Published by PTK Corp. To place an Ad, call: (334) 202-7285 paul@riverregiontidbits.com

September 18, 2012 The Neatest Little Paper Ever Read

OVER 4 MILLION

Readers WeeklyNationwide!

ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ©2007FREE

The Neatest Little Paper Ever Read

OVER 4 MILLION

Readers WeeklyNationwide! ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ©2007

FREE

This Tidbits delves into idioms. An idiom is “a group of words whose meaning cannot be predicted from the meanings of the constituent words.” In other words, they really don’t make sense!•If you live in the rainy PacificNorthwest, thesteamy Southern states or a rain forest, you have probably heard the idiom “It was raining cats and dogs.” The origin of the phrase is unknown. One theory is that in olden days in England, dogs and cats would sleep on the thatch or hay roofs of houses. When it rained, the roofs became slippery and the animals would slide off. Hence, it was “raining cats and dogs!”•Ontheotherhand,ifyouaresittinginatheater,you may be in the “peanut gallery.” This term was popularized in the late 19th century and referred to seats located in the balcony of the theater, the “cheap” seats. People in these seatswouldsometimes throw peanuts, common theater food of the time, on those seated below. The term was also usedforthoseseatedinthefirstrowonthefloorseats where the patrons could throw peanuts on stage if they weren’t pleased with the performance. •Regardingtheaterlingo,when“theplotthickens,”it means that the situation is becoming more difficultorcomplicated.•Manyconsidertheaterperformancestobeluxuriesfor the wealthy, those who “live high on the hog.” Thisexpressioncameaboutbecauseonlytherichcould afford the choicest cuts of pork, like loin, which comes from the top of the pig.•Thebestcutsofporkwereusuallyconsumedatthetime of butchering. The other cuts were salt cured for preservation to be eaten during the winter. When spring arrived, people were “scraping the bottom of the barrel” looking for any scraps remaining. The term is now used to refer to the last food in the pantry, money in the budget, last one chosen

turn the page for more!

Vol 1 Issue 36of the River Region

TIDBITS® IS CHEWING THE FAT WITH

IDIOMSby Patricia L. Cook

Hollis lasik$595.00 Per Eye

• Over 115,000 Done• Financing Available• You Will NOT Be Charged More

Expires 9/28/12www.hollislasik.com

(334) 826-87781100 S. College St. Ste. 108 • Auburn, AL

Page 2 Tidbits® of the River Region

IDIOMS (continued):for a team, etc. •Anothertermforthewealthyisthe“uppercrust.” This term comes from England, where the smell of bread wafted from the kitchens of country estates. The upper crust was the superior un-burnt part of a loaf that was served to the “gentry” or high society.•InBiblicaltimes,the“uppercrust,”orupperclass, was offered the “fat of the land.” This meant the fattest and best livestock. • Another familiar expressionwith originsin theBible is“saltof theearth.”Saltwasnot only expensive, it was also a vitalpreservative.Peoplereferredtoasthe“saltofthe earth” were and are very precious. •Againthinkingofthepreciouscommodityof salt, a compliment that someone is “worth his salt” means he is doing a good job and is a valuable worker. Salt was so valuable in ancient days thatRoman soldiersweresometimes paid with salt instead of or in addition to coins or currency. • Instarkcontrast toagoodworkerstandsone who isn’t. A sorry or less-than-stellar worker may get “canned” or “sacked.” This terminology came from coal miners who were given a chit, a “statement of an amount owed for food and drink,” which they could use at the company store. When let go, their severance pay was a can of food usually put in a sack. •Justasabadworkercanaffecttheattitudesof his co-workers, a “bad apple” can ruin a wholebagorboxofapples.This termhasbeen used with all kinds of produce and people as well. You don’t want to be the “bad apple” in the crowd!•Ifyoufindyourselfintheunsavorypositionof being the person viewed as the “bad apple,” youmayfindyourself“eatinghumblepie.”This saying came about in a circuitous way. In the 14th century, the heart, liver, entrails, etc. of animals were called the “numbles” (noumbles, nomblys, noubles). In the 15th century, they were called “umbles.” The umbles were used as an ingredient in pies. Only lower class folks ate “humble pie.” Hence, abasing or lowering oneself was seen as taking oneself to a lower class.

