tidbits of n idaho vol12 #14

For Ad Rates Call: 208-704-9972 www.tidbitsinc.comDistributed by TBNIApril 2012 Volume 2012-14

Of North Idaho

A System that Works Become a Buyer Again Current Market Expert Stopping Foreclosure

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TIDBITS® REMEMBERSTHE TITANIC

by Kathy Wolfe

April 14 marks the 100th anniversary of the sinking of the Titanic on her maiden voyage from South-ampton, England, to New York City. In memoriam, Tidbits brings you the facts and figures of this mon-umental tragedy, as well as information about the famous 1997 film produced by James Cameron. •Constructed at the Harland and Wolff shipyard in Belfast, Ireland, the Titanic was the largest pas-senger steamship in the world at the time. Nearly 14,000 laborers contributed to her construction, at a cost of nearly $8 million. (Compare this to the cost of making Cameron’s 1997 movie “Titanic,” with a production price tag of over $200 million.)•The ship was four city blocks long and weighed 46,329 tons. Three million rivets held the hull to-gether. On launch day, 44,000 pounds (19,958 kg) of soap, grease and oil were required to slide the massive craft into the water. Twenty-nine boilers fu-eled the 159 coal-burning furnaces.•The coolers were stocked with 75,000 pounds (34,019 kg) of fresh meat, 11,000 pounds (4,989 kg) of fresh fish, 36,000 oranges, 40,000 eggs, 6,000 pounds (2,721 kg) of butter and 1,500 gal-lons (6,819 l) of milk. The cupboards were filled with 12,000 dinner plates, 3,000 teacups, 300 nut-crackers, 6,000 tablecloths and 45,000 napkins. •Although designed and licensed to carry 3,500 pas-sengers, only 2,223 people were on board, includ-ing millionaire John Jacob Astor, mining magnate Benjamin Guggenheim and Macy’s department store owners Isidor and Ida Straus. The most ele-gant first-class suites were priced at $4,350, which translates to about $75,000 in today’s money. Sec-ond-class fares were $1,750 ($24,000 today), and third class steerage was available for $30, about $350 today. First-class passengers ate their meals from fine china edged in 22k gold.

Continued on page 10

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LANDMARKS OF THE WORLD:

LEANING TOWER OF PISAOne of the most easily recognized landmarks in the world is the Leaning Tower of Pisa, perhaps Italy’s favorite tourist attraction. Is it in danger of eventually tipping over? Follow along and see! •The Torre Pendente di Pisa, or Bell Tower of Pisa, stands adjacent to the Cathedral of Pisa in the Piazza dei Miracoli (Square of Miracles). It is the third oldest building in the cathedral square, after the cathedral itself and the baptistery. •Construction began on the Tower in 1173. By the time the first three stories were completed, the Tower had already begun to lean. It’s no small wonder it happened, since the city of Pisa itself takes its name from a Greek word mean-ing “marshy land.” The Tower’s foundations, only 9.85 feet (3 m) deep, were laid on soft ground made up of clay, fine sand and shells, no match for a 14,500-ton weight. In fact, there are several other towers throughout the city that lean, and the cathedral and baptistery are sinking as well. •Work stopped on the Tower after only five years and three stories. The architects and engineers hoped that by delaying the construction, the clay would settle and harden, something that didn’t happen. Construction did not resume for nearly 100 years, until 1272, when an architect attempt-ed to correct the lean with a design that made the remaining stories shorter on the uphill side. Four additional floors were added, and the extra weight of these caused the Tower to sink further and lean even more. The construction halted yet again in 1278.•The seventh story was finally completed in 1319, and in 1372 the top bell chamber was add-ed. There are seven bells in the Tower, all tuned to the pitches of the musical scale.•In 1990, after 20 years of studies on how to sta-bilize the structure, the Tower was closed to the public and corrective reconstruction began. Be-cause of its importance to Pisa’s tourism indus-try, the engineers wanted to keep the “lean.” The Tower was straightened slightly — 18 inches (46 cm) — by removing soil from underneath the higher side. This action brought it to its position from 1838. It was not reopened to the public for nearly 12 years, at which time it was declared stable for at least the next 300 years. •In 2008, the Tower was further stabilized and stopped moving for the first time in its history. Its current tilt is more than 16.5 feet (5 m) off perpendicular. •If you’re interested in climbing to the top of the Tower, there are 297 steps to the bell chamber. Its height on the high side is 185.93 feet (56.67 m), and it is 183.27 feet (55.86 m) on the low side, not really a very tall structure. Compare it to the St. Louis Arch at 630 feet (192 m). The walls are 13.42 feet (4.09 m) thick at the base and 8.14 feet (2.48 m) thick at the top. •The world very nearly did not have the Lean-ing Tower to enjoy. During World War II, Ameri-can soldiers discovered enemy snipers using the structure as an observation post and were ordered to destroy all buildings that could pose such a potential threat. Hundreds of buildings were blown up as a result. Due to an enemy re-treat, the Tower was saved at the very last min-ute.

