feet (2310 m). It was constructed this way because the bottom of Lake Washington is too muddy for a standard bridge. The bridge contributed greatly to the growth of the eastern shore, with cities like Bellevue and Redmond. (These cities contribute a lot of “green” to the Washington economy thanks to companies like computer giant Microsoftbeinglocatedthere.)

1. MUSIC: Where would one find a coda to a piece of mu-sic?2. LANGUAGE: What is a "beau geste"?3. INVENTIONS: When was the first patent issued for the modern zipper?4. ANATOMY: What organ in the human body produces insulin?5. MEASUREMENTS: What was the sextant once used for?6. HISTORY: Who founded the colony of Rhode Island?7. GEOGRAPHY: Where is the famous Watergate build-ing?8. FAMOUS PEOPLE: How did Andrew Carnegie make his fortune?9. REVOLUTIONARY FIGURES: What did American patriot Paul Revere do for a living?10. BIBLE: Where did Cain go to live after slaying Abel?

(c) 2011 King Features Synd., Inc.

EVERGREEN (continued):•MostevergreenChristmastreesarenotharvested from forests. In fact, 98 percent of the trees sold on holiday lots are grown on tree farms. Areas close to national forests with permit programs for cutting down live trees do have quite a following of folks who like to snowshoe or hike to get their trees, but the Christmas tree lots definitelycornerthemarketonsales.•AccordingtotheNationalChristmasTreeAssociation (NCTA), there are currently 350 million Christmas trees growing on tree farms in the United States. All of the 50 states and Canada produce Christmas trees. The top producing states are Oregon, NorthCarolina,Michigan,Pennsylvania,Wisconsin and Washington. •ThemostcommonevergreensusedforChristmas trees are balsam fir, Douglasfir, Fraser fir, noblefir, Scotch pine andwhite pine.•TheChristmastreefortheWhiteHousehas beenpresented to theFirstLadybythe NCTA member that wins the National Christmas Tree Contest each year since 1966 when Lyndon Johnson was president. The tree is presented shortly after Thanksgiving to be displayed in the Blue Room at the White House. The treemustbe18.5feet(5.6m)tallandfitthrough a doorway that is 58 inches (1.47 m) wide. •TheNationalChristmasTreeisalivetree in Washington, D.C., that is lit each year at the start of ongoing ceremonies called the “Christmas Pageant of Peace.” The beautiful evergreen tree is a Colorado blue spruce that was transplanted from York, Pennsylvania, in 1978. The tree was the perfect size and shape, had no disease and was growing in similar soil conditions to what it would be living in at its new home in Washington.

—16—

King Features W

eekly ServiceN

ovember 21, 2011

HOLLYWOOD -- The Frankenstein monster rises again! A screen staple since the l930s when he was brought to life by Boris Karloff and Lon Chaney, Jr., Franken-stein fans have turned out for every film produced, even one with Robert DeNiro as the monster. Now acclaimed director Stuart Beattie, director of “Pirates of the Caribbean: The Curse of the Black Pearl” (2003), “Collateral” (2004), “Derailed” (2005), “Australia” (2008) and “G.I. Joe: The Rise of the Cobra” (2009) is going to resurrect the monster in modern times.The handsome and capable Aaron Eckhart, no stran-ger to monsters after playing Two-Face in “The Dark Knight,” will play Adam Frankenstein, who has sur-vived to present day due to a genetic quirk in his crea-tion, and finds himself in the middle of a war between two immortal clans. It starts shooting in Australia in January for an early 2013 release. If that’s not bizarre enough for you, over in England, BBC3 recently had a live telecast of “Frankenstein’s Wedding: Live in Leeds” with David Harewood, a black man, portraying the Frankenstein monster.***Oscar-winning superstar Shirley MacLaine will finally get hers when The American Film Institute honors her

