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TIDBITS® CELEBRATESMARDI GRAS PARADES

by Patricia L. CookNext week, on February 21, many people around the globe will celebrate Mardi Gras. This issue of Tidbits will “laissez les bons temps rouler” (let the good times roll) as we explore this celebration.

• The city most associated with Mardi Gras in America is New Orleans. Mardi Gras is French for “Fat Tuesday,” the Tuesday before Ash Wednes-day, which begins the Christian season of Lent. It is also the last day of the Carnival season. “Car-nival” season is a period of feasting and fun that always begins on January 6, which in Christian-ity is the Feast of Epiphany, following the “Twelve Days of Christmas.” While mostly celebrated in areas where Roman Catholicism is predominant, Epiphany is celebrated in other churches as well.so if you happen to attend, don’t forget to duck.• In New Orleans, parades happen for several weeks before Mardi Gras, but the largest and probably most famous happen on the last week-end before and through Mardi Gras day. There are about a dozen held in New Orleans on Mar-di Gras Day, with even more in the suburbs. • Mardi Gras, Ash Wednesday and Lent are all important times for Catholics. Ash Wednes-day is the first of 40 days (excluding Sundays) prior to Easter that make up Lent. Lent is a time of preparation for Easter, when the res-urrection of Jesus Christ is celebrated.

Continued on page 10

Long may it wave!

FAMOUS LANDMARKS:THE GRAND CANYON

Can you imagine the looks on the faces of the first people who saw the gigantic hole in the ground that is now named the Grand Canyon? This Tidbits will go deep into the canyon for some interesting information. • Originally established as a Forest Preserve in 1893, then Grand Canyon Game Preserve in 1906 and a National Monument in 1908, the massive canyon was destined for great-ness. Three years after the National Park Service was created, Grand Canyon Na-tional Park was established in 1919. The park is famous worldwide, hosting around 5 mil-lion visitors per year. That is even more than America’s first national park, Yellowstone. • Encompassing 1,218,375 acres (49,3059 ha) of northern Arizona, Grand Canyon National Park is one of the Seven Wonders of the World. It is 277 miles (446 km) long, 5,000 feet (1524 m) deep and about 18 miles (29 km) wide. • Great environmental variety exists in the Grand Canyon’s large expanse of land. The elevation ranges from 1,200 feet (366 m) near Lake Mead to 9,165 feet (2793 m) above sea level at the North Rim. Scientists have identified five life zones in the park: Lower Sonoran, Upper So-noran, Transition, Canadian and Hudsonian. Think of it this way: You can see variations in the ecosystem within Grand Canyon National Park that are similar to what you would see if you traveled from Mexico to Canada! From desert plants to mountain trees — They’re all there. From the North Rim to the canyon floor, the temperature can vary up to 35 degrees. • While there are a number of lodging choices for visitors, there is only one lodging facility below the rim of the Grand Canyon. Phantom Ranch is only accessible by hiking or mule trip and for hardy travelers who want to see more than the rim. The rustic architecture of Phantom Ranch and other structures designed by the Fred Har-vey Company is referred to as “parkitecture.” •The Fred Harvey Company started working on structures in the park in the early 1900s. When the Grand Canyon Railway, an extension of the Atchison, Topeka and Santa Fe Railroad, was brought to the South Rim of the canyon in 1901, housing for visiting guests was need-ed. The Fred Harvey Company, working with a railroad architect, built the El Tovar Hotel 20 feet (6 m) from the edge of the South Rim in 1905. The beautiful, rugged building is some-times called “the most expensively constructed and appointed log house in America.” It is list-ed on the National Register of Historic Places. •John Wesley Powell, a Civil War hero and ge-ology professor, recorded the geology and ge-ography of the Green and Colorado Rivers and the Grand Canyon after two historic trips in 1869 and 1871. His trips opened up new interest and provided much information for the future with his mapping of the wild Grand Canyon area. • The Grand Canyon is a magnificent place for both a family vacation and studying nature. The Colorado River and canyon walls are full of scien-tific evidence about the history of the area. Both evolutionists and creationists are intrigued by the area, and even though they disagree about life origins, they agree that the Grand Canyon is one of the most amazing natural features on earth.

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Learn How to Make a Fresh Start

Virtually no one has made it unscathed through our years-long financial meltdown. Whether you’re still struggling mightily or you’ve begun to see the light at the end of the tunnel, chanc-es are one of your questions is: What do I do next?A new book likely has answers for you: “The Wall Street Journal Guide to Starting Fresh: How to Leave Financial Hardships Behind and Take Control of Your Financial Life” by Karen Blumenthal [Crown Business, $15].“Starting Fresh” is a must-have. It sets its sights on those who’ve lost jobs or homes, or suffered from the effects of a health crisis, death of a spouse, divorce and more. No matter where you are in life and no matter your income level, you’ll find steps on how to adapt and adjust to your new circumstances.Blumenthal sets the tone for dealing with your current reality on the very first page: “Decide that you won’t make any big financial decisions right away ... you’ll make better choices if you step back, reflect, assess and get your bear-ings.” One of the very first slow-start steps she’ll have you do is to take an inventory of all your as-sets and liabilities. For example, what is your car worth and how much do you still owe on it? What, exactly, do you owe on credit cards? Medical bills? Are there any valuables in a safe deposit box? Do any of your insurance policies have a cash value?Next you’ll learn how to: --Repair your credit.--Determine whether your housing is actually affordable. (Should you move or stay?) If you own your home, what is it worth? (Check Zil-low.com online.) Do you qualify for a modifica-tion program?--Adjust your debts to your new situation.--Assess your health-coverage plans.--Develop a sustainable plan for long-term fi-nancial health.--Readjust your budget to your current reality. And if there’s a miracle and you come into a large sum of money -- perhaps from an insur-ance policy, employment severance payout or divorce settlement -- Blumenthal will tell you how to manage that as well.Don’t miss the section on Internet links cover-ing a wide variety of help topics.David Uffington regrets that he cannot personally answer reader ques-tions, but will incorporate them into his column whenever possible. Write to him in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Or-lando, FL 32853-6475, or send e-mail to [email protected].(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.

