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March 20, 2012 The Neatest Little Paper Ever Read

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The Neatest Little Paper Ever Read

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This week’s Tidbits really takes the cake! We bring you all kinds of information about several different types this sweet treat, from bundt to sponge. •Ancient Egyptwas home to theworld’s firstlarge-scalebakeries,whichwerethefirsttouseyeast to make cakes rise before baking them on hot stones. To the ancient Romans, cake meant a small bread, as there was no sugar, and honey was an expensive commodity. •Cake-baking underwent a dramatic change inthe mid-1800s. Previously, yeast was used as a leavening agent, but yeast was replaced with the introduction of baking soda and baking powder, both of which are greater raising agents. Temperature-controlled ovens also contributed to increased success. • Flour is classified by its protein content.Thehigher the protein, the harder the flour.All-purpose flour has a protein content of 10-11 percent and is a good choice for cookies. Bread flour’scontent ismuchhigher,15percent, andis not suitable for cakes.Cake flour’s proteinmeasures 7-8 percent, and its low gluten content makes it a perfect choice for delicate cakes.•Spongecakeusesonlyeggs,sugarandflourinitspreparation, with no fat or leavening. The trick to a perfect sponge cake is to beat air into the batter at several stages during preparation.

Vol 1 Issue 10of Elmore County

TIDBITS® SAYS

LET THEM EAT CAKE!

by Kathy Wolfe

Page 2 Tidbits® of Elmore County

The mushrooms in this spring salad can be mari-nated up to 4 hours ahead of assembly. The easy homemade dressing and marinade combines shallots, thyme, bay leaf and sherry vinegar.

2 boxes (10 ounces each) sliced mushrooms2 shallots, thinly sliced2 sprigs fresh thyme1 bay leaf1/3 cup extra-virgin olive oil1 tablespoon extra virgin olive oil4 tablespoons sherry vinegarSaltPepper1 pound sugar snap peas1 large (8 ounces) bunch frisee, cut into 1-inch pieces1/4cuppackedfreshflat-leafparsleyleaves,chopped2 tablespoons (pignoli) pine nuts, toasted

1. Place mushrooms in large bowl. In 2-quart saucepan, combine shallots, thyme, bay leaf and 1/3 cup oil. Heat on medium 2 to 3 minutes or

Mushroom and Snap Pea Salad

Stray Gloves Morph Into Puppet Players

Anymismatched,matelessstretchglovesormittens stuffed in your kids’ backpacks or in baskets by the back-door hooks? Don’t toss out that blue right-hand mitten or the purple-and-white striped left glove. Bring these odd combinations together for creative storytelling by the handful when you effort-lessly turn them into puppets using your kids’ favorite plush toy characters. You can make stray-glove puppets with broken or outgrown earmuffs, too. It’s as easy as 1-2-3:1. Have one child slip on a glove or mitten while you cut a 2-inch piece of self-sticking fabric fastener, such as Velcro. Press it on the top of the glove near your child’s knuckles. 2. Put a corresponding piece of fastener on the underside of a small, lightweight plush toy. Let your child choose a favorite character. Creepy-crawlerspidersandworms,orseacreaturessuchasacraborfishareespeciallyfun.Pressitfirmlytoadherewell.(Forextradurability, sew the Velcro to the toy and glove by hand with a few stitches.) To use the puppet, attach the toy to the glove or mitten where the Velcro pieces meet. Put it on your hand, and put the characters into action.Forexample:Wigglefingerstomimicspiderlegs,finsonafishorthewingsofabird. If you have a duck perched on a blue mitten, move your hand slowly to create the illusion of it swimming over ripples on a pond. 3. You also can take the “muff” off of bro-ken or outgrown earmuffs, and glue or put Velcro on the bottom of the muff and on top ofaglove.Sewbellsonthemuffforeyesorsimply glue on googly eyes from a craft store. Seworglueonfeetcutoutfromfeltattheendofeachglovefinger-tip.Whenthey’reallmade,withtheflickofawrist, your kids will have fun acting out a scene from their imaginations or favorite stories. Tip:Atbedtime,reversetherolesandinsteadof reading a book to your kids, let them create an instant, improvised drama with their cast of stray-glove puppet players.***DonnaErickson’saward-winningseries“Donna’s Day” is airing on public television nationwide.Tofindmoreofhercreativefam-ily recipes and activities, visit www.donnas-day.comandlinktotheNEWDonna’sDayFacebookfanpage.Herlatestbookis“DonnaErickson’sFabulousFunstuffforFamilies.”