with its 40th Life Achievement Award in June. Among her arsenal of classic films are “Can-Can” (1959), the film that shocked Russian Premier Nikita Khrushchev when he visited the set, and two directed by Billy Wilder, “The Apartment” (1960) and “Irma La Douce” (1963), both co-starring Jack Lemmon.Her fairy-tale career began in l955 when Carol Haney, star of the Broadway hit musical “The Pajama Game,” broke her leg and Shirley, as understudy, had to sub for her. One night, Paramount producer Hal Wallis saw her in the show and signed her to a contract. Her first film was Alfred Hitchcock’s “The Trouble with Harry,” with “Dynasty” star John Forsythe.Shirley was Oscar nominated five times before she re-ceived the award for “Terms of Endearment” in l983. And let’s not forget her baby brother is Oscar-winning director/actor Warren Beatty. Talk about a lot of talent in one family! The 77-year-old MacLaine will be seen in the upcoming Matthew McConaughey/Jack Black film “Bernie,” being released in March.***Get ready for “Hansel and Gretel: Witch Hunters,” star-ring Jeremy Renner as Hansel, and no less than three more films based on the fairy tale, including “Black Forest: Hansel and Gretel and the 420 Witch,” about a witch living in Pasadena, Calif., who lures teen-ag-ers into her house with a special blend of marijuana. Seems eating them helps the witch maintain her youth. Some teen’s junk-food diet could give her a deadly case of indigestion!

BOOKS -- Recommended Reading

“Death in the City of Light: The Serial Killer of Nazi-Occupied Paris”by David King(Crown, $26)Reviewed by Larry Cox

If you like true crime, put this book at the top of your read-ing list. “Death in the City of Light” is the gripping, rapid-fire suspense story of one of the most terrifying serial killers ever, a man who few of us have ever heard of.Author David King was browsing through old books in an antiquarian bookshop in Paris when he stumbled upon a wartime memoir that documented the serial killings of Marcel Petiot, a ruthless murderer who was eventually charged with 27 grisly deaths. Intrigued, he dug deeper. Us-ing sources that include never-before-released police files, King draws readers into the shadowy world of Paris during the waning years of World War II.The crimes began to unravel on a March evening in 1944 when police respond to complaints from neighbors about toxic odors spilling from the chimney of a townhouse at 21 rue La Sueur. Upon entering, the two police officers are horrified to discover two coal stoves with charred human remains. A closer look revealed a pit that contained hands, feet, skulls and other body parts in various states of decom-position.Marcel Petiot, the home’s owner and a respected physi-cian, was arrested, and pieces of the story began falling into place. The doctor had posed as a member of the French Re-sistance so that he could lure his victims --- many of them Jews seeking to escape the Nazis --- into his house. He promised them safe passage out of Nazi-occupied France and then killed them.It is King’s meticulous research that takes readers to the very heart of the case. He examined cartons of police re-ports, read the interrogations of witnesses, pored over crime-scene photographs and even the detailed dossier from Petiot’s stays at mental asylums. The result is one of the most exciting true crime books of the year.


TOP TEN MOVIES

1. Real Steel (PG-13) Hugh Jackman, Dakota Goyo

2. Footloose (PG-13) Kenny Wormald, Julianne Hough

3. The Thing (R) Mary Elizabeth Winstead, Joel Edgerton

4. The Ides of March (R) Ryan Gosling, George Clooney

5. Dolphin Tale (PG) Morgan Freeman, Ashley Judd

6. Moneyball (PG-13) Brad Pitt, Jonah Hill7. 50/50 (R) Joseph Gordon-Levitt, Seth Rogen

8. Courageous (PG-13) Alex Kendrick, Renee Jewell

9. The Big Year (PG) Steve Martin, Jack Black10. The Lion King (G) animated

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Best Way to Treat COPD? Quit Smoking

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My mother is in her early 70s. She has been diagnosed with chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD. She had a bronchoscopic exam to remove a mucus plug. She was a very heavy smoker. She still smokes. She thinks her kids don’t know, but we have seen the evidence. She is on oxygen. Her doctor thinks she has quit. What does this do to her life expectancy? How long can she live this way? -- J.S.

