PHOTO: Laura Leighton

Q: My friend recently loaned me her DVD of "Dr. Horrible's Sing-Along Blog" with Neil Patrick Harris and Nathan Fillion. It was absolutely wonderful! Any chance for a sequel? -- Jenny B., via e-mailA: When I spoke with Nathan about the upcom-ing season of "Castle," he assured me that there are plans for another "Dr. Horrible," and that his character, Capt. Hammer, will be involved. I asked him if he was surprised that what started out as an almost underground project has become such a mainstream success."I'm not surprised that it has become so popu-lar and so well liked," Nathan said. "That's Joss Whedon for you. He's got something going on. Whatever he touches seems to turn to gold in one way or another -- if not with mainstream suc-cess, then with culture status. That's his gift; he tells stories that people yearn for. There's nothing I like more than get-ting involved in a Joss Whedon project and tak-ing credit for all his hard work."***Q: I was excit-ed to hear that Laura Leigh-ton would be starring in the new "Melrose Place," but then disappointed to hear she'd be killed off in the first episode. What gives? -- Brianna M., via e-mailA: My sources tell me that while Sydney An-drew's murder is what propels the Season One story line, that doesn't mean Laura will not be getting much screen time. She'll show up in many episodes throughout the season in flashbacks. ***Q: I loved the series, "My Own Worst Enemy," especially Christian Slater, but I can't seem to find it on the schedule. Will it be back this sea-son? - Wendy F., Altoona, Pa.

Continued on page 4...

O f L a n e C o u n t y

Ad rates & distribution: 541-225-5181 www.tidbitsoflanecounty.com Facebook: Tidbits of Lane County S e p t e m b e r , 2 5 2 0 0 9 Issue 1

Bringing the Wine Country to You

Contact Sharyl Abbaspour to scheduleYOUR wine tasting today!

Direct line: 541.484.0991Cell: 541.521.1717

winewithsharyl@yahoo.com

· A business Networking Organization·Designed to grow your Business

Coming together is beginning.Keeing together is progress.Working together is success.

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Page 2 September 25, 2009 Tidbits® Of Lane CountyConsumer Advice From Uncle SamThe government provides a wide array of con-sumer informa-tion, and much of the information is either free (by mail or online) or as part of low-cost publica-tions you can purchase.The Federal Deposit Insurance Corp. puts out a quarterly consumer newsletter that's loaded with information you can use. Best of all, the newslet-ter is free.The current issue has information on scams in-volving foreclosure rescue and loan modification, with tips to avoid becoming a victim. There's an article on financial services that might not be what they claim, the dangers of convenience checks, options for lowering your mortgage pay-ment, and more.To subscribe to the free newsletter, call 1-877-275-3342 to have it mailed to you. If you have a computer, go online to www.fdic.gov, and you can read the newsletter there, as well as ar-chived back issues. The Web site itself has much more information than the newsletter, but getting the newsletter is still worthwhile. You also can sign up for an e-mail subscription that will give you fast notice of news and press releases, as well as links to information on the FDIC site.USA.gov touts itself as "Government Made Easy." And it is that. The Citizen section of the site has free information for parents, veterans, se-niors, teens and kids. You'll find consumer guides and links to information on air-travel problems and complaints, auto safety and recalls, tips on charitable giving, drinking water safety, scholar-ship scams and hundreds more topics.The Business and Nonprofit section covers topics such as selling to the government, business start-up assistance, state programs and demographics. There are even sections for Government Employ-ees and for Visitors to the U.S.Need a government agency toll-free number? Find it at the National Contact Center, either on-line at info.gov or call 1-800-333-4636.The Federal Citizen Information Center has pub-lications on every conceivable consumer topic. Most of the pamphlets are either free or low-cost. You can browse by topic or top sellers, or search for your own specific topic. General categories of information include cars, computers, education, food, health, money, travel, small business, em-ployment and more. You also can sign up for free publications that will be sent to you by e-mail.

