Mature Times - Jan 2010

Published by E.P. MASS MEDIA ADVERTISING INC.

VOL.III No. 17 JANUARY 2010

SHNS PHOTO

PeggyeMcNair visits withsome ofthe camelsin her herdin a pasture.

MATURETIMES JANUARY 2010 PAGE 2

By Ann Work

ScrippS Howard NewS Service

“come on, girls!”peggye McNair stands at the

barbed wire fence at the side ofU.S. Highway 287. She hasparked her car, with its licenseplate that reads simply, “camels.”She calls to 20 of the beasts graz-ing in the distance on the Texasfield and tosses treats over thefence.

Hearing her voice, they begincoming. one, then two, then fiveand six — lope across the pasture,their large lips flapping as theyrun.

Seven, eight, nine. Fifteen, 16.Soon, 20 camels strain against thefence, stretching their long neckstoward McNair, angling for atouch and a treat. Happy to com-ply, McNair feeds cork-sized pel-let treats into their large, velvetymouths.

Their googly, golf-ball-sizedblack eyes are fringed with flirtytwo-inch-long eyelashes — ontwo sets of eyelids. with theirsplit upper lips, their giant rabbit-like faces, almost prehistoricnecks, humped bodies and eight-foot stance, they immediatelydraw attention from passersby.one by one, cars pull off the high-way to get an up-close look at asight that’s hard to match, even ina zoo: Face-to-face with 20camels who are being hand-fedand petted.

“i wondered what that lady wasdoing,” said one man fromSweeney, Texas, who pulled offthe road to gawk. He joked that hesaw the camels and thought, “idone drove too far. i’m out ofTexas!” Then he saw her“camels” license plate. “i figuredshe must know what she’s doing,”he said.

She does. This herd is McNair’s

own.She has raised the 20 camels

since each was 5 days old. Thecamels — all female except forone male, the bull — are tame asdogs, and just as appreciative ofthe stroking on their furry headsand necks.

“i was vice president of ameri-can National Bank for years,” Mc-Nair said as a camel nibbled atreat out of her hand with his fin-ger-like lips. “This is the most funi’ve ever had in my life.”

continues on page10

Camel Call

Peggye McNair with her 6-week-oldwhite baby camel.


our society pokes fun of seniors and

their loss of memory in greeting cards, Tv

shows and movies……and so many of my pa-

tients approaching their 50s, 60s and beyond

are worried about losing their “mental facul-

ties.”

However—contrary to popular belief—there

are many, many studies that show that people

don’t lose that much brainpower with normal

aging; one reports that 70% of the factors influ-

encing life expectancy are due to good choices

and good luck.

But there’s a catch: we have to exer-

cise our brain to keep it in shape. The trick

is to find an activity where you have to concen-

trate intensely for about 25 minutes, several

days a week.

There are many online “brain games”

including http://www.prevention.com/brainq/

and www.sharpbrains.com.

The formula for keeping your brain sharp

doesn’t stop with mental exercises; there are

three other factors vitally important for strong

brainpower:

•physical exercise

•eating right

•positive attitude

PHYSICAL EXERCISE:Here is yet aNoTHer good

reason for you to be physically

active: The National institute on

aging states “exercise is good

for everyone, whether we are

young children or older adults.

exercise builds muscles, im-

proves heart and lung function,

helps prevent osteoporosis, and

improves mood and overall

well-being. it can improve the

health of people with chronic

conditions, including hyperten-

sion, diabetes, arthritis, obesity,

and cardiovascular disease.”

Miriam e. Nelson, phd, an associate professor

at the Friedman School of Nutrition at Tufts

University, has found that even people in their

90s regain muscle by lifting weights 2 or 3

days a week, for minimum of 30 minutes. The

payoff: more endurance, stronger bones, less

risk of diabetes—and better sleep and thinking.

THE RIGHT FOODS:

a recent prevention Maga-

zine article offers “Nutri-

tion Tips for Your Brain:

eat fish at least once a

week; boost your antioxi-

dant intake by adding blue-

berries, cocoa, tea, and

grapes to your diet daily;

have a large salad packed

with leafy greens at lunch;

lower your saturated fat in-

take to no more than 10%

of total calories; boost your

intake of monounsaturated

fats such as avocado,

olives, oils, nuts, and

seeds; avoid trans fats.”

POSITIVE

ATTITUDE:a positive attitude also improves your memory.

Becca Levy, phd, an associate professor of

epidemiology and psychology at the Yale Uni-

versity School of public Health, states the “re-

sults of a positive outlook are measurable:

individuals with positive self-perceptions on

aging demonstrated better memory, more con-

trolled handwriting, faster walking, a stronger

will to live, and a lower cardiovascular re-

sponse to stress, compared with those with a

negative perception of aging.”

Great advice!

Dr. Michael H. Annabi MD

915-587-9455;

Primary Care Physician PHC;

Physicians Health Choice;

PHCcares.com

BraiN viTaLiTY

Dr. Michael H. Annabi MD


as Martin guitar built of rare wood made its way around theworld, a friendship developed

Harmonizing

MGNS PHOTOS

ABOVE: Wayne Dingus plays the guitar.RIGHT: The Kanekos and Dingus families finally meet.

By Laura J. Mondul

Media GeNeraL NewS Service

a vintage Martin guitar hasforged a lasting friendship thatreaches across more than 6,000miles.

eight years ago, castlewood,va., native wayne dingus decidedto sell his guitar on eBay. Hishighest bidder was atsushiKaneko, a bluegrass musician fromKyoto, Japan. Little did dingus

know where thisseemingly routinesale would lead.

The sale was un-usual from the begin-ning. The guitar is a 1941 d-28Herringbone Martin made ofBrazilian rosewood, which is anendangered species and no longerused for guitars. So, for dingus toship the rare item overseas, he firsthad to obtain certification from the

Martin co., documenting when theguitar was made. Then, dingushad to obtain import and exportpermits, entitling him to ship theguitar to Japan and allowingKaneko to receive it. The wholeprocess spanned two months: Thesale was made in July 2001, but

the guitar wasn’t shipped untilSeptember.

perhaps the lengthy transactionhelped to cement the bond betweenseller and buyer. after the sale wascomplete, dingus and Kanekostayed in touch through e-mail.

continues on page 8


it’s hard to believe that we have had nearly8 inches of snow in el paso and it’s not evenwinter yet (winter arrives officially decem-ber 21). This is a good time to think aboutsaving energy on our gas and electric bills aswinter is just around the corner and we seetemperatures on a more consistent basis onthe “chilly” side. our winter months are con-sidered december, January and February.

Here are some tips that will lower your cost of living:

-when you leave a room, turn off the light. avoid using more lightthan you need. Few activities require turning on every lamp in theroom. replace incandescent light bulbs with energy-efficient light bulbslike compact fluorescent lights (cFLs). when compared to a 60-watt incandescent bulb, over its lifetime a cFL will last ten timeslonger and save up to $30 on electric bills.