ANSWER: Chronic obstructive pulmonary disease, COPD, is two illnesses: emphysema and chronic bronchitis. Emphysema is a harmful stretching and destruction of the millions of air sacs found in the

lungs. Through those delicate structures, oxygen reaches the blood. When they are damaged, a person cannot get enough oxygen and becomes breathless on even slight exertion. Chronic bronchitis is inflammation of the air passageways, the bronchi. They fill with thick, pus-filled globs of phlegm. Air cannot pass through them. A cough that produces of sticky, tenacious sputum is its chief sign.Cigarette smoking is the major cause of COPD, but not the only one.It’s hard to watch people ruin their own bodies and hasten death. That’s what your mother is doing. Tell her that the most important treatment for COPD is total abstinence from smoking. Abstinence allows lungs to recover from the damage done from inhaling cigarette smoke. It doesn’t achieve a complete reversal overnight. It does prolong life.What does this do to her life expectancy? It shortens it. How long can she live? That can’t be foretold. Unequivocally, she will live longer and enjoy her life more if she never lights up again. COPD is a major problem and the fourth-leading cause of death. The COPD booklet explains its causes and treatments. To order a copy, write: Dr. Donohue -- No. 601W, Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a check or money order (no cash) for $4.75 U.S./$6 Canada with the recipient’s printed name and address. Please allow four weeks for delivery.

Way to Go! Cheers Can Give Big Boost

I was up at the crack of dawn on a recent weekend morning for the Twin Cities Marathon. It was a per-fect fall day. No, I didn’t run, but I did lots of rooting from the sidelines at mile six, near our house where runners reach the top of their first hill. I wasn’t the only one. Standing across the street amidst the early-morning crowd was a young family decked out in bright-yellow T-shirts blazing with encourag-ing hand-painted sayings: “You Rock!”; “Go Sue Go!”; “Love you, Sue!” “It’s so difficult to run a marathon of over 26 miles for the first time,” said Sue’s sister, Lynn Burley, mom of two school-age girls, teacher and seasoned mara-thoner. It makes such a difference in reaching your goal when people encourage and cheer for you along the way. It’s as important as training, water and food.” Sure enough, seeing the familiar faces of her daughter and sister’s family would be the initial cheers of many she’d receive on her way to crossing the finish line. I came home thinking about how everyone can use a boost once in a while. The gestures can be sim-ple, yet can yield big results in the lives of people we support. That’s when my husband told me about Desiree Kuik, the human resources person at a K-12 school where he works. She’s always up to motivating the teachers and staff,” he said. Sure enough, to prove his point, he pulled out of his briefcase an eye-catching cello-phane bag he found on his desk after a very busy week of work. On the outside was a printed sticker that read: “Here’s S’more Encouragement!” Inside the bag were two graham crackers, two marshmal-lows, a Hershey’s milk chocolate bar, and a simple recipe card she had printed on her computer:

EASY S’MORES

Layer the following:1/2 graham cracker4 small blocks of chocolate1 large marshmallow1/2 graham cracker

Microwave for 15 seconds.

The recipe ended with “Enjoy the gooey treat!” And we did. I’m sure all the teachers and staff who re-ceived the thoughtful gesture felt encouraged by it and enjoyed it, too.

