Issue 6 January 12, 2012

1st Quarter 2012Week 2

Jan 8 -14Page 1

TABLE OF CONTENTSISSUE 2012.02

HOW’S THE WEATHER?

Pg 1-4

FAMOUS LANDMARKS:

GRAND CENTRAL TERMINAL

Pg 5-6

OLD WIVES’ TALES

Pg 7-8

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HOW’S THE WEATHER?by Kathy Wolfe

“Nice weather we’re having” isn’t always a true statement! This week, Tidbits looks at rain, snow, wind and storms, bringing you the best and worst of several weather conditions from around the world.

• “Rain,rain,goaway”mightbesomethingtheresidents of Mawsynram, India, want to say. It’s the wettest place on earth, receiving over 36 feet (11 m) of rainfall every year. Antofagasta, Chile, on the other hand, receives less than a tenth of a millimeter of rain per year, and many years, receives none at all.

• ThecommunityofBagdad,California,hadnorain for 767 days between October of 1912 and November of 1914. That’s two years and 37 days!

•YoumayhaveheardofChicagoreferredtoasthe “Windy City,” but it’s not the windiest city in America.ThatdistinctionbelongstoBlueHillObservatory, Massachusetts, with an average annual wind speed of 15.4 mph. Second place belongs to Dodge City, Kansas, with Amarillo, Texas, at No. 3. Chicago isn’t even in the top ten! About 27 percent of weather-reporting stations average higher annual wind speeds than Chicago.

turn the page for more!

A truly honest weatherman says, “Today’s forecast is bright and sunny with an 80-percent chance that

I’m wrong.”

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Arlington ReportIn early December, when the Wreaths Across America program put wreaths on graves at

Arlington National Cemetery, I flashed back to the ongoing problem of the graves errors at the cemetery: unmarked graves, headstones with

no remains, broken urns with scattered remains, graves with more than one person buried in

them. The problems, it was thought at the time, could involve upward of 6,000 graves.

Congress demanded that the Army “provide an accounting” of all the gravesites at Arlington. The recently completed report counted (three

times) 259,978 gravesites and took digital photos to compare to 510,000 paper records. Of those, 195,748 graves had no discrepancies. But that left 64,230 with errors to be resolved. That’s

fully one-quarter of the gravesites.Supposedly the “errors” involve misspelling of

names and other inconsistencies. How then does that jibe with discovering multiple remains in one grave last year, or the 117 graves with no marker whatsoever, or the 94 markers with no

remains?The report was padded with miscellanea. For

example, one narrative went on for three pages citing the problems with the spelling of a Civil

War-era wife’s name. But it’s what happens with those other 64,329 unresolved cases that we want to know about.

What about those broken, dumped and scattered urns? And those headstones found dumped in a stream in Section 28 last year -- will they be

returned to the proper gravesite? I’m lucky. Each year, in conjunction with the

Wreaths Across America program, a friend visits my parents’ graves at Arlington. (Yes, they both served.) I get photos back and see instantly that the grave marker is still in good condition -- and that it’s still there. I cannot fathom the pain some

relatives must feel when they learn that their loved ones aren’t buried where they believed

they were.

? On Jan. 28, 1855, the Panama Railway, which carried thousands of unruly miners to California via the dense jungles of Central America, dispatches its first train across the Isthmus of Panama. The track went through Panamanian jungle roughly along the route followed by the present-day canal.

? On Jan. 24, 1908, the Boy Scouts movement begins in England with the publication of the first installment of Robert Baden-Powell’s Scouting for Boys. In September 1909, 10,000 Scouts showed up at the first national Boy Scout meeting in London.

? On Jan. 27, 1926, John Logie Baird, a Scottish inventor, gives the first public demonstration of a true television system in London. The “televisor” used mechanical rotating disks to scan moving images into electronic impulses, which were transmitted by cable to a screen.

? On Jan. 29, 1936, the U.S. Baseball Hall of Fame in Cooperstown, N.Y., elects its first members: Ty Cobb, Babe Ruth, Honus Wagner, Christy Matthewson and Walter Johnson. The Hall of Fame has elected 296 individuals in all.

? On Jan. 23, 1968, the U.S. intelligence-gathering ship Pueblo is seized by the North Korean navy and charged with spying and violating territorial waters. Negotiations to free the 83-man crew of the U.S. ship took nearly a year. The crewmen reported horrific treatment at the hands of the North Koreans.