-Moderate the temperature inside by turning the furnace downabout 5 degrees below your normal setting. For example, if you nor-mally set your temperature to 70 degrees, change it to 65 degrees.You may need to put on a sweater or thicker socks before turningdown the heat. Being conservative with your home's temperature isone of the easiest ways to save energy.

-Use less hot water. wash clothes with warm or cold water. onlyrun the dishwasher with a full load, and turn off the "heated dry"cycle; most dishes will dry naturally from the heat remaining insidethe dishwasher. Use slightly cooler water in the shower and showerquickly. wash your hands and face and brush your teeth with coldwater.

-Buy products marked with the environmental protectionagency's energy Star. products boasting the energy Star ratingmeet the strict energy saving standards of the epa and the US de-partment of energy. Using them will lower your electric bill.

-install insulation to prevent cold air from seeping in and out ofthe house. Hanging insulating drapes will save energy. wrap thewater heater in insulation and paint your ceilings and walls with in-sulating paint that reflects heat back into the room. adding insula-tion to exterior walls will definitely save energy, but requiressignificant expense. insulating just the attic is a cheaper alternativethat will cut your energy bills.

Saving Money as WinterArrives

By: “Doppler” Dave Speelman

WEATHER 101

Wheater Trivia:

What is the average wind speed pro-duced by a person sneezing?

A. 3 mph – light air

B. 10 mph – Gentle Breeze

C. 39 mph – Gale Force

D. 74 mph – Hurricane Force

E. 124 mph – Tornado Force

Answer: D – Hurricane force

“Doppler" Dave Speelman is the chief meteorologist at KVIA-TV in

El Paso. You can watch his forecasts at 4, 5, 6 and 10 pm on ABC-7

(channel 6 cable). If you would like Doppler Dave to address

(explain) any weather issues you can email him at

[email protected].


Question: My parents are getting older andour physician is considering homehealth for them. What should welook for in a good home healthagency?

Answer:There are quite a few home healthagencies, and it is always yourchoice to decide which one youwant. You can ask your friends,

family, physician and discharge planner who has a good rep-utation in the home health field. When narrowing down yourchoice, ask about the quality of the care givers they employ,and what designated programs they have to fit your specificneeds, definitely interview several agencies before makingyour choice.

Ask ThE ExpERT

Ann Rodriguez-McConnell

Train

enthusi-

asts find

common

bond in

museum

Choo Choo

By Joe Tennis Media GeNeraL NewS Service

when dr. Fred alsop joined thefaculty of east Tennessee StateUniversity a few years ago, henever figured part of his job wouldsomeday follow the tracks of hismost beloved hobby.

alsop, 66, has been a fan oftrains since he was a teenager,growing up along the tracks of theLouisville & Nashville railroad inHanesville, Ky.

Today, model trains are whatkeep him busy — that is, when-ever alsop, ..coNT/NeXT paGe

Richard Kimball of Atlanta watches a freighttrain pass by the Bristol Trainstation duringa recent meeting.


continued from page 5

“our families got to be goodfriends,” dingus said. “we got towatch his daughter, who is now 8,grow up. we exchange gifts atchristmas.”

The Kanekos wanted some itemsfrom virginia, so dingus and hiswife, Sherry, sent them plenty of vir-ginia Tech shirts and caps, amongother items. in return, the Kanekossent the dinguses gifts from Japan,including a Japanese fan that nowdecorates an end table in the dingusliving room.

This year, the Kanekos decided tovisit america, with of course a tripto castlewood.

“i felt like i knew them already,but i never did think in my lifetimethat i’d get to meet them,” dingussaid.

The visit was in august, whenKaneko, his wife, aki, and daughter,Yuumi, arrived at Tri-cities airport,where the dinguses picked them up.as part of the visit, the Kanekoshoped to get to see the home ofralph Stanley, one of their favoritebluegrass musicians.

Little did they know what dingushad in store for them.

prior to the Kanekos’ arrival, din-gus made arrangements through afriend for the family to actually meetwith the bluegrass legend, whichwas the highlight of their visit.Kaneko even got autographs fromStanley; and the american bluegrassmusician signed his Japanese fan’sbanjo.

The dinguses hosted their overseasfriends in their home for the four-day

duration of their virginia visit. TheKanekos enjoyed Southern homecooking, including biscuits andgravy, and chili, and aki Kanekoprepared a traditional Japanese dish,though dingus admits he could notmanage to use chopsticks. dingusalso invited several fellow musiciansover for a cookout and a good old-fashioned pickin’ party.

“They are both talented musi-cians,” dingus said of Kaneko andhis wife. Kaneko plays banjo, guitarand mandolin, and aki plays guitarand sings. aki even sang several tra-ditional bluegrass songs in Japanese.

“That was really great to hear ... asong that we’d heard all of our livesin english, and then she does thesame thing in Japanese,” dingussaid. “we just had a great time. itwas a dream come true for me to getto meet them.

“it’s special that just selling an oldguitar like that, the friendship wemade, we just feel like they are partof the family, even though we justmet them,” dingus said.

dingus has been a “back porchpicker” for more than 30 years, play-ing guitar, mandolin and banjo. Henow shares his knowledge by offer-ing lessons to a handful of youngpeople in the area, lessons for whichhe refuses payment.

“wayne has never charged for alesson,” his wife, Sherry, said. “allhe ever asks is that they want to doit.”

Laura J. Mondul writes for theBristol Herald courier in Virginiaand Tennessee.

Harmonizingcontinued from page 7...a professor of biological sci-

ences, is not explaining life cy-cles to his eTSU students.

“This is a hobby that’s turnedinto a job,” said alsop, the direc-tor of the George L. carter rail-road Museum on the Johnsoncity campus of eTSU.

The museum — a space dedi-cated tomodelrail-roads —takes itsnamefromcarter, aHillsville,va., nativewho wasinstru-mental inestablish-ing coalmines andrailroadsacross theMountainempire.

carterbuilt theclinch-field rail-roadthrough275 milesof mountainous terrain to carrycoal from eastern Kentucky.

raiLroaderS

displays at the museum fea-ture historic prototype railroad

memorabilia and toy trains, plusmodel railroading locomotivesand “rolling stock” — the rail-road cars pulled by locomotives.

Like other members of theMountain empire Model rail-roaders club, alsop is responsi-ble for maintaining a48-by-30-inch section of tracklayout. it is part of the club’s 44-

by-24-footdisplayfeaturingminia-ture coaltipples,trestles, acourt-house,cars,people,trees andvariousbuild-ings.Twootherlarge op-eratinglayoutsare alsofeaturedat themuseum,includinga display

to represent Knoxville, Tenn.,built by the late Howard Bankus.

in all, the museum representsabout 150 miles of track, alsopsaid.

continues on page 16

Tom Harris of Wytheville, Va., gives a slideshow presentation ofmodel railroad photography to a group of railroad enthusiasts.