EVERGREEN (continued):• The tree was originally a Mother’sDay gift to Mrs. William E. Myers inYork. When National Park Service (NPS) employeesaskedtheMyersfamilyaboutdonatingthetree,theyagreed.Mrs.Myerseven fed the workers homemade soup as they prepared “her” tree to become the nation’stree.•TheNationalChristmasTreeislocatedintheEllipse,whichispartofPresident’sPark near the White House. All of the area surrounding the White House, its grounds, including the Ellipse, Lafayette Park, Sherman Park and more have been part of the National Park System since 1933. •ThefirstNationalChristmasTreewasnot a live tree but was also an evergreen. ThePresidentofMiddleburyCollegeinVermont, President Calvin Coolidge’shome state, donated a 48-foot (14.6 m) balsamfirtobeplacedontheEllipseinDecember1923.This“first”treewascutdown and sent to Washington. President Coolidge flipped the switch to light thetree on Christmas Eve. • Washington, D.C., is also home toanother famous Christmas tree. The Capitol Christmas Tree, also known as the “People’sTree,”hasbeenharvestedfromoneofthecountry’snationalforestssince 1969. Staff at theNational ForestService headquarters work with national forests’staffsacrossthecountrytoselecta well-shaped evergreen tree, with the final decisionmade by theArchitect ofthe Capitol. •Itisahugehonor,andmanycelebrationstake place in the state chosen to send the Capitol Christmas tree to the nation’scapitol. The 2011 tree was sent from the Stanislaus National Forest near Sonora,California. The tree traveled about 4,500 miles (7242 km) on its journey to stand at a place of honor for many Americans and others to see.


By Samantha Mazzotta

Q: We recently experienced an unexpectedly early and heavy snowfall in the Northeast. As a new transplant from a Southern state, I was totally unprepared for this. My neighbors were a real help as I dug out from nearly a foot of snow and dealt with having no power or heat. I wanted to write you with a few of my observations from the snowstorm.--Make sure you have basic necessities on hand. I had a “hurricane kit” with me that I’d assembled in Alabama years before, which included a combination flashlight-radio that charges by winding a crank; extra candles and matches; energy bars; beef jerky; emergency blan-kets and a couple of gallons of water. --Have appropriate clothing for your region: Since I had just moved to the area, I had not yet bought a heavy winter coat. My next-door neighbor loaned me an extra one.--Purchase an extra battery for your cellphone or lap-top, and keep it charged.

--Fill your car’s gas tank the day before a storm’s arrival. If you have a generator, purchase fuel for it as well, and store it in approved containers (and ideally away from the house).--Do not run generators inside the garage! We had a few people taken to the hospital in our region due to carbon monoxide seeping into the house.--Get to know your neighbors before bad weather strikes, and stay in touch with them during or after a storm. Without my neighbors’ help, I would have had a much harder time getting through this event.--And finally, when shoveling snow, lift with your legs, not your back! Don’t overload the shovel, and just push the snow aside, rather than fling it away. My neighbor was happy to give me lessons. (Although, I’m invest-ing in a snow blower as soon as they’re available at the hardware store.)Hope your readers get some use out of this informa-tion. Stay warm! -- Kurt H., Amherst, Mass.

A: Kurt, thanks for sharing your experience! Whether it’s hurricanes in the South or blizzards in the North, being prepared is essential. Working with neighbors to get through a crisis also can’t be stated enough -- and it’s great that you were able to work together.

HOME TIP: See a downed power line on your street? Don’t approach it, even if you think it’s not live, and keep everyone inside. Contact emergency services and follow their instructions.

Send your questions or comments to [email protected], or write This Is a Hammer, c/o King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-

OVERCOMINGTHEODDS:BEETHOVENBorn into a musical family in Bonn, Germany, on December 16, 1770, Ludwig van Beethoven was destined to become a musician. He became one of the greatest composers of all time. • Beethovendidnothaveaneasylife. His father was a drinker, probably an alcoholic, and pushed him as a young boy to put music ahead of everything — even sleep and play. He was standing on a stool playing the piano when he was only 4 years old. His father seemed more interested in being the father of a great musician than in loving his son. • Beethoven’s first paid publicperformance was when he was only 7 or8yearsold,athisfather’sprompting.An excellent musician hired by the Prince of Bonn named Christian Neefe heard Beethoven play and knew he had excellent potential as a musician. Neefe started teaching the young boy in a much kinder and more caring way. By the time he was 12, Neefe would actually let him play the organ and direct his orchestra alone! • When Beethoven was around18 years old, the Prince of Bonn sent him to Vienna, Austria, which was the center of music in Europe. After a short and successful time there, including a chancetoplayforMozart,Beethovenreturned to Bonn to be with his seriously ill mother. She and his baby sister both died shortly after his return.• With his father still consumingalcohol and becoming more and more irresponsible, Beethoven asked the Prince of Bonn to appoint him head of hisfamily.Fromthatpointon,hewas