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Don’t Become a Victim of Identity Theft

The Consumer Federation of America has a new website designed to help reduce identity theft. IDTheftInfo.org is packed with consumer, business and victim resources, as well as the latest news and a section on shopping for iden-tity-theft services.One section on the website explores how well you guard your personally identifying informa-tion (PII), even something as simple as your library card. If you were to lose the card, you might not be too concerned as it’s not some-thing connected with your bank account. But if someone checks out and doesn’t return (in ef-fect, steals) books or videos under your name, you’re responsible for the monetary damages. ID Theft Info suggests making a “PII Chart” to document the identity relations we have with companies and individuals. Who has our name, address, phone number and email ad-dress? A security breach in one area can lead to other areas also being breached, and it need not be associated only with financial transac-tions. Homeowner associations, frequent-flier clubs and churches can all have pieces of our personal information that can be put together.Some suggestions:Use a Post Office box for miscellaneous mail such as club newsletters and church bulle-tins; disable the GPS photo function on your smartphone; and use only one credit card for online purchases. Don’t sign up with your real name on public Internet sites. Work to limit the amount of information in each section of your PII Chart.When you go to the doctor and fill out the forms, leave out your Social Security number. Ask if you can substitute another form of iden-tification.Don’t use public charging stations or anyone else’s computer for your cell phone, and don’t let anyone else hook their phone to your com-puter. Data-stealing malware could be trans-ferred from one to the other. Are you a potential victim of identity theft? As-sess your risk with an online test. The higher the score, the bigger your risk. Big point items (indicating a larger risk) are questions about whether you’ve ordered your credit report in the last two years, posted your outgoing mail at home in an unlocked mailbox or failed to scrutinize your monthly bank and credit-card statements.Look around the ID Theft Info website. The more you know, the less likely you’ll become a victim of identity theft.

(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.

Disability Benefits Claims Now Online

Going paperless is an important part of the Department of Veterans Affairs “people-fo-cused process and technology-centered im-provements” and is supposed to streamline the claims steps and get rid of the backlog.To that end, the VA has made it easier to file a claim online by providing 70 different Disabil-ity Benefits Questionnaires covering all types of conditions. Whether it’s cardiovascular, dermatological, endocrinological, gastrointes-tinal, neurological or something else, there’s a form for it. Additionally, if you don’t have a diagnosis yet, there’s a section for symptoms that will tell you which form applies to you. You can download it electronically for your doctor, or print out a copy to take in for your doctor to complete. Ideally your doctor will complete the digital questionnaire and submit it electronically. The instructions ask that your doctor file the form electronically in case of bad handwriting. Be sure to keep a copy for your records.To find the forms, go online to http://benefits.va.gov/transformation/ and scroll down the right side to Key Transformation Plan Initia-tives. The link to the questionnaires are listed there. Note that there is a link on the right side to a video that helps with filing a claim.Read the FAQ to make sure you know the process. One thing that’s common to all three forms is this statement: “VA will not pay or reimburse any expenses or costs incurred in the process of completing and/or submitting a DBQ.”As usual, the devil is in the details. In the in-struction section for doctors it says that the time to complete each form “varies from 15 minutes to 1 hour, depending on the complex-ity of the form and the conditions covered.”Is your private doctor going to be willing to do that?

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


Q: The other day I noticed a small puddle of water at the base of the toilet. I wiped it up, only to notice the next day that the puddle was back. It’s clean water so I think it’s a leak from the tank, but I can’t find any visible drips. The tank itself tends to sweat a bit, so I can’t pinpoint where the water is coming from. Should I call in a plumber? -- Christine H., Toledo, Ohio

A: Try a few more things to try and pinpoint the source of the problem. Vi-sually check the tank and the bowl for cracks -- most toilets are pretty sturdy, so it’s unusual for them to crack for no reason, but do check. The tank is more likely to crack, and if so, it needs to be completely replaced. At least it’s easier than replacing the bowl.If you don’t find a crack, check the shut-off valve (usually what looks like a faucet handle jutting from the wall below and behind the toilet) and its attached inlet tube for leaks. Flush the toilet so that the tank begins filling, and observe the inlet components. You may also need to run your hand along the valve, inlet tube and the inlet connection at the bot-tom of the tank, checking if any water is leaking and running down the inlet tube or the back of the toilet, out of sight.Next, test for a silent leak to confirm whether the leak is happening in the tank or not. Take the tank top off. Flush the toi-let and let the tank refill completely. Then, take a crayon or wax pencil and mark the high-water point with a small line. Walk away for 10 minutes, come back and see if the water is still at that point or has gone down. If it has fallen below the line, mark the new water point and leave it for another 10 minutes. Check again to see if the water level continues to fall. If the tank is leaking, check some pos-sible sources of the leak. First, make sure the flapper valve at the bottom of the tank is completely closed. This is one of the biggest causes of a slow leak from a tank -- although it doesn’t explain the water on the floor, as the water leaks through the flapper valve into the toilet bowl. Next, check the seal at the base of the flush assembly, and any other visible seal, for deterioration.Finally, consider that small amount of condensation on the tank. Could it be the cause of the puddle? Try in-sulating the interior of the tank, or sliding a tank cover over the outside (both available at home improvement stores) to reduce the condensation.

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TRIVIA PAGE

1. Which band released “See My Baby Jive,” and when?2. What instrument does Ginger Baker play?3. Name the group that released “Wasted Years.”4. “Afternoon Delight” was a No. 1 hit for which group?5. In what year were 78-rpm records last released?6. What is the “Deuce Coupe” ballet?name?