Homeless Women Vets Often Shortchanged

The number of homeless women veterans doubled between 2006 and 2010. By now there’s no telling how high that number is. With the increased number of female veterans having served in the Gulf War, the numbers can’t help but rise dramatically. A recent General Accounting Office study on homeless female veterans found that:--Two-thirds of the women were between 40 and 59 years of age.--One-third had disabilities.--Many of them were raising minor children.Per the GAO, the big reason there isn’t enough help for these female veterans is that the in-formation isn’t out there: “HUD collects data on homeless women and on homeless veter-ans, but does not collect detailed information on homeless women veterans. Neither the VA nor HUD collect data on the total number of homeless women veterans.”Therefore, even though the Department of Veterans Affairs plans to end veteran home-lessness by 2015, it’s not on track to deal with homeless female veterans because it doesn’t know the extent of the problem.To compound matters, female veterans often aren’t aware of the services available to them, and even if they are, those in place to help them aren’t always aware of the services they are to provide. A quarter of homeless-shelter coordinators didn’t even know there are programs in place for female veterans. It’s no wonder that many women are waiting so long for shelter: up to four months.There are additional complications. Even if the women veterans are accepted into a shelter program, more than half don’t take children, or they limit the number of children. Or there can be safety issues.Our women veterans deserve better.To read the whole report, go to www.gao.gov and put Homeless Women Veterans in the search box. Look for GAO-12-182 dated Dec. 23, 2011.

Write to Freddy Groves in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475, or send e-mail to [email protected].

(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.

Q: I just have a patio garden for my city apartment, but this fall I was able to start saving kitchen compost, which I transfer weekly to a large plastic laun-dry tub on the patio. The large tub is the problem -- water is seeping up around the dirt, and of course the water has an odor. A friend of mine said the pH balance is off. How can I stop this from occurring? -- Jane in New Jersey

A: What you need to do right away is turn the compost pile -- meaning, take a shovel, spade or stick and stir the compost, remixing everything. The compost in the tub has compact-ed, so instead of actually composting (breaking down solids) it’s putrefying. Turning the compost will reintroduce air into the pile and help restart the process. If there’s a lot of extra water after turning, pour off some, but not all of it. There’s also the possibility that rain or snow-melt got into the tub. If you don’t want to punch drain holes in the bottom of the tub (most apartment managers frown on compost water stains on their patios) you should loosely cover the tub with a tarp so that air gets in but water does not.From here forward, monitor your com-post regularly and turn it every week. Also keep an eye on what you’re put-ting into the kitchen compost. Under no circumstances should you put in meat scraps; this will attract flies and result in maggots. Keep a roughly 50/50 ratio of carbon-rich to nitrogen-rich ingredients.Carbon-rich ingredients include any-thing “brown,” such as sawdust, dead leaves, paper or straw; nitrogen-rich in-gredients include anything “green” such as greens and vegetables. You can also add crumbled eggshells (calcium) and occasionally sprinkle wood ashes from the fireplace into the pile. When the danger of hard frost is past, add a handful of live earthworms to the fresh-ly turned pile. They’ll help aerate and break down the pile into rich compost.If you want to learn more about com-posting, primalseeds.org has pub-lished detailed instructions on build-ing a keeping a healthy compost pile.

Send your questions or tips to [email protected], or write This Is a Ham-mer, c/o King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475.(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.

February 2012 To Advertise Call 704-9972 www.tidbitsinc.com

TRIVIA PAGE

? It was American author James Thurber who made the following sage observation: “Humor is emotional chaos remembered in tranquility.”

? If you’re a fan of the original “Wizard of Oz” movie, you might be surprised to learn that the actress who played Glinda the Good Witch, Billie Burke, was 54 years old when the film was shot.

? The award for the most needless war in history could very well go to Paraguay, whose president, Francisco Solano Lopez, believed himself to be an excellent tactician. He was a great admirer of Napoleon Bonaparte and wished to emulate the French emperor, but he had no wars to fight. To remedy the situation, in 1864 Lopez declared war on all three of his neighboring countries, Uruguay, Argentina and Brazil. His tactical abilities seem to have been of little use, however; it is estimated that 90 percent of Paraguay’s male population was killed during the course of the war.

? During this time of election madness, “misol-ogy” could be a useful word to know. It means “hatred of reason.”

? French novelist Marcel Proust’s magnum opus, “Remembrance of Things Past,” has been hailed as a literary masterpiece, but not everyone was a fan at first read. As Proust was trying, unsuccess-fully, to find a publisher for his seven-volume work, one publisher said, “I may be dense, but I fail to see why a chap needs 30 pages to describe how he tosses and turns in bed before falling asleep.” The author finally published the first volume with his own money; after the book was hailed as a masterpiece by critics, the same publishers who had rejected Proust competed for the opportunity to print the other six volumes of his work.***Thought for the Day: “Before I got married I had six theories about bringing up children; now I have six children and no theories.” -- John Wilmot

1. Which group had the most singles on the soundtrack for the film “Saturday Night Fever”?2. “How You Gonna See Me Now” was from which Alice Cooper album?3. This group had three songs in the top five posi-tions for 1965. Who was the group?4. After Joey Dee and The Starliters starred in the film “Two Tickets to Paris,” what song from the film became a hit?5. Name the band that released both a song and album entitled “Close to the Edge.”6. Who sang “At This Moment”?