Choo Choo

MGNS PHOTOS

Dennis McCurry of Kings Mountain, N.C. looksthrough a box of HO scale rolling stock.


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Holocaust survivorgains strength through

telling his story

MGNS PHOTOS

ABOVE: Eleven-year-old Alex Lebenstein and hisparents Natan and Lotti Lebenstein. BOTTOM:Lebenstein today, and him exiting from a trainHolocaust museum in Germany.

By Jimmy LaRoue

Media GeNeraL NewS Service

alex Lebenstein won’t besleeping much tonight.

every day he tells his story ofsurviving the Holocaust, it’s an-other night reliving hauntingmemories.

“why am i doing what i amdoing? do you think it’s mypleasure? do you think i’m goingto sleep good tonight? afterevery presentation, i cry inside,”

Lebenstein said. Lebenstein, 80, spoke on a re-

cent night before a rapt audienceat the Booker T. washingtoncommunity center in Staunton,va. Though troubled with laryn-gitis, he spoke for nearly twohours.

Starting his presentation, hepulled out a note:

do not look back in anger, orforward in fear, but around inawareness. Shift happens.




McNair was introduced to the art

of camel breeding 13 years ago

when she met, and soon married,

(a.B.) Bob Hudson in 1996.

at the time, he had more than

100 camels in a herd on each of his

nine ranches, the largest camel

breeder in the country. He had

earned over $1 million in the past

decade from the original 20 camels

that he had shipped from australia

to his ranches.

in the 1980s, he had read an arti-

cle in the Wall Street Journal about

an experiment in brush control

using camels. it piqued his interest

and spurred his purchase. He

learned there was a market for the

babies — for pets, for the movies,

for nativity scenes, for ranches,

and for a variety of odd-ball proj-

ects.

“He couldn’t understand why

more people wouldn’t do it,” Mc-

Nair said of the business.

McNair had grown up with pets

of all sorts. “But never in my

wildest imagination

would i have

thought i’d have

camels,” she said.

But McNair came

to love the 8-foot-

tall beasts. She

grew so attached to

the baby camels

that she cried every

time Hudson trans-

ported them out of

the driveway and off to a sale. See-

ing her tears, her husband, now de-

ceased, advised her to start her

own herd. So she did. Her com-

pany, called “camel Kisses,” car-

ries on his breeding business.

“i’m very selective who i sell

to,” says the woman who loves an-

imals so much that she air condi-

tions the garage for her dogs. “i

sell only to reputable people who

love animals as

much as i do.”

camels are the

only species

where the fe-

males bring

twice the money

that the males

bring. a white

camel baby —

like the one her

white bull often

produces — will

bring even more.

McNair had expected to have 16

babies this year to sell, but so far

has had only 10. She fears the

worst: that poachers have cut into

her fences and stolen some of the

newborns.

This 6-week-old baby, with his

curly Berber carpet-like coat, is

boarded at the wichita Falls Hu-

mane Society, where he has been

tended by affectionate workers

who say they have been smitten by

his curious demeanor and his exu-

berant “happy dance” — a bounc-

ing motion. He ambles eagerly

through the Humane Society’s

building, where he sucks his furry

lips on any visitor’s fingers, stands

still for stroking of his head and

humpy back, and sucks hungrily

on a gallon-sized baby bottle of

milk.

camels have gotten a bad rap,

McNair said.

Like dogs, if they are raised with

cruelty, they will be dangerous —

as they are in many other coun-

tries. But, also like dogs, if they

are raised with love, affection, at-

tention, treats and companionship

— as hers are — they will be as

tame and enjoyable as an 8-foot

dog in the back yard.

of course, there are some

caveats, she said. when she visits

the adults in the pasture, she al-

ways stays in a vehicle or sepa-

rated by a fence. She cites a story

of two women who were killed by

camels they had raised as pets

when the bull knocked them down

and planted his front feet on them

— a mating ritual.

camels are so social that when

anyone tells McNair they want to

purchase one, she always urges

them to purchase two. Bad-tem-

pered camels in zoos are often

boarded alone, stand tethered all

day, and not given space to graze,

she said. “That’s the kind of zoo i

will not sell to,” she said.

SHNS PHOTOS

Peggye McNair draws a crowd when she checks on her herd of camels.

Camel CallCamel Call


By heather Boerner


a leaking roof, a burst pipe or askyrocketing electric bill areheadaches no matter when theyhappen, but when you’re on afixed income and unprepared, theycan become a financial crisis.

Most people 45 and older wantto stay in their home as they age,says aarp. if you’re among them,plan for and make your repairsnow while you can still increaseyour income or make spendingchoices that allow you to pay forthe repairs comfortably.

“if you wait until a critical thinghappens to you, it’s going to bemore of a financial burden on youand your family,” says estherGreenhouse, an environmentalgerontologist.

if you plan to stay in your home,look for a licensed and insured

contractor who is a certifiedaging-in-place Specialist, orcapS, who is certified by the Na-tional association of HomeBuilders. draw up a schedule forrepairs and how you’ll pay forthem, Greenhouse says.

Get a quote now, save up for therepair and stash the money in acertificate of deposit or moneymarket fund.

Here are some things to take careof before you retire.

insulate your home

cost: Between 49 cents persquare foot and $1.50 per squarefoot.

advantage: Saves on electricbills and means you won’t useyour furnace or air conditioning asoften.

Most homes have little trouble-some cracks and holes that let hotand cool air escape. prime exam-ples: gaps around doors, holes cutthrough walls for pipes and electri-cal wiring, and deteriorating win-dow frames.

These tiny, tedious problems canmake a big difference in yourhome’s energy efficiency. But, ifyou tightly seal your house, you’llsave on energy costs when you’reon a fixed income, says John Bar-rows, a New York-based builder,consultant and co-author of “Thecomplete idiot’s Guide to GreenBuilding and remodeling.”


Take care of your vital home repairs beforeyou retire to save time and money


NoRTHEAST/

CENTRAl

Texas Aggie Lunchwednesday, Jan 6 (2010) 12:00pel paso a&M

club holds its monthly luncheons at cappetto's

on Montana at noon the first wednesday of

each month. There is no cost to attend and no

reservations required. For additional informa-

tion contact club president Kristen cox at 731-

1185

I’m Not Rappaport’ – el paso playhouse,

2501 Montana, present the hit Herb Gardner

dramedy Jan. 8-30. Two old men — one Jew-

ish, one Black — spend their days on a New

York central park bench. contains adult lan-

guage. directed by chet Frame. regular show-

times are 8 p.m. Friday and Saturday and 2 p.m.

Sunday. Ticket information: 532-1317, elpaso-

playhouse.com.

Provost Gun Show — The el Maida

provost Guard gun, small antique and South-

west art show is 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. Saturday and

10 a.m. to 4 p.m. Sunday, Jan. 23-24, at the el

Maida Shrine Temple, 6331 alabama. includes

new, used and antique firearms and accessories,

knives, coins, Southwest jewelry, military sur-

plus and collectibles. Food concession avail-

able. admission: $5 ($4 active military and

accompanying dependents; ages 12 and

younger free). parking is free. age 18 and

younger must be accompanied by a parent or

legal guardian. information: 241-1761.