1. FAMOUS QUOTATIONS: Who once said, “He who laughs last has not yet heard the bad news”?2. MONEY: What is the basic unit of currency in India?3. LANGUAGE: What does the Latin term “gratis” mean?4. MEASUREMENTS: A year must be divisible by what number to be a leap year?5. GOVERNMENT: Who was the first black fe-male U.S. senator?6. EXPLORERS: Who was the first European ex-plorer to see the eastern part of the Pacific Ocean (1513), after crossing the Isthmus of Panama?7. ANCIENT WORLD: What were the common people of ancient Rome called?8. GEOGRAPHY: What is the capital of Lithu-ania? 9. SCIENCE: What is the name of the his-torical period in which dinosaurs lived?10. MYTHOLOGY: What was Pygmalion’s pro-fession?

Trivia Test Answers1. Bertolt Brecht2. The rupee3. Without payment4. Four5. Carole Moseley Braun6. Vasco Nunez de Balboa7. Plebeians8. Vilnius9. Jurassic10. Sculptor

Bible Trivia Answers:1) Neither; 2) 32; 3) John; 4) Gadites; 5) Benjamites; 6) Eleazer

Flash Back Answers: 1. Wizzard, in 1973. The song was covered in 1977 by Flash Cadillac and the Continental Kids.2. Peter Edward “Ginger” Baker plays drums. He picked up the nickname “Ginger” because of his red hair.3. Iron Maiden, in 1986. It was the band’s only No. 1 U.S. rock chart hit.4. The Starland Vocal Band, in 1976. They picked up two Grammys, and parlayed that win into a short-run summer television show the next year.5. 1960. The 78s, usually made of a shellac compound, set the standard until after World War II, when larger 33-rpm vinyl albums became popular. Small 45-rpm single-song records rose to popularity in the 1950s, mostly due to the pop music that teenagers were buying.6. “Deuce Coupe” is an avant-garde ballet by choreographer Twyla Tharp, set entirely to the music of the Beach Boys, commissioned in 1973 by the Joffrey Ballet.

¥ On April 20, 1841, Edgar Allen Poe’s short story, “The Murders in the Rue Morgue,” first appears in Graham’s Lady’s and Gentle-man’s Magazine. It is generally considered to be the first detective story. Like the later Sherlock Holmes stories, the tale is narrated by the detective’s roommate.

¥ On April 22, 1889, at precisely high noon, thousands of would-be settlers make a mad dash into the newly opened Oklahoma Terri-tory to claim cheap land. All told, from 50,000 to 60,000 settlers entered the territory that day. Towns like Norman, Oklahoma City, Kingfisher and Guthrie sprang into being al-most overnight.

¥ On April 21, 1918, in the skies over France, Manfred von Richthofen, the notorious Ger-man flying ace known as “The Red Baron” with 80 victories under his belt, is killed by Allied fire. He was 25 years old.

¥ On April 17, 1937, Daffy Duck makes his debut in the Warner Bros. short “Porky’s Duck Hunt.” In the 1920s, movie houses had started showing a short cartoon before feature presentations, but the form became more popular after sound was introduced in 1928.

¥ It was Scottish author and historian Thomas Carlyle who made the following sage observation: “The greatest of faults is to be conscious of none.”

¥ If you’re planning to travel to Wash-ington state with nefarious plans, here’s an interesting law to keep in mind: Any motorist with criminal intent is required to stop before entering a town and inform the chief of police of his or her presence.

¥ Are you more afraid of lightning or sharks? If you look at the numbers, it makes more sense to fear lightning; more than three times as many people die from lightning strikes than do so in shark attacks.

¥ The acids in your digestive system are so corrosive that your stomach must pro-duce an entirely new lining every three days.

¥ As the Black Plague was sweeping Europe during the Middle Ages, some people, for reasons surpassing under-standing, believed that plague victims could cure themselves by smelling hu-man waste.

¥ It was in 1893 that the zipper was in-vented, and it was originally intended to be used in shoes.

1. Is the book of David in the Old or New Testament or neither?2. From 1 Kings 20, how many kings came with Ben-Hadad against King Ahab? 2, 4, 7, 32 3. Which has 1, 2 and 3 books, as in first, second and third? Kings, Corin-thians, Peter, John4. What part of David’s mighty men could run like gazelles? Revlons, Ga-dites, Madaites, Henochs5. From Judges 20, what tribe had 700 left-handed men? Benjamites, Samarians, Pharisees, Sadducees6. Which priest took the first census of the Hebrews? Eleazar, Melchize-dek, Ehud, Jabin


In less than a year, all Social Security pay-ments will be made electronically. Ninety percent of us who receive benefits already get them that way. The remaining 10 per-cent are being asked to make the change now and not wait until the last minute. The deadline is March 1, 2013, and applies to more than just Social Security. Veterans, railroad retirees, Social Security Income re-cipients and those who receive Office of Personnel Management benefits are includ-ed. It’s said that going paperless will save the government $1 billion over 10 years.We can choose how we’ll receive our money -- either direct deposit to our ex-isting bank account or a Direct Express debit card. So which should you pick? If you have a bank account, the money will be automatically deposited each month.If you don’t have a bank account, the mon-ey will appear each month on the Direct Express debit card. It can be used like a regular debit card, but you only get one ATM withdrawal each period, and there can be fees for other services. You’ll also need to remember your Personal Identifica-tion Number (PIN) when you use the card.When you’re ready to make the switch to electronic payments, you can do it either on-line [www.GoDirect.org] or by phone at 1-800-333-1795. If you want to sign up for the debit card, you’ll need your Social Security num-ber or claim number, 12-digit federal benefit-check number and the amount of your most recent federal benefit check. If you want direct deposit to your bank account, you’ll need your bank’s routing transit number (the numbers on your personal check), account number and type of account, either checking or saving.