1. Is the book of Gezer in the Old or New Testa-ment or neither?2. From Luke 2, what village was known as the “City of David”? Damascus, Jerusalem, Jericho, Bethlehem3. Who drove a nail into Sisera’s forehead while he slept? Mark, Vashti, Jael, Mary4. To what tribe of Israel did Paul belong? Asher, Benjamin, Issachar, Reuben5. From Genesis 4, who built a city called Enoch? Adam, Moses, Noah, Cain6. Whose ear did Peter cut off? His own, Malchus, Baasha, Azariah

1. TELEVISION: What was the theme song of “The Mary Tyler Moore Show”?2. MUSIC: What rock group was featured in the docu-mentary “The Kids Are Alright”?3. MYTHOLOGY: In Norse mythology, who were the Norns?4. MOVIES: Actress Shirley MacLaine played a nun in which movie?5. CARTOONS: What were the names of Daisy Duck’s nieces?6. MEDICINE: Who discovered that yellow fever was transmitted by mosquitoes?7. LITERATURE: What was the first novel written by Raymond Chandler?8. AD SLOGANS: What company advised motorists to “trust your car to the star”?9. ANATOMY: What is a human being’s normal body temperature in Celsius?10. GEOGRAPHY: The tiny principality of Andorra bor-ders which two European countries?

Trivia Test Answers1. “Love Is All Around” 2. The Who3. Norse goddesses of fate4. “Two Mules for Sister Sara”5. April, May and June 6. Dr. Walter Reed 7. “The Big Sleep” 8. Texaco 9. 37 10. Spain and FranceBible Trivia Answers:1) Neither; 2) Beth-lehem; 3) Jael; 4) Benjamin; 5) Cain; 6) Malchus

Flash Back Answers1. The BeeGees, with six hits. The al-bum topped the charts in the U.S. for 24 weeks in 1978. 2. “From the Inside,” in 1978. The album was about Cooper’s stay in rehab when he got treatment for alcoholism. The song went to No. 12.3. The Beatles, with “Help,” “Yesterday” and “Ticket to Ride.” “Help!” also was the name of one of their films and the soundtrack.4. “What Kind of Love Is This?” in 1962.5. English group Yes. The song ran more than 18 minutes.6. Billy Vera and The Beaters. The song became a No. 1 hit in 1987 after it was used as a romantic backdrop on the TV series “Family Ties.”

-On Feb. 24, 1786, Wilhelm Karl Grimm, the younger of the two Brothers Grimm, is born in Hanau, Germany. The brothers’ col-lection of oral folktales include “Hansel and Gretel,” “Snow White,” “Little Red Riding Hood,” “Sleeping Beauty” and “Rapunzel.”-On Feb. 25, 1890, Vlacheslav Skryabin, for-eign minister for the Soviet Union who took the revolutionary name Molotov, is born in Kurkaka, Russia. Molotov advocated the use of throwing bottles filled with flammable liq-uid and stuffed with a lit rag at the enemy, and the famous “Molotov cocktail” was born.-On Feb. 26, 1903, Alexander Winton, driv-ing his Winton Bullet, sets the first speed re-cord ever achieved at Daytona Beach, Fla. Built in 1902, the “Bullet Number 1” drove a measured mile at more than 65 mph.-On Feb. 23, 1945, during the battle for Iwo Jima, U.S. Marines raise the American flag atop Mt. Suribachi, an event captured on film by AP photographer Joe Rosenthal. Although the photograph has long led people to believe that the flag raising was a turning point in the battle, fighting continued for 31 more days.-On Feb. 22, 1950, Walt Disney’s animat-ed feature “Cinderella” opens. Based on a fairy tale by the Brothers Grimm, “Cin-derella” featured songs like “A Dream Is a Wish Your Heart Makes” and be-came one of Disney’s most beloved films.


Applying Online for Social Security

Have you seen the public service an-nouncements with Patty Duke promoting Social Security and Medicare? Now there’s a new one: She’s signing up for Social Security ... from home ... in her pajamas!I thought the plaid PJs were a bit much, but the message is a good one. We can sign up for Social Security and Medicare from the comfort of our home, assuming we have a computer.Here is a partial list of things you can do online at the Social Security site:--Apply for Social Security benefits.--Apply for Supplemental Security Income (SSI).--Apply for Medicare.--Apply for disability benefits (includes the Adult Disability Report).--Estimate the amount of retirement bene-fits you’ll get. There’s a limit of 30 minutes to this feature, so make sure you have all your information ready. You’ll need your name, Social Security number, date and place of birth, and your mother’s maiden name. You’ll be able to calculate the best age to start collecting benefits.--Get extra help with Medicare drug plan costs. This could add up to $4,000 in as-sistance if you’re already on Medicare and have low income.Once you apply online, you’ll be given a confirmation number. At the same site you can then go in and check the status.If you’re certain you’ll never want to use the online features at Social Security, your best bet is to block access. You might want to do this if you’ve been the victim of identity theft or domestic violence.Suggestion: If it’s more convenient to ap-ply online, once you’re all set up, then go in and block your information completely. Then no one, even you, can access it without a phone call to Social Security.To get started, go online to www.socialse-curity.gov.Matilda Charles regrets that she cannot person-ally 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 [email protected].(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.

Louse Invasion Drives Mom Buggy

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am going buggy -- literally. My 5-year-old kinder-gartener has head lice. I discovered them because he started scratching his head. It makes me sick to my stom-ach to think about this. I can’t imag-ine where he picked them up. Is the entire family destined to come down with them? I have four other children, two dogs and a husband. Help. -- B.C.