? On Jan. 26, 1979, “The Dukes of Hazard,” a television comedy about two good-old boys in the rural South and their souped-up 1969 Dodge Charger known as General Lee, debuts on CBS. The show was known for its car chases, stunts and General Lee, which had an orange paint job and a Confederate flag across its roof.

? On Jan. 25, 1980, on arrival at Tokyo’s Narita International Airport, Beatle Paul McCartney is found to be carrying nearly half a pound of marijuana in his baggage -- an amount he assured Japanese authorities was intended solely for his personal use. Facing a seven-year prison sentence, McCartney was instead released and quickly deported from Japan.

(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc,

Karlena’s Community Corner

WINGS is a non-profit founded in 2006 to sup-port adults with special needs. We raise the bar through meaningful, educational and enriching activities for our participants’ Day Program, such as art, woodworking, dance, swimming, social skills class, bowling, martial arts and volunteering opportunities. -Some of our families are challenged with the “never-empty-nest-syndrome.” Folks worry about how their adult children will have a good quality of life. WINGS is there for participants and families. We give participants' lives meaning and purpose and we provide day respite to families. We assist people with basic human needs and their more soulful needs for friendship, challenge and rich experiences. A safety net of stimulation, socialization, and rewarding sense of accomplishment is found at WINGS. We make a positive difference in lives.-Research shows that ongoing stimulation enhances adult lives and helps prevent regression of skills, depression, cognitive decline and isolation. WINGS' day program encourages members to have input and responsibility for programming. It is a comfortable, flexible environment that allows "Adults to Soar."-Why are people choosing WINGS? After completion of post-High School Transition Program, people with developmental disabilities need day support. Those with part-time jobs can also benefit by supplementing their jobs with Day Program.-There is a 5-year waiting list for services at the state level, due to budget cuts, but WINGS offers the option of private pay so people can have supports while they wait on the list. Rates start at $8.88/hour. To apply as a private-pay participant, go here.-WINGS meets the need for a Loveland-based day-pro-

gram alternative. For more information, visit here.-WINGS emphasizes enrichment in all its programming. Our purpose is to enrich participants intellectually, socially and physically. We maintain a sense of their innate value, which leads to feelings of emotional well-being for a lifetime. Essential adult services preserve safety, health, hygiene and literacy skills. We also introduce pre-voca-tional skills.-WINGS is the first Loveland-based agency for adults with developmental disabilities. We are fortunate to be able to access the many wonderful Loveland community ameni-ties and services. We participate in creative community activities and are building many community partnerships.-WINGS is open Monday-Thursday from 9:00 a.m. to 3:30 p.m. WINGS provides transportation for those who need it. Check out our monthly Calendar for more details.-Until now, the concept of lifelong learning had been un-heard of for our friends, but we know that ongoing learn-ing experiences are essential to experience life fully.-WINGS promotes independence, interdependence, self-advocacy, personal growth, a health life style, safety and inclusion. We treat all people with the utmost dignity, re-spect and appreciation. We pursue continuous innovations in our methods. We remain committed to increasing levels of satisfaction of our participants by being fully account-able and consistently exceeding participants' expectations.-Wings Day Program: Members are supported to meet their SP goals by designing a calendar which includes activities such as; continuing education based on personal interests, computer work, exercise, friendship-building projects, community volunteer work, local cultural events, reading practice, socialization, and creative expression.

2567 S. Shields B-D, Ft. Collins (970) 224-22251612 N. College Ave., Ft. Collins (970) 221-90902188 W. Eisenhower Blvd., Loveland (970) 203-9999237 E. 29th St., Loveland (970) 203-1111

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B u s i n e s s C a r d S p o t l i g h t

Dotted with savory Mediterranean in-gredients like olives, artichokes and Feta cheese, this low-calorie pasta dish is both filling and flavorful.

1/2 box uncooked Dreamfields Angel Hair1 tablespoon olive oil5 cloves garlic, chopped2 anchovy filets (optional), mashed1 can (14-ounce) artichoke hearts, drained, halved, patted dry2 cups bell pepper strips (1/4-inch wide, assorted colors)2 tablespoons capers (optional), rinsed and drained

Mediterranean Angel Hair

1/4 cup pitted Kalamata olives, sliced lengthwise into quarters1/2 cup reduced-sodium, fat free chicken broth1 tablespoon chopped fresh thyme leaves1 tablespoon chopped fresh oregano leavesFeta cheese (plain or Mediterranean fla-vor), crumbled

1. Cook pasta according to package direc-tions. Drain; rinse in cold water or in ice water until completely cooled and drain well.2. Meanwhile, heat oil in large nonstick skillet over medium heat. Add garlic; stir to coat with oil. Cook about 1 minute to soften, stirring constantly. Stir in ancho-vies, if desired. Add artichokes; cook 2 to 3 minutes until heated through, stirring occasionally.