Matilda Charles regrets that she can-not 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 [email protected].


DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I don’t remember you addressing this subject, so I thought I would write. In 1997, I had a mild heart attack and went on medicines. Six months later I had another mild incident that led me to angio-plasty. Ever since, I have been eating well, exercising and taking all my meds. My car-diologist says I have great collaterals. I have sprouted new vessels for my heart. I thought I should have some kind of intervention, but the doctor says no. Can you discuss auto-genesis? Am I related to a starfish? -- R.S.

ANSWER: You’re the first writer ever to use the word “autogenesis.” If a starfish loses an arm, it grows another -- autogenesis. Humans have the same ability when it comes to blood vessels. They can grow new ones, and do so in many instances. Heart-attack victims often can sprout new arteries. It’s a long process. It doesn’t happen overnight. And it doesn’t happen to all people. Count yourself lucky.The booklet on CAD -- coronary artery disease -- discusses how vessels become plugged and how they are treated. To order a copy, write: Dr. Donohue -- No. 101W, 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. * * *

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I looked in the mirror this morning and couldn’t believe what I saw. My right eye was bright red. It looked like someone had punched me. When my husband saw it, he asked if he had hit me while he was asleep. He didn’t.It doesn’t hurt. My vision is perfect. My eye looks frightful. Do I need to see a doctor? -- Y.T.

ANSWER: Your question is asked repeat-edly. My long-distance guess is a subcon-junctival hemorrhage. The conjunctiva is a cellophane-like covering of the eye. Be-neath it is a network of invisible blood ves-sels. When one of those delicate vessels breaks, blood covers that part of the eye.Coughing, sneezing or straining causes the breakage. Sometimes it happens for no ap-parent reason. The eye looks awful, but no real harm is done. The blood is absorbed in about a week. You can hurry it up by put-ting warm compresses over the closed eye.You need to see a doctor if the eye begins to pain you, if the blood stays for longer than a week or if it happens time and again.* * *

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Does heartburn cause asthma attacks? It sounds weird to me, but my doctor thinks that’s what causing my breath-ing problems. He has me on medicines for heartburn. I can’t believe they’ll help. -- J.R.

ANSWER: Your doctor isn’t coming from out of left field. Heartburn can be an asth-ma trigger. Heartburn is officially called gas-troesophageal reflux -- an upward shoot-ing of stomach acid and digestive juices into the esophagus, the swallowing tube. The juices can rise so far up that they leak out of the esophagus and trickle into the bronchi, the airways. That’s what sets off an asthma attack.


¥ A top coat a day keeps the manicurist away! Revive your polish by giving the ends a quick coat of clear top coat daily to extend the life of your manicure.

¥ “I like to cut out and save comic strips. I used to put them in photo albums with the plastic sleeves, but the pages were a little small. Now, I used scrapbook pages, which are much wider. I just glue them to a coordinating color paper. They look much nicer, too.” -- R.A. in Virginia

¥ To keep spring boots looking tall and smelling pretty good, loosely roll a thin stack of newspa-per, stick it down the leg portion of your boot, then fill it with a stack of balled-up newspapers. It will support the leg, which will not flop over and cause cracks. And the newspaper absorbs any smells.

¥ “The hardware on my favorite purse started to look very banged-up and was flaking. I found a silver leafing pen at the craft store, and it was very easy to spruce my bag up again.” -- A Read-er, via email

¥ If you have trapped hairs, try this trick: Wet an old, clean toothbrush and dip it in baking soda or body scrub. Gently exfoliate the area once a day for several days, and it should work itself right out.

¥ Bar soaps are much more concentrated and eco-friendly than liquid body washes. These days, they are just as moisturizing as any liquid soap. Look for ingredients like “shea butter” or the words “ultra-moisturizing” and “added emol-lients.”