ANSWER: Head lice cause mothers more consternation than just about any other illness. For the record, head lice don’t transmit any illnesses. They do cause itching and scratching. They’re not a reflection of your cleanliness. Most likely your child picked them up at school from head-to-head contact or from sharing caps, brushes or combs.The head louse is only 3 mm (0.12 inch-es) long. They’re difficult to see. The fe-male louse lays her eggs at the base of the hair and glues them to the hair. The eggs are called nits. They hatch in about eight days. Nits found within a quarter of an inch from the scalp indicate ac-tive infection. If they are farther away, the infection is not likely to be active.Treatments for head lice are many and usually quite effective. Advisory bod-ies promote permethrin (Nix) as the treatment of choice. It calls for reappli-cation in one week to 10 days. Mala-thion lotion (Ovide) is another reliable cure. Benzyl alcohol (Ulesfia Lotion 5 percent) is another good treatment that is applied to dry hair and then rinsed off. Natroba (spinosad) Topical Solution was approved recently as a head lice treatment. Both these latter

two medicines need a prescription. You have many choices. Some of these treat-ments include combing the wet hair with a fine-toothed comb to get rid of nits.You do not have to treat other family members if they show no signs of infec-tion. Pets are safe; human head lice don’t like them. The only household cleaning necessary is vacuuming chairs and car-pets where your 5-year-old has been. Clothes he has worn in the past two days need to be washed in hot water and dried with maximum heat. Lice that are off the head live for only two days. * * *DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Some time ago, you wrote about a shrunken leg that was shaped like some kind of bot-tle. It has the word “teeth” in it. I have a dropped foot. My doctor doesn’t know what I am talking about but would like to see the article. Will you repeat it? -- I.D.

ANSWER: The “teeth” in what I wrote referred to Dr. Tooth, an English doc-tor whose name is part of a nerve ill-ness called Charcot (SHAR-coe)-Marie-Tooth disease. In spite of the fact that the name draws a look of puzzlement from most people, it’s the most com-monly inherited nerve-muscle disorder.The illness usually shows itself in teen years, but it can take many years be-fore it’s diagnosed. The lower leg mus-cles become quite thin, so the leg looks like an upside-down champagne bot-tle. It makes walking difficult. People stumble. Often, they cannot lift the foot fully off the ground -- a dropped foot.A number of different varieties of this illness exist. I’ve described the most common one.Dr. Donohue regrets that he is unable to answer individual let-ters, but he will incorporate them in his column whenever possi-ble. Readers may write him or request an order form of available health newsletters at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475.


-Studies have shown that you spend more and make worse decisions when grocery shopping at peak hours. To be a saver on the family food bill, pick a time to shop when you’re not rushed, have a list, know the sales ahead of time and eat before you go.-I used to struggle with plastic wrap every time I tried to use it. But now it’s a breeze since I learned to do these two things: One, keep plas-tic wrap in the freezer. It unrolls evenly, not one side or the other. Two, use a serrated knife to cut it instead of relying on the metal strip down the side of the box. You lay it out on the counter, and just run the knife down the edge you want to cut. Works like magic, and it’s no longer frus-trating. -- G.S. in Georgia-Store an apple or two with your potatoes to keep them from sprouting. Be sure to check them often.-Cut cotton pads in half to double your supply. They typically are big enough for two uses, and you can always use two halves if you need a whole.-“Make a creme lipstick last longer and stay cleaner by using a makeup brush to apply it. Your skin picks up more of the lipstick than necessary, one reason why we blot our lips afterward. But the brush uses only what you need. And there’s less bacteria transfer.” -- Y.R. in Massachusetts -File this one under safety AND energy smarts: Clean the dryer vent after every load. Clean the dryer vent screen monthly with a gentle soap and water bath. Rinse well and dry thoroughly before inserting back into your dryer.Send your tips to Now Here’s a Tip, c/o King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475 or e-mail JoAnn at [email protected].

Answers on page 14


Posada Had “It”Jorge Posada, 40, retired from the New York Yan-kees last month after 17 years and five champion-ships. In short, he said, he had had it, and it was time to go. He wasn’t supposed to be the Yankee catcher when the team drafted him. Third base and sec-ond base were where he worked his trade. Never known as a great glove man, even Derek Jeter used to joke that it was unlikely the two would have formed a long-lasting double play combina-tion in the majors. Posada instead made it to the big leagues as a switch-hitting backstop. Posada was not the best catcher in Yankee his-tory, and not by a long shot, either. But he’s in the discussion. Bill Dickey, Yogi Berra, Elston How-ard and Thurman Munson hold that distinction -- with apologies to Rick Cerone. Dickey hit for better average, Berra hit for better power, Howard did it all, and Munson set the tone for an entire era of Yankee baseball before tragically losing his life in a plane crash in 1979. But ironically, it was Thurman’s wife, Diana, that delivered the most poignant remarks at Posada’s retirement press conference. He had “it,” she said.She shared a story about how Posada showed her a quote from Munson that he kept in his locker at all times: ”Look, I like hitting and I like the good batting aver-age. But, what I do every day behind the plate is a lot more important because it touches so many more people and so many more aspects of the game.”“I knew right away he had something special,” Di-ana said. “I have admired and loved watching him play the game, because he plays the game I think the way Thurman played it. A lot of grittiness and toughness, but obviously with his beautiful family a very gentle, loving side also.”Diana said that she lost her love of baseball after Thurman died. “This is a man who probably doesn’t realize it, but he in fact is the one who brought me back to love baseball again,” Diana said. “I think he and Thur-man would have been best buds. He definitely has the ‘it’ factor. I can’t describe it. I don’t know what it is, but I knew immediately upon meeting him that he had it.”Posada is only the fifth MLB catcher with 1,500 hits, 350 doubles, 275 home runs and 1,000 RBIs in a career. For the past decade, Posada racked up more RBIs and home runs than any other catcher in baseball. He was dominant in that re-gard, for that position. He was a clutch hitter. He was a force in the clubhouse, a leader in words and deeds. He was one of the “good guys.” No drugs, no late-night brawls in gin mills. And he also had “it.” Mark Vasto is a veteran sportswriter who lives in Kansas City.