‘Little Women’ – Kids-N-co. presents the

classic alcott tale Jan. 23-Feb. 14 at Kids-N-

co. performance Space. 1301 Texas. perform-

ances are 7:30 p.m. Fridays and Saturdays and

2:30 p.m. Sundays. Tickets: $5-$7 at the door.

information: 351-1455.

loWER vAllEy

El Maida Shrine Circus — The 58th an-

nual high-spirited circus

featuring three rings of

wild animal acts, clowns,

aerial artistry and other

amazing acts is Jan. 7-10

at the el paso county

coliseum, 4100 paisano.

Show times are 4:30 and

8 p.m. Thursday; 10 a.m.

and 8 p.m. Friday, 11 a.m. and 3 p.m. Saturday

and 11 a.m. 3 p.m. and 7 p.m. Sunday. Tickets:

$12 ($10 kids; $14 box seats). information:

562-1444.

California Sea Lion

Training our califor-

nia sea lions are fed

every day at 11am. we

offer educational presen-

tations prior to the feed-

ings at 10:45am. all

presentations are free

and visitors are encour-

aged to find a seat early. el paso Zoo Jan 6th

El Paso Rhino — el paso’s Junior League

ice hockey team home games are at the Sierra

providence events center, next to the coli-

seum, 4100 e. paisano. regular games times

are 7:30 p.m. Friday and Saturday, and 5:30

p.m. Sunday. Ticket information: 479-pUcK

(7825) or elpasorhinos.com. • Jan. 8-10 —

Boulder Bison Jan. 29-31 — Tulsa rampage

Monster Truck Spectacular — The mon-

ster truck show is

7:30 p.m. Friday,

Jan. 15, at the el

paso county col-

iseum, 4100

paisano. pit party

access for all

ticketholders.

Tickets: $$20-$25 ($10-$20 children; $18 sen-

iors, miliary students; $12.50 family fun pack;

free for ages 2 and younger). (Ticketmaster).

EASTSIdE

Night of Hope Ball — el paso diabetes as-

sociation will host its 2nd annual fundraising

gala 6:30 p.m. to midnight, Saturday, Jan. 30,

at wyndham Hotel 2027 airway, with dinner,

music and entertainment. This year’s honored

guest is dr. robert christenson.

continues on next page

Calendar of upcoming events for El Paso/ Southern New Mexico for January 2010If you want your upcoming event listed in SPOTLIGHT’S Out & About section, please send all your relevant data by e-mail to: [email protected]



all proceeds from the event remain in el paso,

and go towards the diabetes association’s vari-

ous programs. admission: $100 (includes re-

served seating, dinner and dance). information:

532-6280 or epdiabetes.org.

WESTSIdE/

doWNToWN

UTEP Men’s Basketball -

Home games are at the don

Haskins center. Game time

is 7:05 p.m. except as indi-

cated. Tickets: $9-$25. in-

formation: 747-5234 or

utepathletics.com. • wednes-

day, Jan. 6 — SMU Saturday,

Jan. 9 — BYU 7 p.m. Saturday,

Jan. 16 — Southern Miss wednesday, Jan. 27

— Tulane

UTEP Women’s Basketball — Home

games are at the don Haskins center. Tickets:

$7 ($3 youth). information: 747-5234 or

utepathletics.com. Friday, Jan. 8 — rice, 7:05

p.m. Sunday, Jan. 10 — Houston, 2:05 p.m

Sunday, Jan. 24 — UcF, 2:05 p.m.

Kwanzaa — events honoring the values of

ancient african cultures will take place at 7

p.m. nightly, Dec.

26-Jan. 1, at the

Mccall Neighbor-

hood center, 3231

e. wyoming. infor-

mation: 566-2407.

created by dr.

Maulana Karenga as

a way to celebrate

family, community

and culture in the african-american commu-

nity, Kwanzaa focuses on Nguzo Saba (The

Seven principles), that include Unity, Self-de-

termination, collective work and responsibil-

ity, cooperative economics, purpose,

creativity and Faith.

‘National Monuments’ — el paso wind

Symphony presents a musical celebration of na-

tional pride at 7:30 p.m. Friday, Jan. 15, at

UTep’s Fox Fine arts recital Hall. Tickets:

$12.50 ($7.50 students). information: 760-

5599.

El Paso Chamber Music Festival – el

paso pro-Musica’s 20th annual festival presents

world-class chamber musicians Jan. 6-31. con-

certs, recitals and other special events will be

offered at various venues: UTep’s Fox Fine

arts recital Hall, Trinity First United

Methodist church, western Hills United

Methodist church, el paso Museum of art,

First Baptist church, 2900 Kitchen and

NMSU’s atkinson recital Hall. Ticket prices

to be announced; free for Bach’s lunch

events and film series. information: 833-

9400 or eppm.org.

Madea’s Big Happy Family’ —Famed play-

wright, producer

and performer Tyler

perry returns to el

paso with his latest

play at 8 p.m. Mon-

day, Jan. 4, at the

don Haskins center. Tickets: $71.50, $61.50,

$51.50, plus service charge. (Ticketmaster).

Willie Nelson — The country legend per-

forms at 7:30 p.m.

Thursday, Jan. 7, at

abraham chavez The-

atre. Tickets: $43.11;

$53.43, $63.76 and

$74.08. (Ticketmaster).

Free Conversational English Class.every Tuesday at 1501 Sunbowl dr. centro

vida meeting room. 5:30 to 7:00 p.m. For more

information call 915- 545-5555 or 915-587-

9322.

Rock Laser Spectaculars — The popular

laser rock shows in 3-d/H-d format are 7:30

p.m. Friday and Saturday, Jan. 15-16, at abra-

ham chavez Theatre. (Ticketmaster).

El Paso Puzzler Mountain Bike Race— el paso’s only en-

durance mountain bike

race is 8 a.m. Sunday,

Jan. 17, at Bowen

ranch. Hosted by the

Border Mountain Bike

association. The 3rd

annual 50-mile single-track ride (35-mile route

also offered) with several climbs and descents.

Food and prizes distributed during the event.

registration (by Jan 1): $40. information: 845-

1097 or bmba.wordpress.com.

El Paso Symphony Orchestra – The

Symphony presents

an “all-Star cele-

bration” at 7:30 p.m.

Friday and Saturday,

Jan. 22-23,in the

plaza Theatre, fea-

turing guest conduc-

tor alexander platt

and guest cellist

Zuill Bailey per-

forming Schumann’s

“overture, Scherzo

and Finale, op. 52,” Barber’s “Symphony No. 1

in one Movement, op. 9” and dvorák’s “cello

concerto, op. 104, B minor.” Ticket informa-

tion: 532-3776 or epso.org.