Answers on page 14


The old-timers come out of the woodwork every spring, don a practice jersey, put on the hat and offer their 2-cents worth of advice to rookies and veterans alike. Sandy Koufax used to join the Dodgers at Vero Beach, George Brett is a main-stay for the Royals, and old greats like Yogi Berra and Reggie Jackson still visit the Yankees at Leg-ends Field. But what would, say, Ty Cobb teach you about hitting? Luckily, thanks to a letter he received from a struggling ballplayer, we know the answer.1. DON’T GRIP YOUR BAT AT THE VERY END; leave, say, an inch or two. ALSO, LEAVE AT LEAST AN INCH OR MORE SPACE BETWEEN YOUR HANDS; that gives you balance and control of bat, and also keeps hands from interfering with each other during swing. 2. Take a position at plate, especially against right-hand pitchers, BACK OF PLATE, and against a man with a real curve, YOU CAN STAY ON BACK LINE OF BATTING BOX. ... Start now practicing to hit your right-handers to the opposite field. An inside ball from a right-hand pitcher you will naturally pull, say, to left-center. 3. DON’T SLUG AT FULL SPEED; LEARN TO MEET THEM FIRMLY, and you will be surprised at the results. 4. Now, to hit as I ask, to right-cen-ter or center, STAND AWAY FROM PLATE the distance you can see with mind’s eye that you can hit the ball that curves on inside corner, to center. This ... will allow you to hit the outside ball to right. In other words, you protect the plate both on inside pitches and outside. 5. Remember, THE PLATE IS THE PITCHER’S OBJECTIVE AND HE HAS TO COME TO IT. ... Now, USE A SLIGHTLY CLOSED STANCE, AND KEEP A LITTLE MORE WEIGHT ON YOUR FRONT FOOT THAN BACK. That gives you balance and won’t pull you away from curves. You are always in position to give maximum drive. 6. DON’T PULL A CURVE BALL FROM A RIGHTHANDER. The ball is revolving away from you. Hit with the revolution and to right field. 7. KEEP YOUR LEFT ELBOW COCKED ON LEVEL WITH YOUR HANDS OR EVEN HIGHER. Never let the elbows down below the hands, and keep your hands always well away from the body -- keep pushing them out, even with your body or back. 8. KEEP YOUR BACK LEG STRAIGHT. Of course, if you put your weight more on the front leg, then the back leg will be straight. 9. IF HIGH FAST BALLS INSIDE REALLY BOTHER YOU: crouch over from waist and pass them up. Don’t bite, in other words. In crouching, you make the pitcher throw lower, which forces him away from the position that bothers you. But I think with the instructions I have given, you will hit them wher-ever they pitch. 10. AGAINST A SPEEDY LEFT-HANDER, DON’T PULL. Use same stance I have given you, and when he throws you his curve, knock him down with it. ... BUT AGAINST A LEFT-HANDER OF FAIR SPEED: Move up in the box, also closer to the plate, and PULL THIS STYLE OF PITCHING.

SPORTS OF SORTS

NASCAR THIS WEEK By Monte Dutton

Clint’s for Certain

The Sprint Cup season is only five races old, but Clint Bowyer has gone a long way toward eliminating the uncertainty that clouded his career during the off-sea-son.Bowyer, 32, made his name at Richard Childress Racing, where he won five races since joining the Cup ranks full-time in 2006. Twice he won at New Hampshire Motor Speedway, in 2007 and 2010, and at Talladega Superspeedway, in 2010 and 2011. He also won at Richmond, in 2008.Late in 2011, Bowyer found that, due to sponsorship issues, there was no place for him at RCR. The Em-poria, Kan., native considered several offers and de-cided to move to Michael Waltrip Racing, where his No. 15 Toyota is sponsored by 5-Hour Energy Drink.Waltrip’s team has won only twice since its inception in 2007. RCR has won 100 Cup races, dating back to 1983.So far, so good. Bowyer ranks ninth in the Cup stand-ings with one top-five and two top-10 finishes.“These MWR cars have been good ever since (team-mate Martin) Truex was running good at the end of last year,” Bowyer said. “Just real proud of everybody.

1. In 2011, Minnesota’s Francisco Liriano became the fifth pitcher from the Dominican Republic to toss a no-hitter. Name three of the other four who did it.2. Alex Rodriguez holds the record for most home runs by a third baseman for a season (52). Which two players tied for the second-highest mark? 3. Tom Landry was the first head coach of the Dallas Cowboys and stayed in that position for 29 years. How many head coaches has Dallas had since? 4. Entering the 2011-12 season, how many times had the Marquette men’s basketball team been in the Final Four? 5. In 2009, the Chicago Blackhawks matched the biggest comeback in NHL history, rallying from a 5-0 deficit to beat Calgary, 6-5. What other team had a similar comeback? 6. Who was the first coach to win three Major League Soccer titles?7. Name two of the last three opponents in heavyweight boxer Vitali Klitschko’s WBC title defenses.

1. Juan Marichal (1963), Ramon Martinez (1995), Jose Jimenez (1999) and Ubaldo Jimenez (2010).2. Mike Schmidt and Adrian Beltre, with 48 each.

3. Seven -- Jimmy Johnson, Barry Switzer, Chan Gailey, Dave Campo, Bill Parcells, Wade Phillips and Jason Garrett.

4. Three times -- 1974, 1977 and 2003.5. Calgary, which came back to defeat Toronto, 6-5, in 1987.

6. Bruce Arena, with three (1996, 1997, 2011).7. Odlanier Solis (3/19/11), Tomasz Adamek (9/10/11) and Dereck Chisora (2/18/12).

“Looking at last year, they showed signs of bril-liance, and then, I think, where they lacked was being consistent throughout the year. If we’re able to go there, that’s one thing that’s always been my strong point. If I can continue my consistency ... that’s what we’re missing.”Bowyer never felt the perceived uncertainty re-garding his latest career move.“In this sport anymore, the cars are so much the same that the only real thing you’re starting over with is the group of people,” he said. “Sometimes change can be good and bad. There’s no question that, last year, I didn’t have the success that I ex-pected and that I wanted.“Maybe it was time to make a change, and I’ll be able to answer that in a year or so. I really see a lot of potential here, a lot of things coming together at the right time for me to make a change and ride that wave on into the future.”***

Monte Dutton covers motorsports for The Gaston (N.C.) Gazette. E-mail Monte at [email protected].