(c)2012DonnaEricksonDistributedbyKingFeaturesSynd.

turn the page for more!•Orderuptiramisufordessert,andyou’llreceivelayersofladyfingerssoakedinespressoliqueurand layered with a custard mixture, topped with chocolate shavings. Ladyfingers, light sweetsponge cakes about four inches long, have been around since the late 1400s, when they were createdtocelebrateavisitoftheKingofFrancetoItaly.Theyarealsousedintrifles,alayereddessert that incorporates cake, jam, custard, fruit andwhippedcream.Thetrifleisservedinaclearglass bowl so that all the beautiful layers can be seen. • Bundtcakeshavebeenaroundsince1950,whentheflutedtubularpanwascreatedbythefounder of the kitchenware manufacturer Nordic. A group of Jewishwomen inMinneapolisapproached David Dahlquist, asking him to design a pan based on an old Europeankugelhopf mold brought from the old country. The name “Bundt” was derived from the German word bund, which translates “community” or “gathering of people.” • Germanchocolatecake,thatrichchocolatelayer cakewith coconut pecanfilling toppedwith chocolate frosting and more coconut, has nothing to do with Germany or its inhabitants. Backin1852,anemployeeoftheWalterBakerchocolate company developed a milder, sweeter baking chocolate than the bittersweet chocolate that was commonly used. That employee, an Englishman,wasnamedSamGerman,andtheBaker company named the invention after him.• Doyouknowwherethepoundcakegetsitsname?DevelopedinEnglandduringthe1700s,the recipe called for a pound each of butter, eggs,flourandsugar.Maybeitcouldalsomeanhow much you’ll gain from eating this delicious confection!•SmithIsland,Maryland,locatedinChesapeakeBay,ishometothatstate’sofficialcake,aptlynamedSmithIslandCake.Therecipedatesbackto the late 1600s and consists of 10 to 12 thin layers of yellow cake sandwiched together with chocolate fudge icing. • A dome-shaped cakefilledwithmousseand/or custard is known as a bombe, from the Frenchwordmeaningdomedorrounded.Thecakeisflippedfromitsdome-shapedmoldontoa plate, then covered with a layer of chocolate or meringue. • What’sfullofspices,frequently“re-gifted”and the subject of comedians’ jokes? That’s right, afruitcake!Althoughthisdensecakedatesbackto Roman times, its popularity increased greatly in the 1800s, when it became the preferred

choiceatChristmasgatheringsandweddings.Loaded with glazed dried fruit, raisins and nuts, fruitcakes are often soaked in brandy, whiskey or liqueur. •Thefirstboxedcakemixin theUnitedStatesappearedaround1930,distributedbyamolassescompany, O. Duff and Sons. Seven othercompanies followed suit over the next 15years.BettyCrockerandPillsburydidn’thitthegrocer’sshelvesuntilthelate1940s.•WhenCharlesandDianawedin1981,theyhad27weddingcakes.Theirofficialweddingcakewas prepared by the head baker of the Naval ArmedForces, a process that took14weeks.Two identical cakes were made, in the event one might be damaged. The bottom layer required 12 hours to bake. • Arouladeiswhatmostofusknowasajellyroll,aspongecakethatisfilledwithbuttercream,fruit, lemon curd, whipped cream or ganache, thenrolledup.AtChristmas,youmightseeaBuche deNoel, orYuleLog, a rouladefilledwith chocolate buttercream and frosted with yet more chocolate, then decorated with chocolate branches to resemble a tree log. • In1832,PrinceMetternichofAustriawasexpecting important guests for dinner and gave his head chef the task of creating something new and sumptuous for dessert. The only trouble was that the chef was sick, leaving a 16-year-old apprenticeincharge.YoungFranzSachersettowork inventing a chocolate sponge cake cut into threelayers,filledwithapricotjamandfrostedwith a rich icing. The dessert became known as SachertorteandendurestodayasVienna’smostfamous specialty, with its recipe a safely guarded secret. • A1906romancenovelwasthesourceofthe name of the lady Baltimore cake. The story, setinpost-CivilWarCharleston,mentionedthetitle character serving the dessert, a creation of tallwhitecakelayerswithafillingofchoppednuts and candied fruits, frosted with boiled white icing. The actual recipe was developed by two Baltimore women who opened a tea room after the success of the novel. These days, this cake isapopularoneforSouthernweddings.• AnotherSoutherncustomistheGroom’sCake, a separatewedding cake traditionallyserved to unmarried women attending the wedding. This confection, much smaller than the regular wedding cake, is taken home and placed under the lady’s pillow, with the hope that she’ll dream of her future husband.