SPORTS OF SORTS

NASCAR THIS WEEKBy Monte Dutton

Year of The DanicaDanica Patrick, the trailblazing driver who became the first woman ever to win an IndyCar race, is finally con-centrating on NASCAR full-time.This year she will compete in 10 Sprint Cup races while racing full-time in the Nationwide Series. Her Cup races will be with the current champion, Tony Stewart, in a Chevy carrying No. 10. In Nationwide, she will continue to compete with Dale Earnhardt Jr.’s team, but this marks her first season competing for the championship.Of her relationship with Stewart, Patrick said, “I feel respected, and I feel like he’s been very patient. Even the little things ... he doesn’t look at me like I’m inex-perienced. ... He investigates and says, no problem, let’s get it right, and makes me comfortable with that kind of stuff.”Another significant development is Stewart-Haas Racing’s offseason hiring of Greg Zipadelli, who was Stewart’s crew chief during his 2002 and ‘05 titles with Joe Gibbs Racing. Zipadelli now is the team’s com-petition director, but he will serve as Patrick’s crew chief for her 10 Cup appearances, which begin with the Daytona 500.“It really was a perfect opportunity for us, because it’s hard to get a really good crew chief hired to only run 10 races a year in the first year,” said Stewart. “To have somebody like Greg, who has been working with Joey (Logano) and has been a crew chief for the past 13 straight years, he can come into this scenario, and the last two guys he had both were rookies when they came in.”Stewart won three Cup races with Zipadelli as a rook-ie in 1999.Patrick’s hometown is Roscoe, Ill., but she presently lives in Phoenix. She turns 30 on March 25.“It’s just like going to the first day of school,” Patrick said. “You want to make a good impression; you want to do a good job. ... It’s finding your way around, find-ing my locker, literally.“There’s no combination for it, of course, but it is a locker that I needed to find, getting in sync with that.” Monte Dutton covers motorsports for The Gaston (N.C.) Gazette. E-mail Monte at [email protected].

1. The top two home-run hitters for the decade of the 1950s were both Dodgers (Duke Snider, 326 hom-ers; Gil Hodges, 310). Who was No. 3 in the decade?2. In 2010, Texas’ Nelson Cruz and Ian Kin-sler became the second set of teammates to each hit three home runs in a playoff se-ries of five or fewer games. Who was the first?3. Which team holds the NFL re-cord for most rushing TDs in a season?4. In 2011, Illinois’ Demetri McCamey became the second player in Big Ten men’s basket-ball history to have at least 1,600 points and 700 assists for a career. Who was the first?5. Pittsburgh’s Jaromir Jagr won the NHL scor-ing title four consecutive years (1998-2001). How many different players have won it since?6. Kenya’s Patrick Makau set the world record in the marathon in 2011 with a time of 2:03:38 in Berlin. From what country was the previous record holder?7. In 2011, Tom Lewis tied an amateur record by shooting a 65 in a men’s golf major (British Open). At which major have three amateur golfers shot a 65?


Answers1. The Braves’ Eddie Mathews, with 299.2. Lou Gehrig and Babe Ruth did it in 1928.3. The Green Bay Packers had 36 rushing touchdowns in 1962.4. Michigan’s Gary Grant (1984-88).5. Nine.6. Ethiopia (Haile Gebrselassie).7. James McHale (1947), Jim Simons (‘71) and Nick Taylor (2009) all did it at the U.S. Open.


COMICS


Continued from front page:• Another term used for Mardi Gras is “Shrove Tuesday.” Shrove is the past tense of “to shrive” and means “to go to or make confession.” Mardi Gras is known as the day to party. In New Orleans, when the clock strikes midnight, Lent starts, and the party ends. Mounted police lead a parade of street cleaners, clearing and cleaning the city.• Historians believe that French explorers Iberville and Bienville held the first Ameri-can Mardi Gras on March 3, 1699. After a very difficult journey down the Mississippi River, they landed about 60 miles south of New Orleans. They had a small celebra-tion and named the area “Pointe due Mardi Gras.” Bienville also established “Fort Louis de la Louisiane,” which later became Mo-bile, Alabama. Many say that the first offi-cial Mardi Gras was held in Mobile in 1702. (During this time, before the Louisiana Purchase, Mobile was part of Louisiana.)• For many years, New Orleans and other French settlements of the South marked the Mardi Gras holiday with street parties, masked balls and lavish meals. When the Spanish took control of New Orleans, they abolished the rowdy celebrations. The bans were in force until Louisiana became a state in 1812. • Secret societies or clubs, called krewes, started forming as early as 1781. The first was the Perseverance Benevolent & Mutual Aid Association. Krewes started the parades as we know them today and keep them go-ing. The krewes are private, non-profit orga-nizations whose members plan and pay for their parades, costumes, throws and more. There are no sponsorships or city funds used.