COMICS


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•The final evening meal served on the Titanic consisted of 11 different cours-es, including raw oysters as an hors d’oeuvre, cream of barley soup, cold as-paragus vinaigrette and roast duckling. •Four days into the Atlantic crossing, the ship struck an iceberg, one estimated at 500,000 tons, with 50 feet (15.2 m) above the water and seven-eighths of its bulk below. Icebergs are typically at their worst during April, be-cause warmer spring temperatures melt the thick ice of the sea that has held the icebergs in place, releasing them to float free. The ship’s wireless operators received seven telegraphed ice warnings that fateful night. The final message, placed under a paper-weight, was never delivered to those on the ship’s bridge. The ice field the Titanic encoun-tered was close to 80 miles (128 km) long. •The ship was equipped with lifeboats for 1,178 of the more than 2,200 people on board. The death toll was 1,517, of which only 306 bodies were recovered. Although a lifeboat could hold 65 people, the first one was launched with only 28 on board. Had the crew loaded the existing lifeboats to capac-ity, 500 more lives could have been saved. •The original plans called for an additional 12 lifeboats on the deck, but the White Star Line’s management ditched the idea, claim-ing the deck would “look too cluttered.” •It was not a large gash in the hull of the Titanic that caused her to sink; rather the force of the impact caused the steel rivets to pop, buckling the steel plates of the hull.

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Q: I have an old metal iron squeezer identified as being “The Arcade No. 2.” -- Cathy, TXA: The Arcade Manufacturing Company of Freeport, Ill., made lemon squeezers during the early years of the past century. The No. 2 is valued at about $15. A good reference is “300 Years of Kitchen Collectibles” by Linda Camp-bell Franklin (Krause, $29.95).Q: I have a bracelet that is identified as be-ing “Big Sister’s Birthday Bracelet,” probably from the 1940s. I am enclosing a picture of it in its packing box. Any idea of its value? -- Jim, Sackville, N.B., CanadaA: What you have is a radio premium. “Big Sis-ter” was a daytime radio drama sponsored by Rinso Soup that aired on the CBS network from 1936 until 1952. The series featured Alice Frost in the title role. The storyline was set in the fic-tional town of Glen Falls and revolved around Ruth Evans and the sacrifices she made for her younger sister, Sue, and crippled brother, Ned-die. Your bracelet is probably worth about $20, perhaps a little more since it is in the original mailing box. Q: I inherited a set of dishes from my grand-mother, and I would like to know the value and where I might take it to sell. It is Leigh Ware. A: The Leigh Pottery Company was started in 1926 in Alliance, Ohio, and continued until the early 1930s. Even though there is some dis-pute about exactly when the company folded, Lois Lehner, author of “Lehner’s Encyclopedia of U.S. Marks on Pottery, Porcelain & Clay” claims production ended in 1931. If you wish to know the value of your china, I recommend a good appraiser. You have several that are certi-fied in Albuquerque, including Suzanne Staley, www.suzannestaley.com, and 888-758-1118.

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DEAR PAW’S CORNER: Settle an argument my friend and I are having. I think that terrier dogs are the most popular pet (among dog owners). My friend says Labs are the most

popular. What’s your take? -- Beth C., Trenton, N.J.

DEAR BETH: The American Kennel Club re-cently released its registration statistics for 2011, which revealed that among registered pets, the Labrador retriever was the most popular breed in the United States. In fact, the Labrador retriever has held that top spot for 21 years. The Yorkshire terrier placed fifth among AKC registrations.Here are the top 10 breeds for 2011-12:1. Labrador retriever2. German shepherd3. Beagle4. Golden retriever5. Yorkshire terrier6. Bulldog7. Boxer8. Poodle9. Dachshund10. RottweilerNow, this may or may not settle the argument.

Unregistered dogs, of course, aren’t on there, nor are many adopted shelter pets. But it’s a pretty good barometer of the type of dogs, in terms of size, behavior traits and other ele-ments, that currently are popular among own-ers.Farther down the list -- more than 100 breeds were ranked -- you’ll find the various terrier breeds, such as the Boston terrier (No. 22) and West Highland white terrier (No. 35) to name a couple. Breed popularity tends to jump around: Bulldogs ranked No. 19 a de-cade ago, but today sit at No. 6.At any rate, take the loss in stride. Make peace over a frosty beverage, and take com-fort in knowing that the most popular dog for you is the one you choose (or that chooses you).

Send your questions, comments or tips to [email protected].(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.


JUST FOR KIDS?


It might not be a bad idea to include a globe or atlas when you start pulling together the simple ingredients for making hummus with your kids and their friends. Cooking with an internation-al twist is such a perfect opportunity to teach about geography, history and current events. It’s also a chance to talk about the rich and varied traditions that exist all over the world. This recipe is simple to prepare, and your kids will love it. Just toss things into the blender and let it whirl. As the garlic cloves and chick-peas blend together, questions may abound, starting with, “What is the Middle East in the middle of?” That’s where your maps come into the mix.In the Middle East and here, hummus is a snack or side dish. It is often served with pita bread, the kind with a little pocket inside. You can fill it with cheese, meat and tabouli salad at lunchtime, or, as in this case, use it as a “dipper.” It’s kind of like chips.