3. Add bell peppers and capers, if desired. Cook and stir about 2 minutes until peppers are just crisp-tender. Stir in olives.4. Add broth and pasta to skillet. Toss and heat through until liquid is absorbed. Stir in thyme and oregano. Sprinkle with feta cheese, as desired. Serves 4.

• Each serving: About 273 calories, 8g total fat (1g saturated), 0mg cholesterol, 650mg sodium, 15g* total carbs, 7g dietary fiber, 8g protein.

*If traditional pasta is used, there is a total of 45g carbohydrate.

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Tidbits® of Ft. Collins & Loveland Page 4

1. Who is the San Diego Padres’ all-time leader in career home runs? 2. How many times has a Texas Ranger been named the A.L. Most Valuable Player?3. When was the last time before the 2010 season that Green Bay and Chicago faced off in an NFL playoff game?4. How many NCAA men’s

basketball championships have the UConn Huskies won?5. Name the first Eastern bloc player to skate in the NHL. 6. Which was the last team before the L.A. Galaxy in 2011 to win the MLS Cup after being the No. 1 seed entering the playoffs?7. In 2011, thoroughbred Rapid Redux won his 20th consecutive race, topping the North American record held by two horses. Name either horse.

Question: What’s worse than being admitted to the hospital? Answer: Being readmitted quickly after being released. Far too often, just when we’re out of the hospital, something happens and we’re right back where we started.

It’s expensive, and those who study these things have looked at the reasons for frequent hospital readmissions.

Here are some of the statistics from the Center for Studying Health System Change:

--About 8 percent of adults go back into the hospital within a month, and one-third within a year.

--One-third of us don’t see a doctor, nurse or anyone else within a month of being released from the hospital. After 90 days, 17 percent of us still

Avoiding Hospital Readmissions

haven’t seen a doctor.--Those of us who don’t see a doctor are at a higher

risk for going back into the hospital, especially those who also have other medical conditions. The sicker the patient, the higher the rate of return.

It doesn’t matter what kind of insurance we have.Researchers say new ways must be found to

bridge the gap between the doctors and hospitals. At this point, even where there are programs and coordinators to manage the discharge process, it hasn’t changed the rate of readmissions.

There’s one additional, potentially serious glitch: One-third of doctors did not have the final hospital report on patients who did come in. And if they did have them, the reports were incomplete, and new medications might not be listed.

Here’s a suggestion to keep from being readmitted: When you leave the hospital, make a nurse write down your prescriptions and instructions for aftercare. The minute you get home, call your doctor. Make the earliest appointment possible, and take your instructions.

WEATHER (continued):• Mt. Washington, New Hampshire, experienced

America’s strongest wind ever recorded, 231 mph (372 km/hr). But, based on averages,

Commonwealth Bay, Antarctica, is the windiest place in the world.

• Mt. Washington also has the second-highest average snowfall, about 260 inches a year (660

cm). Only Valdez, Alaska, ranks higher with 324 inches (823 cm). Back in 1911, Tamarack,

California, received 390 inches — 32.5 feet (9.9 m) — of snow in one month! Over the

course of that winter, 767 inches (19.5 m) of the white stuff fell on the community.

• Lightning strikes the earth about 100 times every second, with each flash carrying over

one billion volts. That’s enough energy to light a 100-watt light bulb for three months! In one short instant, the air surrounding the lightning

flash is heated to a temperature five times hotter than the surface of the sun. Lightning will strike the United States about 25 million times this year. Five hundred of those flashes

will strike the Empire State Building. • Scientists maintain that there are about 760

thunderstorms occurring on our planet every hour. Trying to figure out how far away a

thunderstorm is? Count the number of seconds between a lightning flash and the following

clap of thunder. Divide that number by five to compute the distance to the lightning in miles.

• You’re more likely to be killed by a lightning strike in Florida than in any other state. Over

a 10-year period, 74 people in that state died after being struck, with Texas a distant

second with 28 deaths. You’ll be pretty safe in Washington, Oregon and North Dakota, where

no deaths occurred during those 10 years.