•BakersinEuropewerenotusuallybaking“humble pie” but pastries, cookies, rolls and otherfinetreats.Becausetheycouldreceivestiff punishment for shorting customers, bakers would usually put 13 or more pieces in their orders just to be sure. This is where the “baker’s dozen” originated. •British sailors onwar ships in the 1700smight have appreciated some “humble pie” or a generous “baker’s dozen.” Their ships did not have the best living conditions. Usually, a sailor’s breakfast and lunch was only bread and a beverage. The third meal of the day included meat and was presented on a square tray. Hence the term “square meal” was coined to identify the most substantial meal of the day. •A popular topping for pizza, “Canadianbacon” has hog geography behind its name. It doesn’t have anything to do with the country ofCanadaotherthanitslocationrelativetothe United States. Traditional bacon is cut from the underbelly or south side of the pig. Canadian bacon is cut from the loin area,the upper part of the pig. Since it is from the north—Oh,Canada!• In England, it is customary to extendhospitality to visitors, even complete strangers. However, when the host chose to serve a “cold shoulder” of beef, it signaled that it was time for the guests to move on. Think about this thenexttimeyousnubsomeoneorgivethemthe “cold shoulder.” •Whenwoodstoveswereusedtocookbeefshoulders and more, cooks used the front burners for intense heat and for stoking the firetoavoidareachacrossthehotstovetop.When it was time to slow down or simmer the food, it was put on the “back burner.” Nowthattermisusedforputtingsomethingon hold, such as a chore you need, but don’t want, to do.•Now for “a toast” to ourTidbits readers!Toasting is a medieval tradition that honored a host with a gesture for long life. The gesture entailed placing a crust of bread into a goblet of wine and raising it to the host, an adaptation ofHolyCommunion.

We’reexperiencingaseasonalepidemicforWestNilevirus,broughtonbyinfectedmosquitoes,ac-cordingtotheCentersforDiseaseControlandPre-vention.WestNileviruscancauseseriousillnessfor some people, even leading to death in a small percentage, especially those who have other medi-calconditionsandthosewhoabovetheageof50.In2011,thetotalnumberofcasesofWestNilevirusforthewholeyearwas712.Sofarin2012theCDChaslogged1,590casesand65deaths.Inotherwords, it’s getting worse, and we need to know how to protect ourselves.AfactsheetfromtheCDCgivessomegoodadvice.Outside your house: Empty any containers that can hold standing water. This can include saucers under flowercontainersandanypotsorbuckets.Emptywater in birdbaths weekly. It recommends empty-ing a pet’s outdoor water bowl weekly as well, but I would suggest doing it daily. You don’t want your pet to drink water that might have mosquito larva in it.Insideyourhouse:Makesureallyourscreensaretight to the window and do not have holes.When you go out: Taking care that you don’t get bit by mosquitoes is probably the most crucial of all the preventions. Wear long sleeves and pants if you’re out when the mosquitoes are most active, which is dawnanddusk.UseanEPA-registeredinsectrepel-lent. If your community decides to spray for mosquitoes asawayofcontrollingWestNilevirus,takecarenot to be outdoors when they spray. Keep windows closed.For more information, especially the symptoms, go totheCDCsite(www.cdc.gov)andsearchforWestNilevirus,orcallitat1-800-232-4636.

MatildaCharlesregretsthatshecannotpersonallyanswer reader questions, but will incorporate them into her column whenever possible. Write to her incareofKingFeaturesWeeklyService,P.O.Box536475,Orlando,FL32853-6475,orsende-mailtocolumnreply@gmail.com.

(c)2012KingFeaturesSynd.,Inc.