A Note from the Publisher – Our First Issue Delivers 9/25/09!

To: Greater Eugene/Springfield Area Business Owners-Managers FINALLY…. A paper in this market with afford-able advertising rates to help small business own-ers get their message out! YOU will love this paper (TidBits) as much as I do. TidBits of Greater Eugene/Springfield will distribute over 5000 papers in 200 plus locations producing 18,500* readers who will pick up and read TidBits weekly according to TMI Research. These 18,500 readers will see and likely respond to YOUR message while we entertain them. The exclusive delivery of Tidbits in high demo-graphics assure YOUR message is hitting quali-fied men and women with the purchasing power necessary to grow YOUR business by spending money. TidBits is a national publication with over 250 independent publishers in more than 200 counties in 44 states. Recently celebrating their sixteenth year in business Tidbits has developed 4 million+ readers across the USA and Canada each week! In Tidbits you will find well-researched facts, historical trivia, weekly puzzles, cartoons and feature columns all which contribute to the ex-treme “fun factor” Tidbits is know for. I believe that consistent distribution, extremely visual advertising messages, with fun informative content is the key to YOUR success in reaching YOUR buyers in today’s marketplace. YOU will enjoy reading and placing your adver-tising messages in TIDBITS of Greater Eugene/Springfield and I look forward to helping YOU bring continued success in YOUR business! Committed to your Success, Robert ClackOwner/Publisher

Tidbits® Of Lane County September 25, 2009 Page 3

TIDBITS RestaurantsPick of the Week

Events Calendar

Springfield Farmer’s Market Friday September 25 from 9:00am - 2:00pmMain St. between 5th & 6th streets

Springfield Youth Farm StandSat - Sep 26 10:00 AM - 2:00 PMLocation: Lane County Youth Farm, 705 Fla-mingo Avenue, off South Game Farm Road, SpringfieldBuy fresh produce from local teens who work this three-acre organic farm. Proceeds benefit Food For Lane County!For more information call 541.343-2822

Cottage Grove- Grower’s MarketLocated in Coiner Park between 12th & 15th on Main St.Open to the public on Wednesday’s from 4:00 to 8:00pm now until October 14, 2009.

Hult Center - EugeneLewis BlackSun, September 27, 2009 - 8:00pmTicket Pricing: $52.50, $42.50, $37.50Location: Silva HallPresented by Live NationLewis Black is one of the most prolific and popular performers working today. He executes a brilliant trifecta as stand-up comedian, actor and author. Receiving critical acclaim, he performs over 200 nights a year to sold out audiences throughout Europe, New Zealand, Canada and The United States.

Eugene- Family Music Time- FREE10:15 AM - 10:45 AM Description: Sing and dance your way into the weekend with community musicians!Location: Downtown LibraryPhone: (541) 682-8316

Eugene Saturday Market Sep. 26th- FREE10:00 AM - 5:00 PM Description: The oldest, open-air market in the United States offers great food, local crafts, and live entertainment. Every Saturday, rain or shine. Location: 8th & Oak, EugenePhone: (541) 686-8885

Eugene- Bike Riding For Fun & FitnessWednesday, September 30, 20099:30 AM - Noon Description: Senior bike riders depart from Campbell Community Center each Friday for in-town rides. Distances traveled vary depending on ability. Helmets required; weekly attendance is not. Rides vary in length and time. Free.Location: Campbell Community CenterPhone: 682-5318Contact: Yvaughn Tompkins

Eugene- Tuesdays in the Garden Sep. 29th9:00 AM - Noon Description: Join the dedicated group of volun-teer gardeners who meet every Tuesday, to prune, weed, mulch, rake, plant and happily share gar-dening knowledge. Gardeners of all levels of ex-perience welcomed - come ready to learn or share your skills, have fun and help preserve Eugene ‘s oldest garden. Dress for the weather- meets rain or shine. of Eugene.Location: Hendricks Park office/located below restrooms in Main GardenPhone: (541) 682-5324Contact: Ginny Alfriend