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Last week’s AnswerOn page 3:

Q: I have posters that are souvenirs from two political conventions, the 1988 Democratic Con-vention in Atlanta and the 1988 Republican Con-vention in New Orleans. Each poster has a para-graph that states they were printed on recycled paper gathered from the convention floor. They are commemorative prints, and I wonder if they have any value. -- Virginia, New Port Richey, Fla.A: I spoke to several serious collectors of po-litical memorabilia, and they seem to agree that your posters are worth about $20 each. A good general reference is “Warman’s Politi-cal Collectibles: Identification and Price Guide” by Dr. Enoch L. Nappen (Krause, $24.99).* * *Q: I am trying to find some information about two bronze plates that I have. Both are stamped “The Henry Bonnard Bronze Company, NY” and they depict what seem to be a war victory and a celestial scene. I’d like to contact someone who can give me information regarding their signifi-cance and estimated value. -- Barry, via emailA: Henry Bonnard and his factory produced important medal castings during the late 19th and early 20th centuries. For example, the foundry was commissioned to do decora-tive work at the Pennsylvania capitol. One of the most notable workers at the foundry was Frederic Remington, whose casts from the company are highly valuable and collectible.MIR Appraisal Services can help you de-termine a value for your bronze plates. You should expect to pay for this service. The contact information is 307 North Michigan Ave., Suite 308, Chicago, IL 60601; [email protected]; and 312-814-8510.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 an-swer all reader questions. Do not send any materials requiring return mail.


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Dachshund’s Odd Behavior

DEAR PAW’S CORNER: When we give my miniature Dachshund, “Peg,” a chew treat, she takes it and walks all over the house crying. She will stop and “bury” it in different places, under a blanket or behind things, then pull it right back out and continue the process again and again for a while before she finally settles down and begins chewing it. We were wonder-ing what is going on in her head that results in this behavior. -- Curious Doxie Mom

DEAR DOXY MOM: Peg’s behavior has all the earmarks of instinctive behaviors applied to a specific item (the chew treat). Dachshunds are notorious diggers --it’s part of what they were originally bred for, as working dogs that would root out vermin like moles. So it’s not too surpris-ing that she does this with her chew toys. The crying seems like a way of announcing posses-sion, like “hey, this is mine, I got it, check it out!” rather than distress.

If the behavior happens only at treat time and doesn’t bother you or harm the furniture, it’s up to you whether to let it continue. However, it sounds like Peg needs more stimulation in her life.Try playing games where you “bury” a toy (cover it with a pillow, say) and have her find it. You can even go so far as to build a sandbox out back where she can bury and dig up toys during play times, under your supervision. Don’t let her dig in other parts of the yard, though; if she starts that up, distract her and give her something else to do (like teaching basic obedience commands) or bring her back to the sandbox to dig.

Send your questions or tips 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.



JUST FOR KIDS?


Play Indoor Hopscotch With Carpet Squares

Hop, skip and jump onto your own hop-scotch game everyone can play indoors using sample carpet squares. It’s a great way to let out energy and get some ex-ercise when the kids are cooped up on a rainy or snowy day. If you live near a carpet store, ask for discarded sample squares, which are usually free of charge. Choose samples that are approximately 10 inches by 12 inches in a variety of fun, playful col-ors. You’ll need at least 10 for a standard game of hopscotch. When you get home, cut rubber shelf liner into 10-inch squares the size of the car-pet squares. Glue the shelf-liner pieces onto the backsides of the carpet squares to help keep the squares from slipping and skidding around as the kids jump. Paint the numbers 1 through 10 on the tops of the squares using acrylic or latex paints. When dry, grab some flat stones for mark-ers, and the kids will be ready and eager to play. Or, while the kids are waiting for the paint to dry, they can make their own per-sonalized game markers. Cut out school pictures of each child who is going to play hopscotch, and glue the photos onto one side of a flat frozen-orange-juice lid with smooth sides. When it’s time to play, toss it “face up” onto a square. To play, set the squares on the floor in a hopscotch pattern, and hop away! Or in-vent your own games and encourage your kids to practice their numbers while they play. Join in with the kids and enjoy one of the oldest and simplest children’s games around. Like playing jacks, you might quickly remember that you were either good at it and loved to play ... or not!When the game is over, pick up the squares of this portable hopscotch and stack them neatly in a cupboard or closet until another indoor play day.Alternative idea: Instead of a portable hop-scotch, tape the squares together on the backside in the formation you choose us-ing duct tape.

Donna Erickson’s award-winning series “Donna’s Day” is airing on public television nationwide. To find more of her creative family recipes and activities, visit www.don-nasday.com and link to the NEW Donna’s Day Facebook fan page. Her latest book is “Donna Erickson’s Fabulous Funstuff for Families.”

(c) 2012 Donna EricksonDistributed by King Features Synd.

California Simmered BeansWe’ve all heard that we should eat more vegetables, but more often than not, those eating at our tables don’t want to. Well, put this on the menu and see if all those veggie haters don’t turn into veggie lovers with the very first bite!

1/2 cup chopped onion1 (10 3/4-ounce) can reduced-fat tomato soup1/2 teaspoon dried basil1/2 teaspoon dried rosemary1/8 teaspoon black pepper2 (16-ounce) cans cut green beans, rinsed and drained

In a large skillet sprayed with butter-flavored cooking spray, saute onion for 5 minutes. Stir in tomato soup, basil, rosemary and black pepper. Add green beans. Mix well to combine. Lower heat and simmer for 6 to 8 minutes or until mixture is heated through, stirring often. Makes 6 (1/2 cup) servings.

Each serving equals: 52 calories, 0g fat, 2g protein, 11g carb., 155mg sodium, 2g fiber; Diabetic Exchanges: 2 Vegetable.(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.

Macaroni and Cheese on the Light SidePlanning a romantic dinner for two? Serve this musOur pasta recipe is amazingly creamy, and it sneaks vegetables into the kids’ dinner without a lot of fuss.