by Samantha Weaver

It was French Renaissance essayist Michel de Montaigne who made the following sage observation: "Nothing is so firmly believed as what is least known."

If someone called you a "mumpsimus," would you be flattered or insulted? It seems that the appropriate reaction would be to take offense. According to the Merriam-Webster dictionary, a mumpsimus is "a stubborn person who insists on making an error in spite of being shown that it is wrong."

The English language is unique in the number of collective nouns it possesses. For instance, a group of frogs is known as an "army" and a group of crows is called a "murder." We have a "shrewdness" of apes, a "wisdom" of wombats, a "congrega-tion" of crocodiles, a "smack" of jellyfish, a "wiggle" of worms, a "crash" of rhinoceroses, a "waddle" of penguins and a "scourge" of mosquitoes, to name a few. Geese flock together in "gaggles," unless they're in flight, in which case they are collectively known as a "skein."

In the Baltic region, it's traditional for a bride to wear black.

You've probably never heard of Harvey Lowe, but in the 1930s he enjoyed a certain amount of

notoriety; in 1934 he won the first World Yo-Yo Contest. Now that you know who he is, can you imagine what he had in common with Rolling Stones guitarist Keith Richards and notoriously flamboyant entertainer Liberace? It turns out that all three took out insurance policies on their hands.

If you're like 20 percent of the respondents in a recent poll, you find it embarrassing to order tap water when you're in a restaurant.***Thought for the Day: "A great deal of intelligence can be invested in ignorance when the need for illusion is deep." -- Saul Bellow


Surviving a Winter Weather Emergency

Tidbits® of Salina

Surviving a Winter Weather Emergency

responsible for running a household, keeping his father out of trouble and raising his two younger brothers.

BEETHOVEN (continued):• Bonn was an excellent place tocontinue his musical studies, but Beethoven had a great desire to return to Vienna. In 1792, at the age of 22, he gave his father money to care for his brothers and left to pursue his studies. EventhoughMozarthaddiedbythetime he returned, he was able to study under Joseph Haydn, another famous composer of Vienna. • Ashort sevenweeksafterhisstudies with Haydn started in Vienna, Beethoven’sfatherdied.Hisbrothersjoined him in Vienna, and he never returned to his home in Bonn. • Beethoven quickly became ahit thanks to his composing and imaginative piano playing. He was the “rock star” of his day! With success coming his way in the music world, Beethoven struggled with personal issues. He never understood why his father had been such a difficultmanto live with. Also, Beethoven never married. He wanted a family of his own but that never happened. •Beethoven’sbiggestchallenge,andone that would depress and even stop most musicians, started affecting him in 1798 when he was only 28 years old.Hewaslosinghishearing.Manypeople started noticing moodiness and thought he was unfriendly.• His first big concert featuring his“FirstSymphony,”happenedin1800,after his deafness started. Beethoven is most famous for writing nine symphonies, which are works played by a full orchestra. He also completed many other works for piano and string quartets. Almost totally deaf by age 47, he composed much of his music without the joy of hearing all of the notes.