Springfiled- Tue September 29 @ 7:oopmBob Welch Author Reading Author and columnist Bob Welch reads from his newest book, MY OREGON II. Copies of the book will be available for purchase and signing.Welch is the general columnist for the Register-Guard, Oregon’s second-largest newspaper. He has been honored five of the last seven years by the National Society of Newspaper Columnists. For additional information, contact Woody Dwinell at 541-726-2232.Location: Springfield Public Library Meeting Room, 225 5th St

Walnut-Crusted Chicken Cutlets

This quick and easy chicken recipe is ready in less than 30 minutes.

Olive oil nonstick cooking spray1/2 cup panko (Japanese-style bread crumbs)1/8 teaspoon ground red pepper (cayenne)Salt and pepper1/2 cup walnuts, toasted and cooled1/4 cup fresh parsley leaves, loosely packed1 large egg white1 teaspoon Dijon mustard1 1/2 pound chicken-breast cutlets, thinly sliced

1. Preheat oven to 450 F. Place rack in 15 1/2-by-10 1/2-inch jelly-roll pan; spray pan and rack with cooking spray.2. On large dinner plate, combine panko, ground red pepper, 1/2 teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground black pepper. In food processor with knife blade attached, blend walnuts and parsley until nuts are finely chopped; toss with panko mixture until well-blended. Set aside.3. In pie plate, whisk egg white and Dijon until well-mixed.

4. One at a time, dip 1 side of each cutlet in egg-white mixture, then into walnut mixture to coat side evenly; press firmly so mixture adheres. Arrange chicken on rack in jelly-roll pan, coated-side up; lightly spray with cooking spray.5. Bake chicken 10 to 12 minutes or until topping is golden-brown and chicken is no longer pink throughout. Serves 6.

Each serving: About 215 calories, 8g total fat (1g saturated), 66mg cholesterol, 280mg sodium, 5g total carbohydrate, 1g dietary fiber, 29g protein.

For thousands of triple-tested recipes, visit our Web site at www.goodhousekeeping.com/recipe-finder/.

(c) 2009 Hearst Communications, Inc.All rights reserved

Old Time Scoops

204 W. Oregon AvenueCreswell, OR541.895.4100

Tidbits® Of Lane County September 25, 2009Page 4

By Samantha Weaver

It was American humorist, writer and television host Sam Levenson who related the following remembrance: "It was on my fifth birthday that Papa put his hand on my shoulder and said, 'Re-member, my son, if you ever need a helping hand, you'll find one at the end of your arm.'"

The Associated Press recently reported on a kind act gone terribly awry. An Israeli woman surprised her mother by having her old mattress hauled away and replacing it with a brand-new one. When the mother returned home and dis-covered what had happened, she was terribly distraught. It seems the woman had been hiding money in the old mattress for years -- about $1 million.

According to a survey conducted in 2008, 15 percent of American men spend more than an hour in the bathroom every day. Unsurprisingly, the number of women who spend that long in the bathroom is much higher, at 38 percent.

It's been reported that whenever he traveled, French philosopher, mathematician, scientist and writer Rene Descartes brought with him a doll named after his daughter, Francine.

The most common surname in the United States is Smith, followed, in order, by Johnson, Wil-liams and Jones.

A man in Sandusky, Ohio, evidently had a rat problem in his home -- and had a novel way of dealing with it. It seems that whenever he saw -- or thought he saw -- a rat, he would shoot it. This method didn't always work the way he planned, however. He once shot himself in the foot. On an-other occasion, he mistook his wife's hat for one of the pesky rodents and shot it. Unfortunately, the hat was on her head at the time, and the man was charged with negligent assault.(c) 2009 King Features Synd., Inc.

319 E. Main St. Cottage Grove, OR

Continued from page 1...