Nearly Neil and the Solitary

Band — Showtime! el paso pres-

ents a tribute to music legend Neil

diamond at 2:30 p.m. Sunday,

Jan. 31, at the abraham chavez

Theatre, featuring diamond tribute

artist Bobby Bruce on lead vocal

and rhythm guitar. Bruce has spent

the past 11 years rocking thou-

sands of screaming fans world

wide with his tribute to one of pop

music’s most successful

singer/songwriters. He has also

toured with both the Las vegas-

based “Legends of rock” in the

United States as well its australian

counterpart. Ticket information:

544-2022 or

Showtimeelpaso.com.

LYNX Exhibits — 300 w. San

antonio. opening Jan. 30: “ex-

treme deep: Mission to the

abyss,” featuring hands-on ex-

hibits on the technology necessary

for deep-sea exploration. informa-

tion: 533-4330 or

lynxexhibits.com.

SoUTHERN

NEW MExICo

‘Bravo Broadway’ – The Las

cruces Symphony presents its 5th

annual pops performance at 7:30

p.m. Saturday and 3 p.m. Sunday,

Jan. 7-10, at NMSU’s atkinson

recital Hall. Tickets: $35, $45 and

$50. information: (575) 646-3709

or lascrucessymphony.com.

Guests anne runolfsson, doug

Labrecque and debbie Gravitte

will join the orchestra in a gala

performance celebrating Broadway

classics from “Gypsy,” “phantom

of the opera,” “My Fair Lady,”

“west Side Story,” “Mama Mia,”

“wicked,” “chicago” and “Funny

Girl.” Flickinger center for per-

forming arts — 1110 New York

ave. alamogordo. all perform-

ances at 7:30 p.m. Tickets are $10,

$18 and $25. information: (575)

437-2202 or

flickingercenter.com. Upcoming

shows: • Trio Solisti — Friday,

Jan. 8. The piano-violin-cello trio

has earned a national reputation for

its passionate and adventurous per-

formances.

Antique and Collectible

Show — The 23rd annual winter

nostalgia show and sale is 10 a.m.

to 5 p.m. Saturday and 10 a.m. to 4

p.m. Sunday, Jan. 7-10, at St.

Genevieve’s parish Hall, 1025 e.

Las cruces ave. in Las cruces.

Free appraisals offered and food

will be served. admission: $2

(good for both days). information:

(575) 526-8624.

Harvest Cooking ClassThis month's cooking class with

chef carol Koenig features recipes

that include walnuts, winter greens

and "whatever." pre-registration is

required.

Jan 5th New Mexico Farm and

ranch History Museum 4100

dripping Springs rd. Las cruces,

NM 88011 (505) 522-4100

Peter Mulvey – 7:30 p.m. Jan

15, at the Silco Theatre in Silver

city, N.M. part of the Mimbres

region arts council’s Folk Series.

Mulvey is known for the fullness

of his vocals and guitar. Tickets:

$5-$20. information: (575) 538-

2505 or 1-888-758-7289.

‘One-Act Play Festival’ –Jan. 15-24 . Las cruces commu-

nity Theatre presents its annual

celebration of short plays at 8 p.m.

Fridays and Saturdays and 2 p.m.

Sundays. Tickets: $5 (free for sea-

son ticket holdiers). information:

(575) 523-1200 or lcctnm.org.

Daniel Rodriguez – 7:30 p.m.

Jan. 22, at wNMU Fine arts cen-

ter Theater. presented by Grant

county community concert asso-

ciation. doors open at 7 p.m. Tick-

ets: $20 at the door. information:

(575) 538-5862.

Moscow Festival Ballet’s

‘Cinderella’ — 8 p.m. Jan. 30

at the Spencer Theater for per-

forming arts in alto, N.M. Tickets:

$56-$59. information: (575) 336-

4800, (888) 818-7872 or

spencertheater.com.


Controversial herb salvia may have some medicinal benefits

By Justin Anthony Monarez ScrippS Howard NewS Service

purple blossoms of midnight

salvia and stems of blue chiquita

salvia adorn the Jacqueline

Kennedy Garden at the white

House and thousands of other back

yards.

The common garden flowers,

which belong to the mint family,

have a lesser-known hallucino-

genic cousin. it’s called salvia di-

vinorum, or salvia for short, and it

is the subject of controversy over

whether it should be classified as

an illegal drug. Fourteen states

have made it illegal or regulated

its use. proposed legislation in

several other states died.

packets of dried salvia leaves

cost $20 to $40, depending on the

amount and potency, in head

shops, holistic centers and online

stores.

Salvia entered the mainstream in

the late 1990s, due to its wide-

spread availability, media attention

and recreational use among young

adults.when salvia is smoked or

chewed, the Mexican native herbproduces a short but intense psy-choactive high, on par with that ofsynthetic hallucinogens. Like itscultural cousin, marijuana, salviamay have medical uses.

“There is a lot of promising evi-dence that some work on this drugcould lead to medications for a va-riety of disorders,” said Mattheww. Johnson, a substance-abuse re-searcher at the Johns Hopkins Uni-versity School of Medicine.

The drug enforcement adminis-tration, which recently listed salviaas a drug of concern, is workingwith the department of Health andHuman Services to evaluate thesubstance for possible placementon the federal controlled-substanceschedule.


With the support of the City of El Paso Museums and Cultural Affairs Department and the Texas Commission on the Arts.

Sarah Ioannides, Music Director/Conductor

EPSOThe Symphony

An Essential Exceptional Experience!

Sponsored by:

ExhilaratingEssentially

BAILEYZuillThe Plaza Theatre, 7:30 pmJAN. 22 & 23 All-Star Celebration

Alexander Platt, Guest ConductorZuill Bailey, Cello

Goldmark Rustic Wedding SymphonyDvorák Cello Concerto, B minor, op. 104

Guest Conductor and Artist generously underwritten by Mrs. Robert M. Graham, Sr.

EssenntiallyExhila

J

Essearating

y

J

Sponsored by:

Cello Concer Dvorák ed Rustic W Wedding SymphonyGoldmark

Cello, Zuill Bailey Gue xander Platt,Ale

The E op. 104 rto, B minor r, op. 104

dding Symphony

est Conductor

SymphonyEPSO

exas Commission on the Arts. and the T e Museums and Cultural Affairs Department With the support of the City of El Paso

Grah Robert M. Mrs.. Robert M.generously underwritten by Guest Conductor and Artist

An Essential Exceptional Experience!

The Sarah Ioannides

ion on the Arts. Affairs Department

City of El Paso

. Sr ham, ritten by

d Artist

ntial Exceptional Experience!

Symphony, Music Director/Conductor nides


replace your furnacecost: anywhere from $3,000 to

$10,000 for an energy-efficientmodel.

advantage: 85 percent to 95 per-cent efficient; tax rebate of up to15 percent of the cost of the fur-nace if it’s energy-Star rated.