1 package (16 ounces) cavatelli pasta2 tablespoons margarine or butter3 tablespoons all-purpose flour1/4 teaspoon ground black pepperPinch ground nutmeg3 1/2 cups low-fat (1 percent) milk6 ounces (1 1/2 cups) reduced-fat sharp cheddar cheese, shredded1/3 cup grated Parmesan cheese1 package (10 ounces) frozen mixed vegetables

1. Heat large saucepot of salted water to boiling over high heat; add pasta and cook as label directs.2. Meanwhile, in 3-quart saucepan, melt margarine over medium heat. With wire whisk, stir in flour, pep-per, nutmeg and 1/2 teaspoon salt; cook 1 minute, stirring constantly. Gradually whisk in milk and, stir-ring constantly, cook over medium-high heat until sauce boils and thickens slightly. Boil 1 minute, stir-ring.3. Remove saucepan from heat; stir in cheeses just until melted. Following manufacturer’s directions, use immersion blender to blend mixture in saucepan until smooth. (Or, in blender at low speed, with cen-ter part of cover removed to allow steam to escape, blend sauce mixture in small batches until smooth. Pour sauce into bowl after each batch.)4. Place frozen vegetables in colander; drain pasta over vegetables. Return pasta mixture to saucepot; stir in cheese sauce. Serves 8.

Each serving: About 340 calories, 11g total fat (4g saturated), 32mg cholesterol, 585mg sodium, 43g total carbs, 2g dietary fiber, 18g protein.

(c) 2012 Hearst Communications, Inc.All rights reserved


Puzzle and Game Answers

SAGUARO CACTUSOne of the largest symbols of the American West lies south of the Grand Canyon in the So-noran Desert. The saguaro, pronounced suh-wah-ro, is the world’s largest cactus.

• The Sonoran Desert covers 120,000 square miles (310,799 sq km) in southwestern Arizo-na, southeastern California, most of Baja Cali-fornia and the western half of Sonora, Mexico. Saguaros grow exclusively in the Sonoran Desert, but not all areas of the Sonoran have the plants. They generally do not grow in areas that are above 4,000 feet (1219 m) in elevation. They will not survive freezing temperatures. • Saguaros are found in southern Arizona and western Sonora, Mexico. A few stray saguaros may be found in southeast California. Most of these giants are near Tucson, Arizona. There are approximately 1.6 million saguaro cacti plants growing within Saguaro National Park, divided into two districts east and west of Tuc-son. • Saguaro cacti can grow up to 60 feet (18 m) tall and weigh as much as an elephant! These desert giants can live to be about 200 years old. The plants do not sprout their arms, or branches, until they are about 70 years old. While some saguaros never grow branches, some can be found with as many as 25 arms! • Saguaros have white flowers that bloom in late spring and red fruit in the summer. The cactus blossoms are the official state flower of Arizona. • These fascinating giants provide food and shelter for many animals. Some that may be found high in the branches of saguaros are bats, birds and owls. Harris’ hawks and cactus wrens love the saguaro. • Gila woodpeckers use their strong beaks to hollow out nest holes in the stems of the saguaro cactus. The holes dry out to form a scab that becomes a safe, dry, cool place for eggs to hatch and baby birds to grow. • When gila woodpeckers abandon their nests, tiny elf owls move in. The world’s smallest owls, at about 5 inches (13 cm) long, make the world’s largest cactus their home. They hide in the daytime and search for insects, spiders and small lizards at night. • While the flying critters on a saguaro may not seem too scary, the crawling critters that live in or near the base are. The desert scorpion and desert tarantula are two that hide under rocks and in grasses nearby. • Two rats, wood rats and kangaroo rats, build nests in the ground around saguaros. Wood rats eat cactus flesh, which is poisonous to most animals. They have strong stomachs that allow them to break down the poisons. Kanga-roo rats have strong back legs that allow them to hop across the hot desert soil quickly. • Giant saguaros are home to several kinds of snakes, including diamondback rattlesnakes. These snakes can be eight feet long (2.5 m) and have poisonous, deadly bites.


ShowBiz Weekly

Top 10 Movies1. The Grey (R) Liam Neeson, Dallas Roberts2. Underworld Awakening (R) Kate Beckinsale3. One for the Money (PG-13) Katherine Heigl4. Red Tails (PG-13) Terrence Howard, Cuba Gooding Jr.5. Man on a Ledge (PG-13) Sam Worthington6. Extremely Loud and Incredibly Close (PG-13) Tom Hanks, Sandra Bullock7. The Descendants (R) George Clooney8. Contraband (R) Mark Wahlberg, Kate Beckinsale9. Beauty and the Beast (G) animated10. Haywire (R) Gina Carano, Michael Douglas

Top 10 Video Rentals1. Abduction (PG-13) Taylor Lautner2. Moneyball (PG-13) Brad Pitt3. Killer Elite (R) Jason Statham4. The Ides of March (R) Ryan Gosling5. Courageous (PG-13) Alex Hendrick6. Contagion (PG-13) Matt Damon7. Rise of the Planet of the Apes (PG-13) James Franco8. The Help (PG-13) Viola Davis9. Dolphin Tale (PG) Harry Connick Jr.10. What’s Your Number (R) Anna Faris

Top 10 DVD Sales1. Courageous (PG-13) (Sony)2. Moneyball (PG-13) (Sony)3. Abduction (PG-13) (Lions Gate)4. The Ides of March (R) (Sony)5. Killer Elite (R) (Universal)6. Boardwalk Empire: The Complete First Season (TV-MA) (Warner)7. Contagion (PG-13) (Warner)8. The Help (PG-13) (Buena Vista)9. Harry Potter: Complete 8-Film Collection (PG-13) 10. The Hangover Part II (R) (Warner)