A: The Chris-tian Slater dra-ma from NBC was canceled in December 2008 after airing nine episodes. Now you can catch Christian in ABC’s “The Forgot-ten,” where he plays Alex Sullivan, an ex-detec-tive who now works on murder cases involving unidentified victims. Christian told me he is excited about this new role, because the show is different than the other procedurals out there.“This is a group of volunteers, not experts by any means,” he said. “We’re not CSI guys, I mean, I don’t even have a gun. We are amateurs help-ing the police to put the pieces of these puzzles together. We do what we can to help bring closure

to families who’ve been unable to get it.”***Q: Are Jonathan Frakes and Genie Francis still married? How many children do they have? -- Francis W., Decatur, Ala.A: Yes, ma’am. Jonathan (“Star Trek: The Next Generation”) and Genie (“General Hospital”) have been married for 21 years, and they have two children, a son and a daughter. In fact, when I called Genie this past December to talk about “The Note II,” it was Jonathan who answered the phone. All is well in that Hollywood house!

Have a question for Cindy? E-mail her at let-ters@cindyelavsky.com, or write to her in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Visit her new Web site at www.celebrityextraonline.com.

(c) 2009 King Features Synd., Inc.

Page 5 Tidbits® Of Lane County September 25, 2009

1. GEOGRAPHY: What is the largest desert in the world, outside of polar regions?2. MATH: What is the square root of 256?3. HISTORY: During the Great Depression of the 1930s, what were the makeshift camps of home-less people called?4. PERSONALITIES: What 1980s fitness entre-preneur wrote the "Never-Say-Diet Book"?5. MOVIES: Who was originally cast to play Inspector Clouseau in "The Pink Panther"?6. FIRSTS: In what year were women officially allowed to run in the Boston Marathon?7. GEOGRAPHY: Where is the headquarters of NATO located?8. LITERATURE: Which famous artist served as a correspondent for Harpers' Weekly magazine during the Civil War?9. TELEVISION: What television sitcom family lived at 1313 Mockingbird Lane?10. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Who served as the 16th president of the United States?

Answers on page 7 FLASHBACKBy Mick Harper

1. Who is Robert Louis Ridarelli?2. Who sang "Every Breath You Take," and what was the year?3. Name the 2001 hit by Lifehouse.4. Who sang "Believe" in 1999? (Clue: She was half of a duo in the '60s.)5. Which group originally started as Little Miss and the Muffets and then the Meltones? 6. Name the British soul band that covered "If You Don't Know Me By Now" in 1989.Answers on page 7(c) 2009 King Features Synd., Inc.

TOP OF THE CHARTS as of Sept. 19, 2009

Top 10 Pop SinglesThis Week Last Week1. The Black Eyed Peas No. 1 "I Gotta Feeling" (Interscope)2. Jay Sean feat. Lil Wayne No. 2 "Down" (Cash Money)3. Miley Cyrus No. 3 "Party in the U.S.A." (Hol-lywood)4. Jay-Z, Rihanna & Kanye West No. 6 "Run This Town" (Roc Nation)5. Kings of Leon No. 4 "Use Somebody" (RCA)6. Taylor Swift No. 5 "You Belong With Me" (Big Machine)7. Mariah Carey No. 11 "Obsessed" (Island)8. Pitbull No. 9 "Hotel Room Service" (Mr. 305/Polo Grounds/J)9. Drake No. 7 "Best I Ever Had" (Young Money/Cash Money)10. Jason DeRulo No. 13 "Whatcha Say" (Beluga Heights)

Top 10 Albums1. Whitney Houston new entry "I Look to You" (Arista)2. Miley Cyrus No. 3 "Time of Our Lives (EP)" (Hollywood)3. Trey Songz new entry "Ready" (Song Book/Atlantic)4. Insane Clown Posse new entry "Bang! Pow! Boom!" (Psychopathic)5. Colbie Caillat No. 1 "Breakthrough" (Univer-

sal Republic)6. Chevelle new entry "Sci-Fi Crimes" (Epic)7. Kings of Leon No. 4 "Only By the Night" (RCA)8. Pitbull new entry "Rebelution" (Mr 305/Polo Grounds/J)9. Taylor Swift No. 9 "Fearless" (Big Machine)10. The Used new entry "Artwork" (Reprise)