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

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am 82 and in pretty good health except for a recent problem. During the day everything is fine, but when I lie down to go to sleep, the room starts to spin. It lasts about 10 seconds. Then if I turn my head to look at the clock, the dizziness returns. In the morning when I wake and turn my head again, the room spins.Do I have an inner-ear infection? How can this problem be fixed? -- J.C.

ANSWER: Although I can’t give you 100 percent assurance, I can say on solid ground that you have benign positional vertigo, BPH. Vertigo is dizziness. BPH is not an inner-ear infection. It comes on just as you have written, with a change in the position of the head -- lying down, turning to the side or looking up to a cupboard shelf. The attacks are brief but disrupting.Crystals normally found in one part of the inner ear have migrated to another part. Moving the head activates the displaced crystals, and they send a message to the brain that brings on dizziness. The inner ear is not only for hearing; it’s also for balance.You can bring the crystals back to their original site through a series of movements called the Epley

Inner Ear Often Cause of Dizziness

repositioning maneuvers. Sit on the side of a bed and bend your head to the shoulder on the side that triggers dizziness. Let’s make it the right side, so you can follow the instructions. If it’s the left, just change the direction. With the head turned to the right, lie down so your head projects off the other side of the bed. When dizziness stops, turn the head to the left side, with the left ear facing down. Next, roll over on your left side so the head faces down for 10 to 15 seconds. Finally, return to the sitting position with your head bent slightly down in front. You might have to repeat the procedure more than twice. If this is too confusing, have your family doctor or an ENT doctor put you through the motions.The booklet on vertigo explains the common causes of it and their treatment. To obtain a copy, write: Dr. Donohue -- No. 801W, Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a check or money order (no cash) for $4.75 U.S./$6 Canada with the recipient’s printed name and address. Please allow four weeks for delivery. ***DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Why doesn’t the heart ever get cancer? I’ve never seen this question asked or talked about on TV. Blood feeds tumors, so it makes sense that the heart would be a target. -- C.V.

ANSWER: Tumors do arise in the heart. A somewhat-common benign tumor is a myxoma. It can disrupt the flow of blood through the heart. Malignant cancers, ones that spread and grow rapidly, also arise in the heart. They are quite rare. A rhabdomyosarcoma is a malignant tumor of heart muscle. The blood contained in the heart doesn’t feed heart muscle. If it did, we’d never have heart attacks. Heart muscle is nourished by its own arteries. So are heart tumors.

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Q: The last time I did an inspection of the out-side of my house, I noticed a tree branch hang-ing over the roof gutter. My neighbor let me into his house upstairs to get a better look, and I saw that it was a fairly large branch. I don’t think I can reach it safely as there is too much snow and ice around to climb up there. Should I just leave it until spring? -- Chet C., Portland, Maine

A: It’s up to you, really. If it’s too dangerous to remove by yourself, contact a professional tree service and get a written estimate of how much it will cost for them to remove the limb. If the cost is too steep, you have the option of leaving it until the snow and ice thaw and then working with a friend to remove it. But safety should always be a consideration. Even without snow and ice, the limb could be too heavy to move safely, or electrical wires could be nearby, or you may not have a lad-der tall enough to access that part of the roof. Also, if the tree limb caused roof damage and a leak, there’s little time to lose to clear the roof and fix the leak before more serious damage occurs. In those cases, the tree service is your best option.

HOME TIP: Ice dams forming along your gut-ters? Poor insulation or ventilation at the eaves may be your problem. An insulation installer can inspect and recommend a solution.

Send your questions or tips to ask@thisisa-hammer.com, or write This Is a Hammer, c/o King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475.

Winter Roof Maintenance

(c) 2009 King Features Synd., Inc.

1. Is the Book of Amaziah in the Old or New Testament or neither?2. From 1 Samuel 23, who asked God, “Shall I go and smite these Philistines”? Samson, David, Cyrus, Moses3. How much dew (water) was on the fleece the first time Gideon put it out? Sprinkling, Cup full, None, Bowl full4. From Proverbs 31, which king was taught sayings by his mother? Lemuel, Neco, Ben-Hadad, Jehu5. Which Psalms’ verse 12 contains, “We went through fire and through water”? 23, 66, 81, 1306. What is the total amount of chapters in Prov-erbs? 31, 41, 51, 61

• There’s a reason most refrigerators have more than one crisper drawer. Some items need to be stored separately. For example, keep apples and carrots in different com-partments. The apples give off a gas that can give the carrots a bitter taste.

• Here’s a great tip from the American Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals: During the winter, outdoor cats sometimes sleep under the hoods of cars. They can be hurt or even killed by the starting of the mo-tor. Before you start your car in the morning (or any time of day, really) give your hood a nice, loud rap to give the cat a chance to escape.