West Nile Virus

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

Raisechickensinyourbackyardinthecity?“Whynot?”said36-year-oldAlisonHolmlundofSantaCruz,Calif.,whentheopportunitycameherwaythis past summer. The busy Silicon Valley software executiveandmomofthreekidsunder5mightappearto have enough going on in her life without adding “chicken farmer” to her resume. “I simply couldn’t refuse when two adorable chicks became available for adoption after being lovingly cared for by children at a farmyard summer camp. I thoughtaddingRubyandPennytoourfamilywouldbe a great way to help my city-raised kids better understand where their food comes from,” she told me on a recent visit. Justthen,3-year-oldJudeannouncedthathefounda“Pennyegg”inthe“HolmlundHenHouse,”asturdystructurebuiltwithrecycledpanelingfroma1970sbedroom remodel, a repurposed refrigerator shelf for a screen, and simple knobs from a dilapidated cabinet. “It’s so much fun for the boys to check for eggs during theday--sometimeswegetuptofour.Pennylayslight-green-coloredeggs,andRuby’sarebrown,”saysAlison. Raisingchickensisareal-lifeapplicationofrecyclingand learning about the food cycle. “We give them food scraps from our kitchen, and they fertilize the garden and eat pests,” she adds. Raisingchickensmightnotbeonyourto-dolistthisfall, but there are other activities to bring home a bit of country life.

HARVESTFALLFINDSWhile farmers bring in their crops, your pre-schoolers alsocan“harvest”naturalitemsonwalks.Lookdownand not just up as you hunt for acorns, branches with berries, pinecones and fallen bark. As leaves turn brilliantcolors,presstheminabookbetweenwaxedpaper when you get home. On a rainy day, make col-lages, necklaces, place cards and centerpieces for your kitchen table.

MAKEITACOUNTRYWEEKENDSpend a Saturday in the country and enjoy a prear-ranged farm tour for an up-close look at farm life. Hangoutwithchickens,goats,cowsandsheep.Climbinahayloft.Orgotoapick-your-ownfarmtoexperi-ence how fruit and vegetables are grown.

GARDENINYOURBACKYARDFor nonstop learning, clean and dry remaining herbs growinginyourgarden.Pickthelastsunflower,pressand frame it. Till the soil and plant some bulbs for colorfulbloomsnextspring.***DonnaErickson’saward-winningseries“Donna’sDay”isairingonpublictelevisionnationwide.Tofindmore of her creative family recipes and activities, visit www.donnasday.comandlinktotheNEWDonna’sDayFacebookfanpage.Herlatestbookis“DonnaErickson’s Fabulous Funstuff for Families.”

(c)2012DonnaEricksonDistributedbyKingFeaturesSynd.

Bring Home Country Living

Tidbits® of the River Region Page 4

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

DEARDR.DONOHUE:Ihavesufferedwithrestlesslegsyndromefor25years.Whatcauses it? Is thereacure? Ido takeRequip.Somesay thathaving theveinsinyourlegsstrippedhelps.Doesit?--C.K.

ANSWER: Stabbing pain, a burning feeling and acreepy-crawly sensation in the legs are some of the ways people describe restless leg syndrome. The sensation mostly comes on in the evening when sitting in a chair or, more often upon going to bed. The night is punctuated with interruptions of sleep, as the sensations wake a person. They drive the person to get up and walk about until these annoying feelings go way. Walking does get rid of them, but the respite is only temporary. The attacks reach peaks at midnight and again around 4 a.m.For most, a cause cannot be found. Sometimes it’s a family affair, passed by the parent to the children. In afewinstances,irondeficiencyanemia,renalfailureand Parkinson’s disease are associated with it. Theanemia connection is worth checking out, since it has adefinitecure--irontablets.The medicine you mention, Requip (ropinirole) isone often prescribed for this problem. If you’ve been taking it for some time without relief, you ought to trysomeoftheothermedicinesusedforit.Mirapex(pramipexole) and Neurontin (gabapentin) are twoothers. A new variety of gabapentin called Horizant comesasanextended-releasetablet,somedicationisdelivered to the body throughout the night. A warm bath before going to bed, coupled with a leg massage afterward, often can cut down on the number ofattacksandtheirintensity.Restrictingalcoholandcaffeineworksforsomepeople.Removinglegveinswill not help.The booklet on restless leg syndrome and nighttime leg cramps goes into greater detail on both these subjects.Readers canobtain a copybywriting:Dr.Donohue -- No. 306W, Box 536475, Orlando, FL32853-6475. Enclose a check or money order (nocash) for $4.75U.S./$6Canadawith the recipient’sprinted name and address. Please allow fourweeksfor delivery. ***DEARDR.DONOHUE:Mymotherhaslivedinanassisted-living facility for two years. She’s mentally clear, but physically unable to take care of herself. The last time I visited her, a nurse was taking her blood pressure. She told me that my mother’s pressure in her right arm was normal, but the pressure in her left arm was165over95.Whichisher truebloodpressure?--E.L.ANSWER:A10-pointdiscrepancyinbloodpressurebetween the two arms is considered acceptable. With a larger difference, the actual blood pressure is the higher one.***DEARDR.DONOHUE:Howdoespancreatitisrelatetocancerofthepancreas?Isitanearlystageofthatcancer?--D.B.