Top 10 Hot Country Singles1. Jason Aldean No. 1 "Big Green Tractor" (Bro-ken Bow)2. George Strait No. 4 "Living for the Night" (MCA Nashville)3. Justin Moore No. 5 "Small Town USA" (Valo-ry)4. Toby Keith No. 7 "American Ride" (Show Dog Nashville)5. Randy Houser No. 2 "Boots On" (Universal South)6. Rascal Flatts No. 3 "Summer Nights" (Lyric Street)7. Keith Urban No. 9 "Only You Can Love Me This Way" (Capitol Nashville)8. Blake Shelton No. 8 "I'll Just Hold On" (War-ner Bros.)9. Chris Young No. 12 "Gettin' You Home (The Black Dress Song)" (RCA)10. Jack Ingram No. 10 "Barefoot and Crazy" (Big Machine)

(c) 2009 King Features Synd., Inc.

Tidbits® Of Lane CountyPage 6 September 25, 2009

PAW'S CORNERBy Sam Mazzotta

Cat's Litter Box Looks Like Mud Bog

DEAR PAW'S CORNER: My female cat "Sandy" will drink a quart of water very quickly. Then for the next couple of days, her litter box looks like sandbox after rain storm. It's a big mess, and looks like a mud field. What's wrong with her? -- Fred in Rochester, N.Y.

DEAR FRED: I can't tell you what's wrong from here, but I can tell you to take Sandy to the vet-erinarian as soon as possible and describe to him or her exactly what you told me. If Sandy has any other unusual behaviors or symptoms, such as seeming lethargic, irritated, hiding out for long periods and so on, tell the vet this as well.Frequent urination is a sign that a serious illness may be developing. It's one of the symptoms of feline diabetes, for example -- although only the vet can make this diagnosis. Often, the illness can be managed, but only if your cat gets prompt medical attention. If caught early, Sandy might only need minimal changes in how she's cared for -- a change in diet, some medication and more frequent checkups.If you're worried about the cost of care, please mention this to the vet when you go in. Some-thing can be worked out so that Sandy can get the help she needs. Many states and cities offer assistance to senior citizens with pets, so that pets can get annual checkups, needed shots and tags at little or no cost.Besides the vet's office, the best places to find information about discounted pet care include senior community centers and the local Humane Society.

Send your tips, questions and comments to Paw's Corner, c/o King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475, or e-mail them to pawscorner@hotmail.com.(c) 2009 King Features Synd., Inc.

By Samantha Mazzotta

Short-Term Fix for Leaky Roof

Q: This summer, I found a couple of small leaks in the attic, apparently from some rough spots on the roof. I marked the attic ceiling where the leaks are, but what's the best way to repair them? -- Greta in Topeka, Kansas

A: You can patch those leaky spots for now, but you'll want to have your roof evaluated by a professional as soon as possible. In the meantime, here's how you can minimize the damage.Indoors, place containers underneath the leaks to catch rainwater, and dry up damp areas as they occur. Next, since you've already marked the leak sources, make sure their locations can be found from outside on the roof.You can do this in two ways: at each leaky spot, drive a large nail through the underside of the roof, upward -- this will punch through or push up the shingle above, marking the spot; or, measure the distance between each leak and the nearest feature that can be seen outside -- like the chimney, a vent opening or the roof peak.From there, a spot repair should be made on the roof. Always work with a partner and a safety rope. On a dry day, head up there with some roof-ing cement, a couple of spare shingles, a utility knife, roofing nails, a hammer and a flat pry bar.At the leak spot, remove the big marking nail -- it's no longer needed. Evaluate the area. If the shingle above is loose or torn, seal back in place with a generous application of roofing cement. If it's missing, install a new shingle by sliding it into place under the shingle above the missing part (carefully loosen the upper shingle if neces-sary, using the pry bar), tacking down with roof-ing cement and securing with a couple of roofing nails (nail them along the top of the replacement shingle, under the overlapping shingle, then press the overlapping shingle down over them).Sometimes, leaks occur at roof joints -- where the roof meets a corner, or a chimney. Metal flashing is in place to sluice water away from these joints, but gaps often occur after a few years thanks to warping and debris strikes. Patch the flashing with roofing cement for now, and have it evalu-ated for replacement in the near future.Send questions or home-repair tips to homegu-ru2000@hotmail.com, or write This Is a Ham-mer, c/o King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475.