• “To keep melting snow, mud and leaves out of your house and off of your floors, line a wide, shallow box bottom with plastic wrap or a kitchen-size garbage bag. Place the lined box near the front door to hold dirty shoes.” -- R.I. in Ohio

• Apply lemon juice to the cut surface of an apple to pre-vent browning.

• “Mix some salt with a little bit of water and rub the mix-ture over your hands for a few minutes to get rid of the smell of garlic or onions from cooking. Rinse under cold water.” -- J.J. in Nevada

• “I usually keep a small blanket in the car for spontaneous picnics with the kids in the spring and summer. Last week, when my son and I got into the car to run errands in the morning, the car was really cold, which is kind of unusual for where we live. So, I grabbed the blanket and my son snuggled in it until the heater was able to warm the car. I am glad I had it in the car already.” -- R.T. in Florida

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1. ENTERTAINERS: Which actor?s birth name was Ramon Estevez?2. MUSIC: What was the name of Smokey Robinson?s group? 3. INVENTIONS: Who is credited with in-venting bifocal lenses?4. PSYCHOLOGY: What irrational fear is manifested in peniaphobia?5. LITERATURE: In which of Shakespeare’s plays does the character Shylock appear?6. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: During which war did Harry Truman fire Gen. Doug-las MacArthur? 7. HISTORY: When did Australia become a commonwealth nation, largely gaining inde-pendence from Britain?8. ANATOMY: About how long are the intes-tines in an adult male?9. FAMOUS QUOTES: What American psy-chologist/philosopher once once said: ?Act as if what you do makes a difference. It does.??10. MEASUREMENTS: Which month is named for the Roman festival of ritual puri-fication?

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Buying vs. RentingSomewhere in the middle of the falling costs of homes and the rising costs of rentals is the tipping point where it becomes more cost ef-fective to buy. Those calculations will vary depending on your location and situation. Buy-ing a home can be a positive step if 1) you are financially stable, 2) you plan to stay in your home for at least five years, and 3) you do your homework first.Look online at www.bankrate.com and search for the “rent versus buy” calculator. Go through the dozen questions as a place to start to see if

you’re a good candidate for buying.Do a “rent ratio” calculation. Take the price of a home similar to one you’d like to buy, and divide that by how much the rent would be for one year. A ratio of 15 or under indicates that buying would be better. High than 20 in-dicates that renting would be better. For ex-ample, if the home you’d like to buy is selling for $100,000 but would rent for $850 a month, the calculation becomes $100,00 divided by $10,200, which comes to under 10, well with-in the range where it’s smarter to buy. Be sure to add the cost of renter’s insurance.To get a broad-brush picture of whether it’s better to rent or buy in your area, check Trulia, the real-estate site that analyzes homes from the national level down to the neighborhood. Go online to Google and put this in the search box: Trulia Insights rent versus buy. The top four links in the list are the ones that will be

most helpful. For example, Trulia’s research indicates that in 72 percent of buying areas, it’s better to buy than rent.If you buy, remember the standard caveats:Only accept a fixed loan. Don’t be lulled by initial lower rates into taking on a mortgage that can increase to an unknown amount in the future.Know in advance how much the taxes will cost.Give yourself more of a monthly cushion than the lenders do. If the lender says you can af-ford a payment of $1,000 per month, give yourself some breathing room and cap it at $850. You might need to take on an additional expense down the road, perhaps a vehicle pay-ment.

WEATHER (continued):• When strong currents of air carry

water droplets up to a height where freezing occurs, ice particles form and

grow. They become too heavy to be supported by the air current and fall

to the ground as hail. Large hailstones can fall at speeds exceeding 100 mph (160.9 km/hr). Compare that with the speed of a typical raindrop at 17 mph (27.4 km/hr). Cheyenne, Wyoming, averages the most hailstorms in the United State each year, but those in

Tulsa, Oklahoma, are the most severe. • In 1986, a storm in Bangladesh produced the largest hailstones ever recorded; they weighed well over 2 lbs. (1 kg) each. Ninety-two people

were killed by the stones. Bangladesh was also home to history’s deadliest cyclone in 1970, with a death toll of

300,000.• Tornado Alley refers to an area

stretching from central Texas to northern Iowa, and across Colorado,

Nebraska, Illinois, Indiana, Missouri and Oklahoma. About 90 percent of U.S. tornadoes hit this region. There

are more tornadoes in the United States than any other place in the

world, with about 1,000 reported per year. Canada is a distant second, with

about 100.• If you’re a sun worshipper, then

Yuma, Arizona, is the place for you! This Southwestern community receives more than 4,000 hours of

sunshine a year, making it the sunniest place on earth. Yuma also has the lowest precipitation average in the

United States, receiving just under 3 inches (7.6 cm) a year, and its record high temperature is 124˚ F (51˚ C).

