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September 4, 2012 The Neatest Little Paper Ever Read

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The Neatest Little Paper Ever Read

OVER 4 MILLION

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America is a country full of would-be inventors. For most, it’s as simple as discovering a problem that no one’s ever solved and coming up with a creative and inexpensive solution. Here are just a few of the countless TV marvels that have been advertised on our sets since this phenomenon began. •Agoodexampleofthewhole“discoveraproblem,discover a solution” method of inventing is the “Snap-ItScrew.”It’samethodofreplacingthetiny,anddifficulttohandle,screwsthatholdeyeglassestogether. • The “Snap-ItScrew”was inventedbyNancyTedeschi. “The old saying that necessity is themother of inventions is what inspired [it],” said Tedeschi.Shemeantitliterally,asitwasherownmother who inspired the invention’s creation.•Tedeschi’smotherwasoverseasdoingvolunteerwork when a hinge screw in her glasses broke. Left with no other immediate remedy, Tedeschi’s mother pulled the pin out of one of her earrings and placed it where the former hinge had been.•“Sheworethisdanglingbeadfromthehingeofherglassesforaboutayear.Shetraveledtoseveralforeign countries with it in, and people would literally stop her on the streets and ask her where she got this charm,” saidTedeschi. “Mymomcame to me and said, ‘You have to invent charms for glasses.’”• ForTedeschi,inventingthe“Snap-ItScrew”wastheeasypart.Thedifficultpartwasdoingallthe things necessary to produce and market her new invention.Shehad tosetuppatentsallover theworld.ShehadtosetupafactoryinChinaandawarehouseinSeattle,Washington.Shehadtospendcountless hours marketing her idea to retailers. Today,the“Snap-ItScrew”isasuccess,

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Vol 1 Issue 34of the River Region

TIDBITS® SEASONS WITHA PINCH OF SALT

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“As Seen on TV” (continued): and Tedeschi says that despite all the hard work, she wouldn’t change a thing. • “BlingToGo”wasinventedbyAbbyAppelt during a period where she was forced to use crutches. She felt the dull metalcould use a little pizzazz. So she createdsome decorative wrap-on decals to give her crutches some personality, and her invention was born.• Appeltsaid,“WhenIworemycrutchdécor, I had people stop me, literallyeverywhere Iwent, complimentingme onhow awesome my crutches were!”• AsAppelt notes, people decorate amillion different things with stickers, so it made sense to do likewise with crutches.• “BlingToGo”worksoncrutches,canes,walkersandbedpoles.It’samedicalgradeproduct that can be sanitized and cleaned, so it presents no health hazard to the user. The company’ssloganis“expressyourhealth,”and they back up their words by being active contributors to several physical and emotional health charities.• Perhapsoneof themorepeculiar andinnovative creations making the invention circuitisthe“BogdonBass.”It’sastandingbass guitar whose main component is a cardboard box!• The“BogdonBass”isliterallyalargecardboard box sealed with tape, with a wooden neck and vinyl strings. It can beplayedwithorwithoutanamplifier.Becauseof the use of these materials, it is lightweight, inexpensive and recyclable.• ThispeculiarinstrumentwasinventedbyamannamedChrisBadynee.Henamedtheinstrumentafterhisfather,Bogdon.• “The inspiration tomakemyBogdonBoxBasswas that Ihad thedesire toownsomethingthatIcouldn’tafford,soImadeonemyself,” explained Badynee. “All Iwanted was a natural-sounding upright bass formy own home recordings of songs Iwrote.”• After assembling what he thought