HUMMUS

1 lemon1 tablespoon olive oil2 tablespoons tahini (sesame seed paste); look for it near peanut butter or in the interna-tional foods section of your market2-3 fresh garlic gloves2 cups canned chickpeas (garbanzo beans), drained 2 tablespoons of water or liquid from drained chickpeas1 teaspoon salt

Here’s the fun:Let your child roll the lemon back and forth on the counter to get the juices flowing. Cut it in half and squeeze it on a manual juicer. Pour a quarter of a cup of the juice into a blender. Pour in the oil, and add the tahini.It’s garlic time. Pop out a nice big clove from the bulb. Press a spatula down hard on the clove, and give it a major whack! Peel off the garlic skin, roughly chop the garlic and drop it into the blender. Add another clove or two ac-cording to taste.Toss in the drained chickpeas, water or liquid from chickpeas and salt, then give everything a spin until smooth.Serve with warmed pita bread. Makes about 2 cups

Extra Tips:--Use as a dip for crisp vegetables and spread on sandwiches as a replacement for mayon-naise or butter. --Add a 1/2 teaspoon of cumin for a different flavor.

Ham and Scalloped Potatoes

Scalloped potatoes as they were intended to taste! Just fill your slow cooker and forget about it until dinnertime. What could be easier?

3 cups diced extra-lean ham6 1/2 cups thinly sliced cooked potatoes1 cup diced onion1 1/2 cups shredded, reduced-fat Cheddar cheese1 (10 3/4-ounce) can reduced-fat cream of cel-ery soup2 tablespoons fat-free half and half1 teaspoon dried parsley flakes

1. Spray a slow-cooker container with butter-flavored cooking spray. Layer half of the ham, half of the potatoes, half the onions and half the cheese in prepared container. Repeat layers.

2. In a small bowl, combine celery soup, half and half and parsley flakes. Spoon soup mixture evenly over top of potato mixture. Cover and cook on LOW for 4 hours. Mix well before serv-ing. Makes 8 (1 cup) servings.

Spring Garden Saute

With its bright colors and flavors, this warm dish of spring vegetables tastes even better than it looks.

2 pounds asparagus, trimmed and cut into 1 1/2-inch pieces8 ounces sugar snap peas, strings removed1 tablespoon margarine or butter1 pound radishes, each cut into quartersSalt and pepper4 tablespoons snipped fresh chives

1. Heat large covered saucepot of salted water to boiling on high. Fill large bowl with ice wa-ter; set aside. To saucepot, add asparagus and snap peas; cook 4 minutes. Drain vegetables; cool in bowl of ice water. Drain vegetables well.2. Meanwhile, in 12-inch skillet, heat marga-rine on medium until melted. Add radishes, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/8 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; cook 10 minutes or until tender-crisp. Transfer to bowl; keep warm.3. To same skillet, add asparagus, snap peas, 1/4 teaspoon salt, and 1/2 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper; cook 5 minutes or until tender-crisp, stirring occasionally. Stir in 2 table-spoons chives.4. Transfer to serving bowl; arrange radishes around edge. Sprinkle with remaining chives. Makes 10 side-dish servings.

TIP: Asparagus and snap peas can be cooked through step 1 up to one day ahead. Place in plastic storage bag and refrigerate until ready to use.


Puzzle and Game AnswersIT’S TAX TIME!

As the annual income tax deadline draws near, here are some facts about this dreaded sub-ject!

•Folks have been paying taxes in some form since ancient times. The first written records date back to Egypt, when grain, livestock or oils were used as payment.•In American colonial times, the mother coun-try England taxed its colonists on nearly ev-erything, from newspapers, playing cards and documents to paper, paint and tea. The famous Boston Tea Party occurred in 1773, when 116 colonists dressed up as Native Americans and boarded three ships anchored in Boston Har-bor. The ships’ entire cargo of tea was thrown overboard, 90,000 pounds (40,823 kg) of tea in 342 crates. The value in today’s money would be equal to about $1 million.•After the American Revolutionary War, Secre-tary of the Treasury Alexander Hamilton need-ed a way to pay off the debt created by the war. His solution was the instigation of a “sin tax,” a tax on those items viewed by society as immoral. The Whiskey Tax of 1791 levied a 28-percent tax on every gallon of whiskey. In 1794, it was expanded to other “luxuries,” such as carriages, sugar, snuff and salt.•When the War of 1812 incurred more debt, the government initiated taxes on gold, sil-verware, jewelry and watches, an act that re-mained in place for five years. When that tax was repealed, the government relied on tariffs on imported goods to fund the country.•The nation’s first actual income tax was imple-mented to fund the Civil War in 1862. Those earning annual income between $800 and $10,000 paid income taxes of 3 percent, while those above $10,000 paid a higher rate. The inheritance tax was also introduced. The office of Commissioner of Internal Revenue was es-tablished the same year. But the income tax was repealed once the debt had been elimi-nated. •The 16th Amendment to the U.S. Constitution in 1913 gave Congress “power to lay and col-lect taxes on incomes” on a permanent basis. The first Form 1040 was created that year. Because of generous exemptions and deduc-tions, in 1913, less than 1 percent of citizens paid income tax at the rate of 1 percent of net income. •In 1913, the U.S. tax code manual consisted of 400 pages. Forty years later it was 14,000 pages. Another 40 years brought the docu-ment to 26,300 pages. It seems to be getting much more complicated as the years go by — the 2011 tax code contained 72,536 pages! •The complexity of the system has grown a lot since that first Form 1040. In 1990, there were 402 various IRS tax forms. By 2002, that num-ber had jumped to 526, and today there are more than 800 different forms.