(c) 2009 King Features Synd., Inc.

Solar Beach Tanningis dedicated to deliveringquality service at an affordable cost to our customers.

FIRST TAN IS FREE!2101 BAILEY HILL RD.EUGENE, OR 97405342.8060

Thought for the Day: "Almost all our faults are more pardonable than the methods we resort to to hide them." -- Francois de La Rochefoucauld

Page 7 September 25, 2009 Tidbits® Of Lane County

MARY KAY IT’S ALL ABOUTYOU

Rebecca KelleyIndependent Sales Director

541.689.0585Shop on-line

www.marykay.com/rkelley1Superstar treatment with get-gorgeous know-how.

Ask me how I can help.

Curt RasmussenNew York Life Insurance Company

120 Oakway Center, Eugene, OR541-687-7682, cell 541-520-5639

clrasmussen@ft.newyorklife.comNEW YORK LIFE. THE COMPANY YOU KEEP.®

Hashimoto's Disease Is Not an Exotic Illness

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Will you please explain Hashimoto's disease? My daughter has it. What steps should be taken? -- L.S.

ANSWER: Because Hashimoto's disease sounds exotic, it perceived as being a rare illness. It is not. It's an immune attack on the thyroid gland that, over time, stops the production of thyroid hormone and leads to hypothyroidism -- too little of that hormone. (Dr. Hashimoto was the Japa-nese physician who was the first to describe it.)The gland's destruction occurs slowly, so signs and symptoms creep up on a person almost imperceptibly. When they reach their maximum, people know for sure something is quite wrong. They are tired all the time, their skin dries, they're cold when others are warm, they gain weight without taking in additional calories, their hearts beat slowly and their hands and feet become puffy. Menstruating women have fewer periods, and sometimes no periods. Constipation is an-other common sign. Often, the gland enlarges -- a goiter.The proof that the immune system is to blame can be shown by examining thyroid gland tis-sue microscopically. Lymphocytes, one variety of white blood cells and an important part of the immune system, have infiltrated the gland. In ad-dition, antibodies against the gland are found in the blood. Antibodies are products of the immune system.The treatment of Hashimoto's disease is straight-forward. Replace the missing hormone in pill form. Once treatment starts, signs and symptoms go.The thyroid booklet deals with the major prob-lems of this gland and how they are treated.

Readers can obtain a copy by writing: Dr. Donohue -- No. 401W, Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a check or money order (no cash) for $4.75 U.S./$6 Canada with the recipi-ent's printed name and address. Please allow four weeks for delivery.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: What information can you give me on Huntington's disease? I am 62, and I may have it. My doctor's office said they can't

help me. I went to the hospital for the genetic test, but I was told I needed counseling before and after the test. I understand it is expensive. I know the illness gives people tremors. -- J.D.