wasjustasillyideaonlyhe’duse,Badyneewas shocked by how good the makeshift instrumentsounded.“[It]soundedsofantasticthat I had to tell someone. So I filmed a60-secondvideoandposteditontheweb.Igot 1,000 hits on Youtube in less than a day.”• The video became a bit of a viralsensation,andBadyneewasaskedby“GoodMorning,America”fortherighttoshowthevideo on their program.• Almost immediately after the videowasshownontelevision,Badyneereceivedrequests to buy a “Bogdon Box.” Hebrought in his uncle and a couple of acoustic technicians to help him perfect it. Once they got the instrument exactly right, they began selling it on Ebay to a huge response. Hundreds were sold, almost as quickly as they could turn them out.• Badyneetooktheprofitsfromthosesalesto protect and patent his invention. Eventually, his belief in his invention paid off in praise, when his bass was given a rave review in “BassPlayerMagazine.”• Awell-known inventionmarketedviatelevisioninfomercials is theSnuggie.Thisblanket with sleeves solved a problem most people didn’t even know they had. • Since it covers your entire body butkeeps your hands free thanks to its armholes, Snuggie wearers stay warm while stillretaining the ability to take sip of their drink, change the channel or turn the page of a book.• The Snuggiewas introduced in 2008andwas an instant success. By 2009, 20millionSnuggies had been sold.But therewas actually a similar product already on the market,TheSlanket,inventedbyGaryCleggwhen he was a college freshman. • Becauseitisdifficulttopatentatextileproduct,ClegghadnotpatentedTheSlanket,so themakers of theSnuggiewere able tomake and market their product legally.• Imitationmay be the sincerest formofflattery,butit’sasafebetthatCleggfeltsomethingotherthanpridewhenhefirstsawtheSnuggie.

“Be known before you’re needed” Advertise with Tidbits (334) 202-7285 Page 3

Manypeoplerealizetheneedforlifeinsurancebutkeepputting it off until it is too late. You may think that life insurance is confusing, expensive and complicated. You may think you don’t know enough to make the right decisionsforyouandyourlovedones.Postponingthisdecisionleavesyouandyourfamilyexposedfinancially.Assumption#1:I’llalwaysbeabletobuylifeinsurance.You could develop a health condition that makes you un-insurable or could make life insurance too costly for you.

Assumption#2:I’llgetlifeinsurancelaterwhenI’molder or have a family. Life insurance may be needed atallstagesoflife.Whethermarriedorsingle,maleorfemale,withorwithoutchildren,youmayhavefinancialobligations that need to be met. Life insurance provides financialsecurityforyouandyourlovedones.

Assumption#3:MyfamilyandIarecoveredbythegroup insurance at work. To meet the future needs of your family, you need to have 7 to 10 times your annual income.Mostgroupterminsuranceamountsofferedbyemployers won’t meet this need. And, when you don’t work for that employer any longer, you usually lose that coverage

Assumption#4:MyhusbandhaslifeinsurancesoIdon’tneedit.Womenoftenlivelongerthanmenbutnotalways. There are countless stories of men who had to shoulderthefamilyfinancialburdenalongwiththeemo-tional burden after their wife passed away.

Assumption#5:Myfamilycancoverfuneralandburialexpenses.Buryingaspouseorlovedoneisthemoststressful time in a family’s life. Having life insurance can reducefinancialconcernsforthefamily.

Take the time now to review your needs and provide ad-equately for yourself and your family. For more informa-tion, contact an insurance professional.

Are you financially exposed?byKeyestaSherman,StateFarm®Agent

Tidbits® of the River Region Page 4

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

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am an 82-year-oldwoman. My body cannot tolerate antibiotics,vitamins or painkillers. I am told I havemaculardegeneration and was advised to take Ocuvite onceaday.MysistersuggestedIwrite toyou tosee if you have an idea of how to take Ocuvite in some other manner or some other way to get the ingredientsinit.Help.--L.M.

ANSWER:In2001,theresultsofthefirstAREDSreport (Age-Related Eye Disease Study) waspublished.Itshowedthatthecombinationofbetacarotene(aformofvitaminA),vitaminE,vitaminC,zincandcoppercouldslowtheprogressionofmoderate macular degeneration to severe macular degeneration. Macular degeneration is a wastingaway of the macula -- a small, round area of the retina necessary for clear central vision, the kind needed to read, sew and drive. Ocuvite is one capsule that incorporates all these nutrients. Currently a new study, AREDS 2, is beingconducted. The vitamin-mineral combination has been altered a bit and new ingredients have been added: lutein, zeaxanthin and omega-3 fatty acids. SomeOcuvitepillsalsocontainthesematerials.Since you’re unable to tolerate vitamins, you’llneed to get these nutrients from foods. You might not be able to reach the high levels found in pills, but you’d be getting all the ingredients in those pills.Beta carotene is found in coloredvegetables likecarrots and peppers, in dark-green vegetables and in colored fruits. Vitamin E is widely available in many foods: meats, nuts, cereal grains, wheat-germoilandsunfloweroil.YoufindvitaminCincitrus fruits, tomatoes, potatoes and broccoli. Zinc isinmeats,shellfish,nutsandlegumes,likepeas.Copperisinshellfish,nutsandorganmeats.The new version of AREDS, not yet published,contains lutein and zeaxanthin, which you can obtain in kale, spinach, collard greens, corn, green beans, carrots, squash and tomatoes. Omega-3 fatty acidsarefoundinfishlikesalmonandtuna.The booklet on macular degeneration explains this common malady and its treatment. To obtain a copy,write:Dr.Donohue--No.701,Box536475,Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a check ormoneyorder(nocash)for$4.75U.S./$6Can.withthe recipient’s printed name and address. Pleaseallow four weeks for delivery. ***DEARDR.DONOHUE:Myheartmisses abeatevery now and then. The doctor tells me this isn’t dangerous. He has said nothing about food or drink asbeingacauseofthis.Idrinktwocupsofcoffeeaday.Ican’ttellanydifferenceonthedaysIdrinkit or on the days I don’t.What’s the thinking onthis?--P.M.