ANSWER: Pancreatitis is an inflammation of thepancreas brought on by many different conditions, includingviralinfections.Pancreatitisisnotanearlystage of cancer.Chronic pancreatitis, a long duration of pancreasinflammation,isaslightriskforeventualdevelopmentof pancreatic cancer, but even it is not a common prelude to cancer.

Dr. Donohue regrets that he is unable to answerindividual letters, but he will incorporate them in his columnwheneverpossible.Readersmaywritehimorrequest an order form of available health newsletters atP.O.Box536475,Orlando,FL32853-6475.

(c)2012NorthAmericaSynd.,Inc.AllRightsReserved

Restless Legs Ruin Sleep

Page 5“Be known before you’re needed” Advertise with Tidbits (334) 202-7285

Registertowinatwww.riverregiontidbits.comandclick on “Tommy Tidbits”. Fill out the registration information 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 Style Connection

Last Week’s Ads where Tommy was hiding:1.Marguirette’s,p.12. Kool 95, p. 5

DEARPAW’SCORNER:Lastweekareallytragic accident happened just down the street. Our neighbor was walking his 1-year-old Ger-manShepherd,?Champ,?onasturdyleash.The dog tended to tug on his leash or jump away from his owner when something grabbed his attention. Sadly, when the owner paused to let his dog sniff at a tree on the curb while he wavedtoaneighbor,Champsuddenlydartedintothebusystreet.Beforehisownercouldtughimbackonthecurb,Champwasstruckby a car and killed almost instantly.Pleasewarnyourreaderstokeeptheirdogsunder control and on the sidewalk, even while on a leash, and to pay attention to their dogs duringtheirwalks.Myneighborissufferingterrible grief, and I hate to think of anyone else, or their pets, suffering from preventable

accidents.--SharoninUtica,N.Y.

DEARSHARON:You’reright:Whileac-cidents do happen, many can be prevented by knowing how to correctly walk your dog on a leash.Reinforcingyourdog’sbasicobediencetraining, including sit, stay and heel com-mands, is an important daily task.If you’re having trouble controlling your dog on the leash despite following common leash-training techniques, contact a professional dog trainer for group or private sessions so you and your dog will learn to walk together safely.

Send your questions or tips to ask@pawscorn-er.com,orwritetoPaw’sCorner,c/oKingFeaturesWeeklyService,P.O.Box536475,Orlando,FL32853-6475.Formorepetcare-related advice and information, visit www.pawscorner.com.

(c)2012KingFeaturesSynd.,Inc.

Wild Animals Pose Threat to PetsbySamanthaMazzotta

Tidbits® of the River Region Page 6

1. Is the book of Goliath in the Old or New Testament or neither?2. From Exodus 10, who made a false confession to Aaron and Moses? Herod, Malachi, Satan, Pharaoh3. Who was bespoken by an angel to save Israel from the Midianites? Ish-mael, Job, Gideon, Philip4. From 1 Samuel 9 and 10, who was the first king of Israel? David, Saul, Solomon, Jehu5. Who laughed on hearing she would have a child in her old age? Sarah, Ruth, Lydia, Esther6. From John 8:44, what is Satan the father of? Sin, Lust, Scepters, Lies

1.WhenAtlanta’sCraigKimbrel set a rookie record in2011forsavesinasea-son(46),whosemarkdidhebreak?2.Namethelastmajor-leagueteamtohaveanERAbelow3.00foraseason.3.Carolina’sCamNewtonhad14rushingTDsinthe2011seasontosetanNFLrecord. Who was the former recordholder?4. Who recorded the highest points per game average as afreshmanforDukemen’sbasketballteam?5.In2011-12,TampaBay’sSteven Stamkos set the record for most overtime goalsinaseason(five).How many other players had been tied with Stam-kos?6.Whatschoolhaswonthepast two championships in NCAAwomen’sbowling?7.Inhowmanyweightclassesdidboxer“Sugar”ShaneMosleywinworldtitles?