ANSWER: Huntington's disease is an inherited illness whose signs typically don't appear until a person is between the ages of 30 and 50 (but the range is between 3 and 70). The principal sign is involuntary movements of the face, trunk, arms and legs. The movements are much more than tremors. They are quite big and disruptive. Speech is often affected, and control of eye mo-tion can be lost. Personality changes and a dimi-nution of thinking ability also take place.The genetic test confirms the diagnosis. Since this is such a devastating illness, counseling before the test is essential, and counseling after a posi-tive test is also required. Does this illness run in your family? It does in 97 percent to 99 percent of those who have the illness.Contact the Huntington's Disease Society of America at 800-345-4372 or on the Internet at www.hdsa.org. The people there can tell you if you are wise to pursue testing for 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, FL 32853-6475. Health newsletters also may be ordered from www.rbmamall.com.(c) 2009 North America Synd., Inc.All Rights Reserved

Answers to Trivia Test1. The Sahara Desert in North Africa2. 163. Hoovervilles (named after President Hoover)4. Richard Simmons5. Peter Ustinov, who dropped out. The lead role went to Peter Sellers.6. 19727. Brussels, Belgium8. Winslow Homer9. "The Munsters"10. Abraham Lincoln

Answers to Flashback1. Bobby Rydell, who launched his career with "Kissin' Time" in 1959. He still tours as a solo act.2. The Police, in 1983. Sting allegedly wrote the song during a breakup with his first wife.3. "Hanging By a Moment." The song hit No. 1 in the U.K. and No. 2 in the U.S.4. Cher. She was the oldest female (age 52) to ever have a No. 1 hit. Her career started as half of Sonny and Cher in 1965 with "I Got You Babe."5. The Dixie Cups. They changed their name again in 1964, just before release of their hit "Chapel of Love."6. Simply Red. The song reached No. 1, as did

Tidbits® of Dakota County Page 2

What Readers are Saying...“Tidbits is a really nice break from the constantbarrage of negative stuff you read and hear every day. Reading Tidbits is always one of the highlights of my week”. Reader - Becky Krichevsky, Denver, CO

“Tidbits is fun to read while waiting for food to arrive at a restaurant. You always pick up some great facts that make for good reading and good conversation”. Reader - David R., Montgomery, AL

“I got hooked on Tidbits from the first issue I read. It’s a fun little paper that I look forward to. I know the places in town that carry Tidbits every week, so that’s where I’ll go for lunch. My neighbor saves them to read all over again”. Reader, Karl Patterson, Minneapolis, MN

“For me, reading Tidbits is like eating a bag of really good peanuts. Once you get started you’re always going back for more”. Reader - Ron W., Spokane, WA

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SYMBOLISM

Musicians call it a sharp, the telephone com-

pany says it’s a pound sign. In England they

call it a crosshatch or hash, except for Brit-

ish Telecom operators who refer to it as the

“square key.” And some of us remember when

it was just a plain ol’ number sign or a tic-tac-

toe grid. However, this being the 21st century

and all, the symbol requires an appropriately

high-tech name, which is why people “in the

know” call the # symbol an octothorpe.

Speaking of pound signs, the British have a

bone to pick with us. It seems that on their

American-made computer keyboards, the oc-

tothorpe is in a place where the pound-ster-

ling sign used to be on British typewriters.

How did £ get to be the symbol for pound,

anyway? Before the gold standard, English

money was based on a pound weight of silver

(which is why they still refer to it as “ster-

ling”). The Latin word for weight is “libra,” so

the Brits took a stylized letter L as their mon-

etary symbol. By the way, libra is also why

we use “lb.” as an abbreviation for the weight

unit “pound”.

The percent sign is something we learned to

dread in math class, but loved to see at de-

partment store sales. The symbol was used

beginning no later than the 15th century to

indicate profit, loss, taxes and interest. The

idea of charging a portion per one hundred on

goods dates back to the Middle Ages, when

even the Roman emperor Augustus levied a

tax on slaves sold. At one time, the taxed

amount was written out as “XX per cento,”

which was later abbreviated as “P cento.” As

time went on, different symbols were scrawled

using a combination of the P and C characters

to indicate “per cento.” An Italian manuscript

dated 1425 shows an entry marked “per

0/00,” showing an early incarnation of the

modern percent symbol. The “per” was

soon dropped, as was the extra zero in the

denominator, leaving % to stand on its own.