CELEBRITY EXTRABy Cindy Elavsky

PHOTO: James Van Der BeekQ: I read in an interview with James Van Der Beek that he was going to be in a new comedy this year, but I haven’t seen anything about it. I know he’s in “Franklin and Bash,” but I don’t think that’s what he’s talking about. Can you help? -- Violet F., Har-risburg, Pa.A: James was referring to his midseason comedy called “Don’t Trust the B---- in Apartment 23,” in which he plays a “sort of” version of himself. The series debuts after comedy powerhouse “Modern Family” on April 11 on ABC. The show is about a female odd couple who live together in New York City, with James portraying the best friend of Chloe, the mean-girl roommate. I’ve seen the pilot and it is very funny, and I love that James is able to parody himself in a non-self-conscious way, and that he isn’t afraid to bring up “Dawson’s Creek.”Q: When does the new Snow White movie come out in theaters? -- Brandon D., Omaha, Neb.A: That would depend on which Snow White mov-ie you mean. “Mirror Mirror” -- which stars Julia Roberts as the Evil Queen, Lily Collins as Snow White and Armie Hammer as Prince Andrew Al-cott -- hits theaters on March 30. This film is be-ing billed as family fare, in contrast to the darker “Snow White and the Huntsman.”The latter film stars Charlize Theron as Queen Ravenna, with Kristen Stewart as Snow White and Chris Hemsworth as the Huntsman, and will fill the big screens on June 1. “Snow White” is a twist on the fairy tale, in which the Huntsman schools Snow White in the art of war and together they start a rebellion to bring down the Queen.Q: I watched a full version of the movie “Dressed to Kill” on TV recently, and I’m positive that Syl-vester Stallone played the part of Angie Dickin-son’s son but was not listed on the credits. Did he use another name? -- Lin L., via e-mailA: The part of Angie Dickinson’s son, Peter Mill-er, was played by Keith Gordon, 51, whom I re-member best as Jason Melon in “Back to School,” the bullied college nerd whose father (played by Rodney Dangerfield) enrolls in college with his son to help him assimilate. In the late ‘80s, Keith made the move to directing, helming such series as “Wild Palms,” “Homicide: Life on the Street,” “Dexter” and “House.”Q: Could you please tell me if “Against the Wall” will be returning? -- Kathleen E., via e-mailA: Despite positive reviews by “New York Daily News,” “Los Angeles Times” and “The Hollywood Reporter,” Lifetime’s cop-drama “Against the Wall” wasn’t able to hold enough of its lead-in audience from “Drop Dead Diva” each week, and its ratings slipped from a meager 1.78 million viewers at its premiere to 1.47 million by its season finale. Life-time opted not to renew the show for a second season.

JILL JACKSON’S HOLLYWOOD

By Tony Rizzo

HOLLYWOOD -- Michelle Williams, just Oscar nominated for her portrayal of Marilyn Monroe in “My Week with Mar-ilyn,” is taking on another huge female legend -- Glinda, the Good Witch of the North. Disney’s “Oz: The Great and Powerful” is a prequel to the 1939 Judy Garland classic, “The Wizard of Oz”; both are based on the 1900 L. Frank Baum novel, “The Wonderful Wizard of Oz.” Billie Burke, who created Glinda in the original film, was actually 54 years old when she played the beautiful good witch. It also stars James Franco as Oscar Diggs (who becomes the Wizard); “The Good Gardener” Oscar winner Rachel Weisz (recently wed to the current James Bond, Daniel Craig); Mila Kunis of “That ‘70s Show” and “Friends With Benefits”; and “Scrubs” star Zach Graff.The budget for the film is $200 million, a far cry from the $2.7 million it cost MGM to make the original. “The Wizard of Oz” was considered a flop in its initial release, taking in only $3 million at the box office. A re-release shortly after brought in $1.5 million, starting it on its “Yellow Brick Road” to profit. In 1956, CBS paid a whopping $225,000 for its first TV airing, watched by 44 million people. CBS showed it once a year for the next 20 years. In l983, a re-issue of the film made $6 million at the box office, prompt-ing MGM to demand $13 million from CBS to air it that year.Not everything Oz is golden. The l985 sequel “Return to Oz,” based on two Baum books, “The Marvelous Land of Oz” and “Ozma of Oz,” had a budget of $25 million and only took in $11,137,801. The charming 14-year-old Fairuza Balk (later to star opposite Marlon Brando in the l996 film “The Island of Dr. Moreau”), was Dorothy. Piper Laurie, Oscar nominated for “The Hustler” (‘61), “Carrie” (‘76) and “Children of a Lesser God” (‘86), was Auntie Em. Nicol Williamson of “Excalibur” (‘81), “The Exorcist III” (‘89) and “Spawn” (‘97); and “Upstairs, Downstairs” star Jean Marsh rounded out the cast. Parents felt it was too dark and scary for tots and didn’t take their children to see it.Maybe Disney will get it right THIS time. No one is left from the Disney of l985. We won’t know how it turns out until March 8, 2013. Michelle Williams has already filmed “Take This Waltz” with Seth Rogan and Sarah Silverman. It’s a bittersweet but heart-wrenching story about a wom-an struggling to choose between two different types of love. Maybe they could use the song “Torn Between Two Lovers” or the theme from “A Man and a Woman!Send letters to Tony Rizzo’s Hollywood, 8306 Wilshire Blvd., No. 362, Beverly Hills, CA 90211. (c) 2011 King Features Synd., Inc.

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