BY David Uffington

The Federal Deposit Insurance Corporation puts out a free quarterly newsletter full of useful in-formation. The latest edition of FDIC Consumer News focuses on the financial aspect of recover-ing from natural disasters. Here are some highlights:--Consider having direct deposit so that you don’t have to depend on the mail going through if an area has been hit hard, and have an emer-gency savings fund.--Keep records of your personal property and the estimated value (photos included).--Store copies of important documents (So-cial Security card, birth certificates, insurance policies, drivers licenses) and assemble a list of phone and account numbers you’ll need. Add extra checks and some cash.--Store records in waterproof plastic bags that you can grab and take with you in an emergen-cy. Beware using a bank safe deposit box for the copies you’ll need immediately. --Did you know that banks are required to pre-

pare for disasters? Each one must have a plan de-scribing how they’ll recover data and continue to serve customers, even when there is no power for long periods of time.--If disaster strikes, report damage to your insur-ance company immediately. Don’t do any clean up until an adjuster has viewed the property. Keep your receipts.--Don’t fall for disaster-related scams -- and there will be plenty of them. Get repair prices in writ-ing, call your consumer-affairs office to see if it has information on anyone approaching you to do work, and get recommendations from friends. Beware those who pretend to be “from the gov-ernment” and want you to fill out forms giving your personal financial information.The FDIC site itself is full of good information, including up-to-date reports on bank closings, guarding against online identity theft, finding the best mortgage, bank overdraft programs and tips on understanding certificates of deposit.The newsletters can be accessed online or mailed to you. Go to www.fdic.gov, click on Consumer Protection then Consumer News and Informa-tion. If you’d like to sign up for alerts, navigate to About FDIC and Email Subscriptions.If you don’t have Internet access, you can call the FDIC at 1-877-275-3342 (1-877-ASKFDIC) to have the newsletter mailed to you.

David Uffington regrets that he cannot person-ally 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,


PETBITS SPONSORED BY:

DEAR PAW’S CORNER: Is it possible to give too much catnip to a cat? And, is dried catnip as potent as fresh? -- Gina in Flint, Mich.

DEAR GINA: I’ve seen cats react to catnip in a variety of different ways -- from tearing around the house to lounging draped across furniture -- but have not read of a cat actually “overdosing” on the herb.Nepetalactone is the chemical that produces a cat’s distinct reaction to catnip. It’s released when the plant is bruised, which is why you’ll often see a cat rubbing against and biting fresh catnip. According to various sources, the cat’s “high” is produced when it sniffs the bruised leaves or stems; eating catnip produces a sedative effect. Cats generally lose interest in catnip once they’ve had enough.As to whether fresh or dried catnip is better, or equally potent, dried catnip can be just as effective, although like any dried herb, the age of the catnip and how it has been stored can affect its potency.

That’s one reason to look carefully at brands of dried catnip or catnip-impregnated toys before purchasing.Pet owners can grow their own catnip on the windowsill, in full sun (out of reach of the cat until it’s strong enough to put up with a cat’s devoted attention) and either present it fresh to the cat or trim the mature plant and hang it upside down to dry.Finally, what to do if you place catnip in front of your pet and it shows no interest? Walk away for a while -- it will either get interested eventually or not, but most cats can’t be forced to ingest or play with catnip.

Send your question or comment to [email protected], or write to Paw’s Corner, c/o King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. For more pet care-related advice and information, visit www.pawscorner.com.

YOUR BUSINESS HEREfor more information call (785) 404-1000

Can Cats Overdose on Catnip? By Sam Mazzotta

On Dec. 7, 1787, in Dover, Del., the U.S. Constitution is unanimously ratified by all 30 delegates to the Delaware Constitutional Convention, making Dela-ware the first state of the modern United States. Gov-ernment under the U.S. Constitution took effect on March 4, 1789.

On Dec. 10, 1901, the first Nobel Prizes are awarded in Stockholm, Sweden, on the fifth anniversary of the death of Alfred Nobel. Although Nobel offered no public reason for his creation of the prizes, it is believed that he did so out of moral regret over the lethal uses of his invention of dynamite and other ex-plosives.

On Dec. 11, 1936, after ruling for less than one year, Edward VIII becomes the first English monarch to vol-untarily abdicate the throne. The British government, public and the Church of England condemned his decision to marry American divorcee Wallis Warfield Simpson. Edward claimed it was impossible to dis-charge his duties without the woman he loved.