“Getting a highly energy-effi-cient furnace pays you back everytime it does come on,” says Bar-rows.

a traditional furnace can lose upto half its heat through leaks in itspipes. The same is true for leakingair-conditioning ducts. if your fur-nace or ac unit is decades old, theloss likely is greater.

an energy-efficient furnace, bycontrast, only loses five percent to12 percent of the heat it generates.Have your contractor run a Man-ual-J assessment. it’s software thatcalculates how much heat yourhouse will need. it will allow youto buy a furnace just large enoughfor your needs.

replace your roofcost: $50 to $1,000 per 100

square feet, depending on materi-als.

advantage: better heat retention,avoidance of crises, such as waterdamaged walls and mold infesta-tions.

a leaky roof can infest the wallswith mold and hurt your health.and it can be a bear of an expenseto deal with when you’re on afixed income.

once you’ve made a plan and setaside funds, consider adding a re-flective membrane under the shin-gles so that it will reflect heat andcold. when choosing shingles,consider a light-colored shingle in-stead of the typical gray or black.

if you’re looking for a green so-lution and are willing to pay up tothree times the cost of shingles,consider a metal roof, says Bar-rows. You can get one made fromrecycled materials.

vitAl homEREPAiRS


continued from page 8The 70 members of the Moun-

tain empire Model railroadersclub, including alsop, the club’spresident, maintain the massivedisplays with practiced precision,plus lots of dusting — “very care-fully,” alsop added.

You’ll find members holdingwork sessions to maintain thetracks on Thursdays. on Satur-days, the museum is open to thepublic.

The group — also called“Mountain empire Modular rail-roaders” — formed in 1993 whena group of about 20 railroad en-thusiasts met at Gray elementarySchool in washington county,Tenn.

Since that time, the group hasgathered at several celebrations,including the biannual Toy andTrain Show at the Gray Fair-grounds.

MiNi-worKSHopS

Housed in a 2,400-square-footarea, the year-old George L.carter railroad Museum grewout of a temporary display, held afew years ago at the university’scarroll reece Museum.

periodic workshops focus onhow to make trees, shrubs,ground cover, rocks — and evenwater — to simulate tiny forestsbeside your train tracks.

Most of the trees in the mu-seum’s display, alsop said, aremade of “ground foam” — or“foam that has been ground up insmall flakes. You have a choice ofcolors, size and shape ... Themost realistic trees we have usereal wood.”

Here’s a tip: “The most detailedtrees are always in the front,”alsop said. “Trees in the back-ground don’t have the detail.”

Mirrors are used “to give agreater illusion of distance,”alsop said. “The mirrors are hid-den, so you don’t see the edges.”

with a grin, alsop pointed outintricacies of the layout, includ-ing a trestle that he built and said,“You’re only limited by yourimagination.”

Joe Tennis writes for the Bris-

tol-Herald Courier in Tennessee.

Choo Choo


“it means that we all have a

chance to change,” he said.

He offered a first-hand history

lesson — from his life in his birth-

place of Haltern, Germany, to trac-

ing the roots of anti-Semitism

during world war i.

“anti-Semitism in Germany, in

those days, was kind of modest,”

he said.

when the war broke out, “people

didn’t ask if you were catholic,

protestant, Buddhist or Jewish.

You were German descent; you

fought for your Faderland. You

fought for your country.”

Lebenstein’s father fought for

the Faderland.

The people in Haltern went from

playing soccer in the schoolyard to

becoming “blood brothers.”

That didn’t matter during

Kristallnacht — the Night of Bro-

ken Glass. on Nov. 9, 1938, Nazi

soldiers began killing Jewish peo-

ple, taking them to concentration

camps and burning synagogues.

on Nov. 10, 1938, the soldiers

made their way to the Lebenstein

home.

a friend told Lebenstein’s father

he’d be all right. Just mention your

service in world war i; put on

your war medals, the friend told

him.

it didn’t matter.

“You can’t do this to me. i am a

good German,” his father screams

to the soldiers.

The Nazi soldiers spat in his fa-

ther’s face, ripped off his war

medals and stomped on them.

Lebenstein, just 11 years old at

the time, was scared.

“i became so frightened,” he

said. “it just overtook me.”

For the first time, he said, his fa-

ther felt fear — his hands were

perspiring.

after looking to the heavens,

Lebenstein recalled his father of-

fering to turn himself in to keep

his family safe.

His friend didn’t like that idea.

“i’m so disappointed in you to

think that way,” the friend said.

in silence, they hid in a trench in

a nearby cemetery, listening to

Nazi soldiers celebrating the few

Jewish people left in Haltern. The

soldiers destroyed all of the head-

stones in the cemetery.

Soon after, Nazis captured his

family, where they went from

ghettos to cattle cars, and later, to

concentration camps. He doesn’t

talk much of the camps, or of what

he saw happen to children.

of the 19 Jewish people left in

Haltern, Lebenstein was the only

survivor of the camps.

referring to the intolerance he

says he sees today — citing reli-

gious differences as the primary

factor — he says that today isn’t a

whole lot different than in the time

of adolph Hitler.

“we cannot afford to stand idly

by and allow any kind of hatred,

any kind of atrocity to occur.”

admittedly, he held hatred for a

long time, and wouldn’t return to

his hometown until receiving

heartfelt letters from children

there. His two children, he said,

suffered from it. For a long time,

he didn’t want to hear any Ger-

man; his hatred was that strong.

But after stepping out of an old

cattle car, the students had a sur-

prise for him.

They gathered in the shape of a

heart. His wall of hatred broke

down from there.

“if i have to depend on my gen-

eration, on the older people here, i

have no hope,” he said. “None.”

it has to be a new generation.

wake up; be grateful. You can

change things, he told the

teenagers in the audience.

“You have everything at the tips

of your fingers to be somebody,”

he said, raising his voice. “Go and

do it.”

Jimmy LaRoue writes for The

News virginian in Waynesboro,

Va.


Let’s face it — the averagegolfer is much more accuratewith the putter than a wedge,

so when you’re just off the green,why wouldn’t you reduce your riskof chunking or blading by simplyrolling the ball toward the hole withyour putter?

The answer is pretty simple: ifyou’re like the majority of golfers,you watch the pros on Tv chipfrom off the green. They mustknow something that the averagegolfer doesn’t, right? They sure do:They know how to play theirwedges with almost unerringconsistency.

So unless you’re a great chipper,you need to keep the ball on theground anytime you can.


IT’S GOOD FOR YOUR GAME

pUTTwhenever youcan

If this chip looks scary to you,then don’t attempt it. Use your putter.



This is not to say you shouldn’t work onyour chipping, but not while you play. as BenHogan said, “Never try a shot on the courseyou haven’t practiced on the range.”