ANSWER: Moderate amounts of caffeine havelittle effect on the heart. Two to four cups of coffee a day shouldn’t affect your heartbeat. However, if a person is quite sensitive to caffeine, then that person should abstain from coffee. There appears not to be any relationship between coffee drinking and artery hardening, artery obstruction or heart pumping. Heart attacks and strokes are no more frequent in coffee drinkers than in those who never touch it. ***Dr. Donohue regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but he will incorporate them in his column whenever possible. Readers may write him or request an order form of available health newsletters at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL32853-6475.

(c)2012NorthAmericaSynd.,Inc.All Rights Reserved

Slowing Macular Degeneration

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Register to win at www.riverregiontidbits.com and clickon“TommyTidbits”.Fillouttheregistrationinformation and tell us how many times Tommy appears in ads in the paper for this week. From the correct entries, a winner will be selected. You must be18yearsofagetoqualify.Thegiftcertificateswillrangeinvaluefrom$25to$50eachweek.Entries must be received at the website by midnight eachSaturdayeveningoratPTKCorp,POBox264,Wetumpka,AL36092.

This week’s winner receives a $25.00 Gift Certificate from Frankie’s Sweet Shoppe

Last Week’s Ads where Tommy was hiding:

1.3B’sConstruction,p.22.BarryWebsterMarineConstruction,p.3

DEARPAW’SCORNER:Awhileago,youprinted information on how to safely approach strangedogs.I’dlikemytwochildrentobefamiliarwiththoseprocedures.Canyouprovidethatinformation?--CandiceC.,LasVegas

DEARCANDICE:Isurecan.HereareafewtipscourtesyoftheAmericanKennelClubonhow to safely approach a strange dog:--Askpermission:It’sveryimportanttoaskadog’sownerfirstifyoucanpetthedog.Notevery dog reacts the same way to strangers pet-ting them, and the owner will know if the dog is friendly and if it is safe for you to approach.--Approachcalmly:Iftheownersaysyes,makeafist,extendyourhandslowlytothedog,andlet it sniff the back of your hand. Dogs recog-nize people by scent, so letting it sniff your hand lets the dog become familiar with you.

--Wheretopet:Oncethedoghassniffedyourhand, pet it gently under the chin or on the chest.--Don’t hug dogs: Kids should never hug a dog. Dogs don’t hug each other, and they don’t understand hugs to mean love and affection like humansdo.Wrappingyourarmsaroundadogcan stress it out and lead to an unnecessary bite.--Keepyourchinup:Neverputyourfacedownin front of a dog. This can be threatening to the dog and cause it to react. Find out more about safely approaching dogs andabouttheAKC’supcoming“MeettheBreeds”eventathttp://www.akc.org/meet_the_breeds/.

Sendyourquestionsortipstoask@pawscorner.com,orwritetoPaw’sCorner,c/oKingFea-turesWeeklyService,P.O.Box536475,Or-lando,FL32853-6475.Formorepetcare-relatedadvice and information, visit www.pawscorner.com.

(c)2012KingFeaturesSynd.,Inc.