FEAR & PHOBIAS 3 of 3

Hypnotherapy with psychological techniques to elimi-nate phobias is the ideal short-term treatment approach. Unlike conscious-minded and willpower efforts to create long-term change, clinical hypnosis goes directly to the origin of the phobia subconsciously.Theexpressionoffear,worry,anxiety(allemotions)are subconscious and respond quickly to therapies that utilize visualization and suggestibility. Psychologicaltoolssuchassystematicdesensitizationguidesapatientintodeeprelaxationwhileslowlyexpos-ing them to the phobic idea or situation.Hypnotic regression and self hypnosis are essential therapies because they can be used to uncover issues, reinforcerelaxationandpreventrelapse.Seeonlinevideosathypnosisworksnow.com.DoctorDirectedSince1992.WearetheLastResortandBestChoicetoGetResults!!Callforfreescreening&bringafriend334-213-0054.

Page 7“Be known before you’re needed” Advertise with Tidbits (334) 202-7285

1. Neftali Feliz had 40 saves for Texas in 2010.2. The Los Angeles Dodgers had a team ERA of 2.95 in 1989.3. Steve Grogan had 12 rushing TDs for New England in 1976.4. Johnny Dawkins averaged 18.1 points per game in the 1982-83 season.5. Nine others.6. Maryland Eastern Shore.7. Three -- lightweight, welterweight and light middleweight.

BIBLE TRIVIA ANSWERS:

1) Neither; 2) Pharaoh; 3) Gideon; 4) Saul; 5) Sarah; 6) Lies

Visit the Center for Advanced Therapy for NEW technology

to help those with Tinnitus.

Do you or your loved one suffer from bothersome RINGING, HISSING, BUZZING in your ears?

Millions of people suffer from the effects of TINNITUS!

The good news is... you don’t have to

“just live with it.”

APPOINTMENT REQUIRED. CALL the Center for Advanced Therapy at (334) 358-6501.

Catherine Drescher, Au.D.Audiology Manager

Prattville Medical Park635 McQueen Smith Rd., N., Suite D • Prattville, AL 36067

Tidbits® of the River Region Page 8

*TheRoseParade,popularlyknownasAmerica’sNewYearCelebration,wasoriginallystartedin1890.These days, hundreds of* It was American actress, screenwriterandnotorioussexsymbolMaeWestwhomade the following sage observation: “You only live once.Butifyoudoitright,onceisenough.”

*Atthe2012USAMemoryChampionship,Nel-sonDellissetanewrecordforthememorizationofrandomdigits.AttheannualeventinNewYorkCity,Dellisaccuratelyrecalledawhopping303numbersinsequence.

thousands of people crowd the parade route each year, and millions more view the television broadcast worldwide. The amount of work that goes into the displayisastonishing:Eachfloathasanywherefrom30,000to150,000flowersonit,whichareapplieddur-ingthe700to900hoursspentonpreparingeachfloat.

*BelovedfilmiconJamesDeanwasmissinghisfrontteeth;hehadtowearabridgetofillthegapinhissmile.

* If you’re like the average American, at least one-tenth of the garbage you produce is made of plastic.

*Thefirstsoundrecordingevermadewascreatedin1877byThomasEdison.Itwasamusicalselection:“MaryHadaLittleLamb.”

* Those who study such things say that American Englishhasroughly20swearwords(depending,ofcourse,onhowonedefinesswearing).Incontrast,residentsofancientRomehadalexiconofabout800“dirty” words to draw upon.

* If you’re planning a trip by air anytime soon, you might want to keep in mind that the busiest day in airports is Thursday. ***ThoughtfortheDay:“Thetroublewithhavinganopen mind, of course, is that people will insist on coming along and trying to put things in it.” -- Terry Pratchett(c)2012KingFeaturesSynd.,Inc.

by Samantha Weaver