So until you’ve got those shots under con-trol, be smart. Unless your path to the hole isblocked by a hazard or some other ob stacle,roll the ball up there.

if you decide to putt it from off the green,there are a few adjustments you need tomake. Stand a little closer to the ball than foryour normal putting stroke to make your posture more upright. This raises the bottomof your swing arc off the ground so you’resure to put overspin on the ball to keep it

rolling smoothly over bumpy terrain. once you’ve adjusted your setup, make a

couple of practice strokes to ensure that theputter head bottoms out where you want it to:at the equator of the ball. You want onlyputter-to-ball contact on this shot. The putterhead should not contact any part of the grass.

Lee Westwood, winner of this year’s dubaiworld championship, putts every chance he

gets. Here he’s standing a little bit taller toapply top spin that will keep a true roll on the

ball as it travels through the longer grass.

pUTT....

Dr. T.J. Tomasi is a teachingprofessional in Port St.Lucie, Fla. Visit his Web siteat tjtomasi.com.

ABOUT THE WRITER

DON’T MISS IT

For a useful and entertaining guide tothe rules of Golf, don’t Miss “The rulesof Golf in plain english.” Lawyers andavid golfers Jeffrey Kuhn and BryanGarner teamedup, with the blessing of the USGa, toclear up the sometimes tortured language in the official rules. whatstarted in 1744 as a 338-word set of ruleshas grown to a monstrous 40,000 words over the last 21/2 centuries. Kuhn and Garner make it readable. it’s$12 from The University of chicago press(www.press.uchicago.edu).

a hard read made easy

QUOTE OF THE MONTH

“i don’t think the era of the ’80s and

’90s will ever return … it’s just not

going to happen. … we’ll get back to

good days. we are not going to get

back to making a lot, a lot of money.”

— Greg Norman

on the future of the golf industry


DATE

Thursday, Jan. 7, 2010

Monday, Jan. 11, 2010

Tuesday, Jan. 12, 2010

Wednesday, Jan. 13, 2010










Saturday, Jan. 30, 2010

pLACE NAME

Marty Robins Park

Grandview Park

Whitespur Park

Pavoreal Park

San Elizario

Socorro

Westway

Montana Vista

Horizon

Shawver Park

Album Park

Valley Pines

El Paso Hills

Chamizal Park

ADDREss

11600 Vista del Sol

3200 Jefferson

4800 Love

9301 Alameda

1325 Beverly Ann

910 Rio Vista

Zinn/De Alba

14618 Greg

13969 Veny Webb

8100 Independence

3110 Parkwood

610 Lomaland

1140 Timothy

800 South San Marcial St.

LOCATION

Parking lot between swimming pool and restrooms

Round parking lot near the office

Next to Fire Station

Parking lot at the corner of Alameda and Presa

Centro Ayuda Parking Lot

Community Center parking lot

Church Parking lot

Community Center parking lot

Parking lot

Parking lot near swimming pool

Near the recreation center

Parking lot

Parking lot

Parking lot

January 2010 Pet Care-A-Van Schedule

For more information about the pet Care-A-Van program, call (915) 842-1000.

The best way to keep floors clean is to never let themget dirty. and that means catching those muddy pawsbefore they come inside. Here are some tips:

• Use mats. put washable mats both inside and outsidethe door. a small door mat can be jumped over, so gofor something larger, at least during the rainy season.The wider the area of matting, the more chance youhave of every paw hitting the mat at least once. Try a 3-foot-by-5-foot black industrial mat on either side of thedoor: it catches lots of mud and hoses off easily outside.

• Teach dogs to wait for wiping. it’s not difficult toteach a dog to wait on the mat for a paw cleaning. ifyou’re patient and positive, you’ll be able to teach yourpet to offer each paw in turn and stand patiently whileyou towel it off.

• Save your old towels. when towels get too ratty forguests to see, save them for use with your pets. old tow-els may be ugly, butthey are great for wiping paws, drying fur and evenswiping a muddy paw print off the floor. You can alsofind super-absorbent towels and mitts made specifically

for wiping paws. ifyou do need to buypaw wipes, then checkprices on shop towels.

• Never let a messsettle in. if a muddypaw gets past you,don’t delay yourcleanup. while thisisn’t such a hard-and-fast rule for such easy-clean surfaces as tileand hardwoods, it’s anabsolute command-ment when it comes tocarpets. Keep cleaningsupplies well-stockedand at hand, and besure to jump on a muddy paw print — orany pet mess — before it can set.— Gina Spadafori

THE SCooP

Muddy paws can be tamed, even in winter

Mud and dogs are facts of lifemany months of the year.

PET TIP

Bigger pet cagesare always better

if you had to spend your life in a

cage, you’d want it to be as big as

possible, wouldn’t you? Then why

settle for a tiny cage for your bird,

reptile or small mammal?

Forget the pet store’s labels or rec-

ommendations. For them, cage size

recommendations are based on what

they believe a customer will pop for

— in other words, the cheapest op-

tion available.

Think bigger! Go one size larger

than the pet-store recommendations.

For a budgie, for example, get a

cage sized for a cockatiel, while

cockatiels should be in cages sized

for small parrots.



continued from page 19while you’re introducing that larger cage to your pet, don’t forget to

enrich the environment with a variety of toys (and perches, for birds). Lifein a cage isn’t natural for any animal, so the least you can do is make thatlife more interesting.— Gina Spadafori

PET TIP

Mixed-breed cats aremost popular

• reports of a flood of chihuahuas in shelters has prompted therelocation of many of these dogs to parts of the country where theyremain in demand. Newspaper reports show that chihuahuas and chimixes are the top dog in Los angeles shelters and make up one-third ofthe dogs for adoption in San Francisco shelters. why the little dogs are sopopular is a matter for speculation, but some blame the influence ofcelebrities such as paris Hilton and movies such as “Legally Blonde” and“Beverly Hills chihuahua.”

• The New York racing association will levy harsh penalties on ownersand trainers who either directly or indirectly sell a horse for slaughter,revoking the right to book stall space at the association’s tracks —aqueduct, Belmont and Saratoga. in the meantime, reuters reports thathorsemeat is falling off the menu in France, a trend that may finally forceNorth america to find more humane solutions to the problem of unwantedhorses.

• dog breeds atanimal shelters aremisidentified about 75percentof the time, accordingto a study by canada’scollege of veterinaryMedicine at westernUniversity. Thefindings bring intoquestion the ability ofanimal control officialsto id — and mark forkilling — shelter “pitbulls” in jurisdictionswhere they are banned.— Dr. Marty Beckerand Mikkel BeckerShannon

• Most cat lovers have never been that interested in pedigrees: plain ol’domestic cats of all backgrounds, markings and coat lengths are by far themost popular. among cats with papers, the most popular breed is the per-sian, followed by the Maine coon, the exotic (a shorthaired persian),Siamese and abyssinian. in the United Kingdom, what americans calldSH (domestic shorthair) and dLH (domestic longhair) cats go by themuch more endearing name of “Moggy.”

california shelters are reacting to a glut of

chihuahuas by sending them to regions where

small dogs are in high demand.