Why Microchip?bySamanthaMazzotta

Tommy Tidbits Winners Circle

Cecile Grayson won a $25 Gift

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Margaret Jones won a $25 Gift

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Susie Pullen won a $25 Gift

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Martha Pinerwon a $25 Gift

CertificateIssue 8/7/2012 Issue 8/14/2012 Issue 8/21/2012 Issue 8/28/2012

Tidbits® of the River Region Page 6

1. Is the book of Obadiah in the Old or New Testament or neither?2. Upon which mountain did Deborah defeat the forces of Sisera? Tabor, Zeus, Sinai, Olives3. From James 3, what part of the body is like a fire? Eyes, Legs, Tongue, Nose4. How many churches does Jesus ad-dress in the book of Revelation? 1, 2, 7, 1005. From John 13, who denied Jesus three times? John, James, Luke, Peter6. Who was the mate of Sapphira? Mo-ses, Ananias, Potiphar, Zimri

1.HowoldwasPeteRosewhenhehadhislast200-hitseason?2.ErnieBanksoftheChicagoCubswasthefirstshortstop to hit three home runsinagame.Whowasthesecond?3.In2011,PatrickPetersontiedanNFLrecordwithhisfourth punt return for a TD inaseason.Whosemarkdidhe tie?4.NametheonlyconferencetohavethreeNo.1seedsinoneyearintheNCAAmen’sbasketball tournament. 5.Whenwasthelasttimebefore2012thattheSt.LouisBlueswonanNHLplayoff game?6.NamethelastcountryotherthanSouthKoreainthe modern Olympic era to win a gold medal in the women’s archery team com-petition.7. How many times in his careerdidgolferJackNick-lausfinishastherunner-upin a major?

FEAR & PHOBIAS 2 of 3

Virtually all people are subject to a variety of rational orirrationalapprehensions.Manyoftheseoriginateinchildhood through traumatic experience. A key point is that a phobic person is threatened by something that does not in reality present a life threat. Yet the reaction is the same as it would be in a situa-tion of real danger. The fear generates more fear, and the situation cannot be confronted in a calm state, so the victim makes every effort to avoid it. The more a person tries not to encounter the phobic place, person or situation the greater and more long lasting the phobia will become. The next segment will address hypno-therapy as an effective approach to phobias.

Seeonlinevideosathypnosisworksnow.com.Doctordirectedsince1992.WearetheLastResortandBestChoicetoGetResults!!Callforfreescreening&bringafriend334-213-0054.

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1. He was 38 in 1979, when he tallied 208 hits for Philadelphia.2. Freddie Patek did it for the Angels in 1980.3. Detroit’s Jack Christiansen (1951), Denver’s Rick Upchurch (1976) and Chicago’s Devin Hester (2007) all returned four punts for touchdowns.4. The Big East, with Connecticut, Louisville and Pittsburgh as No. 1 seeds in 2009.5. It was 2004.6. South Korea has won every gold medal since team competition began in 1988.7. Nineteen times.

BIBLE TRIVIA ANSWERS:

1) Old; 2) Tabor; 3) Tongue; 4) 7; 5) Peter; 6) Ananias

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Tidbits® of the River Region Page 8

*ItwasAmericansingerJoshGrobanwhomadethefollowingsageobservation:“There’snohalf-singing in the shower, you’re either a rock star or an opera diva.”

*Ifyou’reconsideringhavingachildsometimeinthenearfuture,youmightwanttoconsiderthis:It’ssaid that the cost of caring for a newborn during its firstyearoflifeismorethan$6,000.

*In1986,actoranddirectorClintEastwoodtookon a new and unfamiliar role: political candidate. HeranformayorofCarmel,Calif.Hedefeatedthe incumbent mayor in a landslide, and he kept the position for two years. His salary? A whopping $200perweek.

* Often these days you’ll see someone carrying a tiny dog around with them, but you might be surprised to learn that this is not an entirely new fashion.InancientRomeandGreeceitwasnotun-commonforanobleladytocarryhertinyMaltesedog around in the sleeve of her robe.

*Intheearlydaysofmotionpictures,WillH.Haysbecameknownasthe“CzarofHollywood.”HepresidedovertheearliestincarnationoftheMPAA,chargedwithensuringthemoralityofmovies.Someofthechangestheso-called“HaysOffice”insistedupon were removing the image of a cow’s udder fromaWaltDisneycartoon;andremovinganydirectreferencetoadulteryinthe1935adaptationoftheTolstoynovel“AnnaKarenina”--despitethefact that Anna’s affair is at the heart of the novel.

* Those who study such things say that a woman’s sense of smell tends to be better than that of a man. ***ThoughtfortheDay:“IthinkthatIambetterthanthe people who are trying to reform me.” -- Johann WolfgangvonGoethe

(c)2012KingFeaturesSynd.,Inc.

bySamanthaWeaver