• The hottest temperature ever recorded on earth was back in September of 1922 in El Azizia, Libya, when the mercury soared to 136˚ F (58˚ C).

The North American record belongs to Death Valley, California, at 134˚ F

(57˚ C) in July of 1913.

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PDEAR PAW’S CORNER: I recently read on your website about a North Carolina county board that wanted to disallow adoptions of certain dog breeds from its shelter. The proposal was defeated thanks to a huge public outcry, but what about other rulings that don’t get as much publicity? How do we find out about them, and how can we get enough public support to stop unfair pet laws? -- Jane in Missouri

DEAR JANE: It’s great that you’re concerned and want to be more active in the area of pet legislation. The North Carolina case was a classic example of legislators (or in this case, a county board) proposing pet laws based upon popular but often inaccurate information, particularly about “bully breeds” (pit bulls, Doberman pinschers, etc). The county board shelved its proposal after receiving tens of thousands of emails and facing a packed house of dog owners, rescuers and other advocates at its board meeting.Getting started can be as simple as an Internet search. Major organizations such as the Humane

Society of the United States, the SPCA (Society for the Prevention of Cruelty to Animals) and growing organizations like the No-Kill Advocacy Center are good websites to start with. You often can find local chapters or local advocacy organizations through larger nonprofits’ websites.Facing down local legislators is just one facet of animal advocacy. If you want to learn more about protecting pets, pick up “Defending the Defenseless: A Guide to Protecting and Advocating for Pets,” by Allie Phillips (Rowman and Littlefield). Phillips is an attorney and animal-rights advocate, and her book is packed with information on ways you can become more active.

Send your questions or tips to ask@pawscorner.com, or write to Paw’s Corner, c/o King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. For more pet care-related advice and information, visit www.pawscorner.com.

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BIBLE TRIVIA

Magic Maze

Answers1. Martin Sheen2. The Miracles3. Ben Franklin4. A fear of poverty5. The Merchant of Venice6. Korean 7. 19018. About 28 feet9. William James10. February (Februa)

• During this election season, it might be good to keep in mind the following sage observation, made beloved humorist Will Rogers: “The American people are generous and will forgive almost any weakness with the exception of stupidity.”

• Mountain goats aren’t actually goats; they’re antelopes.

• Those who study such things say that a mosquito flaps its wings 1,000 times every second.

• If you’ve ever been to London -- or if you’ve seen a movie that was set there -- you might remember the iconic black taxicabs that are ubiquitous in that city; the high roofs set them apart from other vehicles on the streets. The headroom offered did once serve a purpose. When the cars were originally designed, top hats were

still de rigueur for a properly dressed gentleman, and the high roofs allowed a man so attired to enter and leave the vehicle without knocking off his hat.

• You might be surprised to learn that some ants can live more than 15 years.

• Yes, there’s a name for it. The next time you’re opening a bottle of wine, take a moment to consider the spiral part that is inserted into the cork: It’s known as a worm.

• Washington is the only U.S. state named for a president.

• Celebrated 19th-century French poet Arthur Rimbaud wrote for only a few short years in his late teens. Despite critical success, he gave up writing when he was 20 years old and spent the rest of his life as a soldier and a merchant.

• In medieval Japan, dentists removed patients’ teeth with their bare hands.***Thought for the Day: “Television news is like a lightning flash. It makes a loud noise, lights up everything around it, leaves everything else in darkness and then is suddenly gone.” -- Hodding Carter

ANSWERS: 1) Neither; 2) David; 3) Bowl full; 4) Lemuel; 5) 66; 6) 31

Answers1. Nate Colbert, with 163.2. Six -- Jeff Burroughs (1974), Juan Gonzalez (‘96, ‘98), Ivan Rodriguez (‘99), Alex Rodriguez (2003) and Josh Hamilton (‘10). 3. It was 1941.4. Three -- 1999, 2004 and 2011.5. Jaroslav Jirik, with St. Louis in the 1969-70 season.6. The Columbus Crew, in 2008.7. Zenyatta and Peppers Pride.

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