How did the dollar sign come to represent

U.S. currency? Until 1794, the Spanish dollar

was the main coin in circulation in America.

Properly known as the peso de 8 reales, it was

commonly abbreviated as a lower case “p”

and “s”, with the “s” written to the right and

above the “p.” Often the two letters crossed

one another, and eventually, they melded into

one symbol. It is a small bone of contention

among international computer geeks that the

standard key boards feature the dollar sign

and not the symbol of their native currency.

They feel that it’s just another example of

American domination on popular culture.

The cent sign evolved after the dollar sign,

and was simply designed as the letter “c” (for

cent) with a vertical line through it to match

the dollar sign. Today’s computer users may

notice the lack of a cent sign on their key-

boards. (Some of us will remember our old

typewriters that featured the ¢ above the nu-

meral six on the keyboard.) With the advent

of computers, programmers needed certain

symbols that were regularly used in coding to

be readily available. The cent sign was of no

use to them, and was therefore replaced on

modern keyboards with the circumflex (^).

The “at” sign was so under used when it was

added to the keyboard that it was stuck in an

odd spot (over the “2”) and wasn’t even giv-

en a name. The @ symbol was only used in

English-speaking countries until the Internet

came along. Suddenly, the little symbol that

resembled a snail was used worldwide by any-

one who wanted to send email. Even though

the @ is one of the most-used character keys

on the keyboard, it still doesn’t have an of-

ficial name. (Suggestions are welcome, send

them to us c/o Tidbits@ameritech.net.)

Sample Tidbits...

¢

£

$

@

%

WARNING: Reading Tidbits is habit forming

● Broad audience: Tidbits’ universal appeal and broad reader audience means you reach every demographic target every week.

● Interested audience: Fascinating news content draws readers all the way through each issue- front to back!

● Captive audience: Unique editorial blend hooks readers and keeps them coming back. Your ad gets seen again and again!

● Motivated audience: Readers pick up Tidbits while “out & about” and already in the buying mode!

● Standout presence: Large or small, your ad isn’t lost on a cluttered page in a fat paper.

● Free layout and ad design services

● Deep discount incentives for increased ad size and frequency

Consider this...

A “tidbit” is defined as “a tasty morsel of food to enjoy

before the meal”. And that’s just what Tidbits® is -- a non-controversial weekly newspaper dedicated to

publishing entertaining morsels for the mind, food for thought, educational trivia, fun facts, amusing stories

and fascinating oddities... the kind of tasty morsels that keep you coming back for more!

What is Tidbits®?

Tidbits Delivers Low-Cost Advertising Results!

Introductory Issue Tidbits of Coachella Valley Page 3

What advertisers are saying...“When we were first approached to advertise in Tidbitsour Express Lube department was doing only about ten services per week. With our first ad we did seven services on the first day and we’re now averaging almost ten ser-vices per day. I believe the greatest waste in business is bad advertising and finally we’ve found a medium where our dollar is being well spent”. Advertiser - R.W. Reese, Steamboat Express Lube & Brake Alignment Steamboat Springs, CO

“It is phenomenal how many calls we get from our Tidbits ad. The ‘quality’ of the calls and the steady response is just excellent. We’ve served the Pensacola market forover 20 years and I can still honestly say I’m more pleased with the return on our Tidbits ads than any other print advertising we’ve done”.Advertiser - Don Crawford, Business Services Group, Inc., Pensacola, FL

“Ninety percent of my commercial business comes directly from Tidbits! Call me and I’ll tell you personally!” Advertiser - Byron Schwarz, Sun-Free Window Tinting, Denver, CO 303-662-8800“We get more business from our ad in Tidbits than we do from our expensive monthly ad in the Yellow Pages. Next year our Yellow Pages ad will be reduced so we can run a larger ad in Tidbits”. Advertiser - David M., Spokane, WA

Page 8 September 25, 2009 Tidbits® Of Lane County