By Bill Wagner


The barbarians, who descendedupon europe after the fall of theroman empire, aren’t among thegood guys when it comes to thehistorical record. However, theydo deserve some thanks for help-ing create one of the world’sgreatest cities.

For years, those who inhabitedthe mainland, along the shores ofthe adriatic Sea, periodically fledinto the saltwater lagoon, seekinga safe haven from invaders.

eventually those people gottired of the routine and decided tosettle on the many islands in thelagoon.

From these humble beginningsaround 450 a.d., the city weknow as venice was born.

venice, the island city famous

for its gondolas, is unique. cross-

ing the street is a breeze. There

are no cars. The only way to get

around the mass of small islands

is by bridge, water taxi, gondola

and other water transportation.

while thousands come to work

daily, tourists descend in droves

on the magical city each day.

if you’re coming by land, then

piazzale roma will be the starting

point. The long ponte della Lib-

erta (“Bridge of Liberty”) con-

nects both railroad and auto traffic

from the mainland. Technically,

piazzale roma is not part of

venice, because you still have to

cross a bridge or take a water taxi

to access the city.a minor point to some, but a

matter of great importance tovenetians, since there are manysquares in venice, but there isonly one piazza — piazza SanMarco.

Getting around is easy once you

get the knack of things. Manytourists simply pick up a map andnavigate on their own. if you’regoing into venice for any lengthof time, you can pick up anacTv pass that allows you multi-ple rides within a specified timeperiod on buses and water taxis.There’s an information booth inpiazzale roma. But pick youragent well. personality and help-fulness weren’t exactly the orderof the day when my wife and ivisited a few windows looking forhelp earlier this year.

if you enjoy taking a tour tosoak up the experience,...


How to go with the

flow while visiting Venice

SHNS PHOTOS

In Venice, canalsare like streets,with parked boatsinstead of cars.

Water WorksWater Works


ACROss1 Washington’s follower6 Piece of cake11 “___ Robinson”14 Wise lawgiver15 Gestation stations16 Alley ___17 Silent diner19 Spanish one20 Middle of a famed palin-drome

21 Tie the knot22 Phoenix-to-Seattle dir.23 Socialite being pompous?28 Stop start29 Queue before Q30 Maui melody makers31 Lou’s sidekick32 One of the Lesser Sundas33 Tortilla flour35 Director in a brawl?40 Johnson, of “Love at First

Bite”41 Seine tribu-tary42 MulhouseMrs.43 GoldenFleece carrier45 Letters onsome hulls46 Assist47 President indeliberation?53 Sound of dis-approval54 Last year ofCaligula’s reign55 Geologicalspan56 ___ now ornever!57 Essayistchilled to thebone?63 Formerlynamed64 ___ a time65 Ramlike66 Unconven-tional67 Usefulness68 Actress Hiller

DOWN1 Question2 Female kangaroo3 Tuscaloosa’s site, briefly4 Byrd composition5 Farm sound6 Reminder7 Call ___ day8 Food-label stat9 Bellman

10 Studier of the Upanishads11 Active Alaskan volcano12 Singer Milsap13 Gives birth to18 Infant23 College-credit unit24 Not identified, medically25 Defendant’s plea26 Motorist’s mishap27 Exclamation of reproof28 TV network32 Food preservative, familiarly33 Lasses34 Have a birthday36 Short reptile?37 Blenny or bluehead38 Participant’s comment39 Author Buntline43 Pink-eyed rat44 Raised Cain48 U-shaped river bend49 Treeless plain50 More congenial51 Not at all, vernacularly52 Jack58 Meal starter59 Utmost60 Relatives61 Not Rep. or Democrat62 French marshal Michel


continuedfrompage21....thereareplentyof com-paniesofferinga widevariety oftours.

Gondolarides aren’tcheap, so if

your heart is seton a gondola ride, just pay andthen enjoy the scenery.

while there are hundreds of

small bridges that connect one is-

land to another, there are only a

few bridges that span the Grand

canal.ponte di rialto (rialto Bridge) is

the most famous. it was finished in1591. Like the ponte vecchio inFlorence, the venice bridge is

linedwith shops catering totourists. The bridge hasthree walkways — twoalong the outside and awider one down themiddle between tworows of small shops.(Take note: Thebridge is mostly steps and defi-nitely not wheelchair- or stroller-friendly.)

The spiritual center is piazza SanMarco (St. Mark’s Square). The

basil-ica of St. Mark is a wonder tobehold, with gilded mosaics cover-ing the walls and ceilings. it ishard to imagine such intricate

work being done inthe 13th century.

information onvenice is easy tocome by. Sites suchas http://europeforvisi-tors.com/venice/ areloaded with informa-tion. once you get tovenice, you can pick upa guide containing his-

torical info, explanations about thebuildings and a map or maps of thecity.


“once it’s on a Schedule i list, it

will make it nearly impossible to

be researched for medicinal pur-

poses,” said Naomi Long, wash-

ington office director of the drug

policy alliance Network, which

promotes drug policies grounded

in science, health and human

rights.

Under the controlled Substances

act, Schedule i drugs have high

potential for abuse, no approved

medical use and a lack of accepted

safety.

“Until that is complete, we can-

not say what schedule it would be

in; however, Schedule i is for

drugs with no legitimate medical

purpose,” dea spokeswoman Bar-

bara wetherell said. “at this time,

it would appear that it doesn’t have

one.”

early research

has found that

salvia may treat

alzheimer’s dis-

ease, schizophre-

nia, bipolar

disorder, dementia,

pain and substance

abuse.

Johnson said pre-

mature scheduling

may deter or slow

development of

medical uses, simi-

lar to marijuana’s

footsteps, because

of legal barriers and limited re-

sources. The dea does not recog-

nize medical uses for marijuana,

although 14 states do.

“pharmaceutical companies are

not likely to

invest money

in a drug or the

modification of

a drug that is

already sched-

uled,” Johnson

said.

Toxicity and

addiction

among users is

low, according

to a report

Johnson pre-

sented to the

Maryland Gen-

eral assembly,

which did not regulate salvia.

“You compare it to something

like alcohol, and there is no com-

parison in terms of the demon-

strated harm that can be caused,”

Johnson said.

The psychedelic herb severely

impairs motor skills, alters sensory

perception and creates vivid hallu-

cinations for five to 30 minutes,

Johnson said, but there is little evi-

dence of public risk.

“This drug is so short-acting that

there’s not much time for someone

to cause themselves problems, and

that might be why we really

haven’t seen any emergency-de-

partment entries regarding this

drug,” Johnson said.

The drug abuse warning Net-

work, part of HHS, reported no

emergency-room visits attributable

to salvia from 2004 to 2006. over

those three years, the network re-

ported 192,000 emergency-room

visits linked to marijuana use.

Salvia....

SHNS PHOTO

Venice’s world-famous Rialto

Bridge spans theGrand Canal and is

lined with shops.

venice.....

Mature Times - Jan 2010

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Transcript of Mature Times - Jan 2010