On Dec. 5, 1945, five U.S. Navy Avenger torpedo-bombers take off from the Ft. Lauderdale Naval Air Station in Florida on a three-hour training flight. They never returned, and no trace of the bodies or aircraft was ever found. The story helped cement the leg-end of the Bermuda Triangle, an area of the Atlantic Ocean where ships and aircraft are said to disappear without a trace.

On Dec. 8, 1969, at a news conference, President Rich-ard Nixon says that the Vietnam War is coming to an end. His pronouncements proved premature. In April 1970, he expanded the war by ordering attacks on communist sanctuaries in Cambodia.

On Dec. 6, 1976, deaf professional stuntwoman Kitty O’Neil sets the land-speed record for female drivers at the Alvord Desert in southeastern Oregon, averaging more than 512 mph.

On Dec. 9, 1983, “Scarface,” starring Al Pacino as a Cu-ban refugee who becomes a Miami drug lord, opens in theaters. The film, written by Oliver Stone and di-rected by Brian De Palma, initially received unfavora-ble reviews but is now considered a classic.


SPORTS QUIZBy Chris Richcreek

1. Who was the youngest pitcher to toss a complete-game shutout in a World Series game?2. Name the player who led the American League in home runs twice during the 1950s, but

finished his career with fewer than 200 career home runs. 3. In 2010, Auburn and Arkansas set an SEC record for most combined points in a non-overtime game (108). Which two teams had held the mark?4. Who holds the NBA record for most blocked shots in a seven-game playoff series? 5. When was the last time an ECAC Hockey school won the NCAA men’s hockey championship?6. Bill Elliott had won 44 NASCAR Cup races entering 2011. In what year did he record the most wins, and how many?7. Who was the first unseeded player in the Open era of tennis to win the men’s singles title at the U.S. Open?

TOP TEN VIDEO, DVD as of Nov. 21, 2011

Top 10 Video Rentals1. Captain America: The First Avenger (PG-13) Chris

Evans2. Crazy, Stupid, Love (PG-13) Steve Carrell

3. Water for Elephants (PG-13) Reese Witherspoon4. Cars 2 (G) animated

5. Pirates of the Caribbean: On Stranger Tides (PG-13) Johnny Depp

6. Bad Teacher (R) Cameron Diaz7. Horrible Bosses (R) Jennifer Aniston

8. Green Lantern (PG-13) Ryan Reynolds9. Trespass (R) Nicolas Cage

10. Transformers: Dark of the Moon (PG-13) Shia LaBeouf

Top 10 DVD Sales1. Cars 2 (G) (Buena Vista)

2. Crazy, Stupid, Love (PG-13) (Warner)3. Water for Elephants (PG-13) (Fox)

4. Captain America: The First Avenger (PG-13) (Para-mount)

5. Winnie the Pooh (G) (Buena Vista)6. Green Lantern (PG-13) (Warner)

7. Horrible Bosses (R) (Warner)8. Fast Five (PG-13) (Universal)9. Bridesmaids (R) (Universal)

10. Bad Teacher (R) (Sony)

Answers1. Baltimore’s Jim Palmer was 20 years old when he did it in 1966.2. Al Rosen led the A.L. with 37 home runs in 1950 and 43 in 1953, but finished his 10-year major-league career with 192.3. South Carolina and Mississippi State combined for 104 points in 1995.4. Denver’s Dikembe Mutombo blocked 38 shots in a series against Utah in 1994.5. Harvard won the title in 1989.6. He won 11 races in 1985.7. Andre Agassi, in 1994.

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Answers1. The end2. Noble gesture3. 19174. Pancreas 5. Navigation. The instrument measures the angles between visible objects.6. Roger Williams7. Washington, D.C.8. Steel industry9. He was an accomplished silversmith 10. The land of Nod


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