ShowBiz Weekly

CELEBRITY EXTRABy Cindy Elavsky

PHOTO: Paul Ben-VictorQ: A few weeks ago you mentioned the return of USA’s “Fairly Legal,” which I do enjoy, but I was hoping for some spoilers for the show that airs right after that, “In Plain Sight.” A: I do happen to have some “In Plain Sight” info for you, as I recently spoke with series co-star Paul Ben-Victor, who portrays chief inspector Stan McQueen. For Paul, the end of the series is bittersweet, as he explained: “There’s definitely a sense of loss and there’s a sadness there. We had become a family and have gotten even closer, especially over this past year. There’s a real warmth and love on the set. I’m really looking forward to this final season, because while playing Stan Mc-Queen has been great, I’m looking forward to spreading my wings, and there are some very exciting opportunities out there.”One of those opportunities is promoting his new movie, which he stars in and co-wrote, called “Should Have Been Romeo.” It was selected to the Newport Beach Film Festival in the featured slot the first weekend of the festival. “We’re real excited about that,” Paul enthused. “They’re focusing the whole event around our movie that first weekend. So, on the heels of this, there’s the last season of ‘In Plain Sight,’ which is something that’s going to be really extraordinary. Especially the last few episodes; they’re just phenomenal.”Q: Was “Terra Nova” canceled?A: Despite decent ratings and strong inter-national sales of the sci-fi/fantasy series, Fox decided not to renew “Terra Nova” for a second season. However, 20th Century Fox, which produces the series, is shopping the show around to other networks, and hopefully it can be picked up in time for a fall premiere somewhere else (Syfy, are you listening?).Q: I am a huge fan of HGTV. What happened to Sandra Rinomato from “Property Virgins”? A: Sandra decided to leave the show after 130 successful episodes to start her new show, “Buy Herself,” which begins airing this month on HGTV Canada, and she hopes for a U.S. HGTV pickup soon. Rinomato stated on her Facebook page: “For the first time in history, a significant number of women are buying real estate on their own, taking charge of their financial situations. ... Women buying real estate is not a fad; it’s history in the mak-ing, and I am very proud to be a part of it on TV.”

JILL JACKSON’S HOLLYWOOD

By Tony Rizzo

PHOTO: Barbra Streisand

HOLLYWOOD -- Seventy-year-old Barbra Streisand will produce and star as Mama Rose, mother of striptease legend Gypsy Rose Lee, in a big-screen remake of “Gypsy.” Streisand has hungered to play Mama Rose, long con-sidered to be the best female role in musi-cal theater, ever. In l959, Gypsy Rose Lee’s memoirs, excerpted in “Harper’s Magazine,” prompted producer David Merrick to option the story for Broadway legend Ethel Merman. Arthur Laurents, who wrote “West Side Story,” was hired to write the libretto. Ironically, Mer-man didn’t win a Tony Award for her stunning performance.“Gypsy” has been revived four times on Broad-way. Angela Lansbury won a Tony Award (l974), Tyne Daly won a Tony (l990) and Pat-ti LaPone won a Tony (2008) for their Mama Rose. However, Bernadette Peters’ Mama Rose (2003), which was considered the first to break the Merman mold, didn’t earn her a Tony. Before he died last May, Laurents, who directed Streisand in her first show, “I Can Get It for You Wholesale,” gave her his blessing to remake “Gypsy,” hoping she’d get right the things he disliked about the 1962 Rosaland Russell film, made by Warner Brothers. Russell didn’t do her own singing, but was so good as Mama Rose that nobody cared, and with the star power of Nata-lie Wood, the film was a great success. In l993, Bette Midler won a Golden Globe for her Mama Rose in a CBS TV movie, available on DVD. When Streisand played Dolly Levi in the big screen “Hello Dolly” (1969), only her second film, critics complained she was too young for the role and did a bad Mae West impres-sion. She’ll soon be seen in “The Guilt Trip” with Seth Rogan, set for a Nov. 2 release. Streisand has acquired so much knowledge as an actress and director; she will undoubtedly give the greatest performance of her career as Mama Rose. Remember, you heard it here first!* * *Oscar winner and “The View” host Whoopi Goldberg is spreading her wings. Last year she produced “Sister Act” in London and New York, and now plans to produce a documentary about Moms Mabley. For many years, Whoopi talked about Moms Mabley in her nightclub acts and has joined forces with “Laugh-In” pro-ducer George Schlatter and Tom Leonardis to bring “I Got Something to Tell You” (one of Mabley’s catch phrases) to the screen. In ad-dition, she’ll produce a 22-minute weeknight talk show, a mix of talk, makeovers and hu-mor for Nichelodeon’s NickMom programming block. Hey Whoopi, I got something to tell you -- be careful not to spread your wings too thin!

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