***

until shallots are just tender. Pour over mush-rooms and immediately stir until well-mixed. Stirin2tablespoonssherryvinegar,1/4teaspoon salt and 1/4 teaspoon freshly ground blackpepper.Coverandletstandatroomtem-perature 1 hour, or refrigerate up to 4 hours.2. Heat covered 4-quart saucepan of water toboilingonhigh.Meanwhile,removeanddiscardstringsfromsnappeas.Addsnappeasand1/2teaspoonsalttoboilingwater.Cook,uncovered, 2 minutes or until crisp-tender. Drain and immediately rinse with cold water until cool; drain again.3. In large bowl, toss frisee, parsley and snap peas with remaining 2 tablespoons vinegar and 1 tablespoon oil. Divide among salad plates. Remove and discard thyme and bay leaf from mushrooms; divide mushrooms and sherry dressingamongfris€eplates.Sprinklewithtoastedpinenutstoserve.Serves8.

„Eachserving:About160calories,12gtotalfat (2g saturated), 0mg cholesterol, 120mg sodium,10gcarbohydrate,4gdietaryfiber,5gprotein.

Forthousandsoftriple-testedrecipes,visitourwebsite at www.goodhousekeeping.com/reci-pefinder/.

(c)2012HearstCommunications,Inc.Allrightsreserved

IfGregBifflekeepsdoingwhathe’sdoing,hewillwintheSprintCupchampionship.Don’tgetcarriedaway.Biffleisn’tgoingtofinishthirdin36consecutiveraces.It’spretty amazing that he’s done so in the three races held so far.Biffle,42,failedtomaketheChaselastyearafterfinishingseventhorbetterineachofthe three previous years. His best showing to datewasarunner-upfinishin2005.He’s actually a little sheepish about failing to win yet.“We’re super-excited about it (three straight thirds), but there again, we want to win like (TonyStewart,atLasVegasMotorSpeed-way), so we’re going to keep our heads downandkeepworkinghard,”Bifflesaid.Biffle,fromVancouver,Wash.,hasbeensuccessfulineachofNASCAR’sthreena-tional touring series. He was the top rookie inTrucksin1998andchampionin2000.Heearned rookie honors in (now) Nationwide in 2001 and the title in 2002.SixofBiffle’s16Cupvictoriesoccurredin2005,whenhefinishedsecond(bytie-breakerwithteammateCarlEdwards)toTonyStewartinthetitlerace.LikeEdwards,BifflehasspenthisentirecareeratRoushFenwayRacing.SomeoneaskedBifflerecentlyabouthowthesporthaschangedsincehefirstcompet-edattheCuplevelin2002.“Themostsignificant(change)wasthiscar, the car we have now, and no testing,” he said. “That changed our entire sport. It changed it completely, and it will never be the same. Before, we weren’t spending all the time back at the shop with the engi-neers and seven-post machine and all the engineering-based models. It was more go to theracetrackandfigureoutwhatswaybarwas the best, what spring, what shock, and we had data on the cars. We’d go home and look at the data, and look at what we learned and what the driver said about it, and we would go to the next place.“That’s how this sport used to be, and it’s not like that anymore.”***

Biffle’s Destiny

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ConsideredoneoftheSevenWondersoftheModernworld,theChannelTunnel,orChun-nelasitiscommonlycalled,linksEnglandandFranceunderneaththeEnglishChannel.Learn more about this engineering accom-plishment that takes travelers through the world’s longest marine subway. • Theideaofanunderseatunnelbe-tweenEnglandandFrancewasconceivedasearlyas1802.AFrenchminingengineerenvisioned a passageway lit by oil lamps and serviced by horse-drawn coaches. The pro-posalincludedanartificialislandmidwayasastopforchanginghorses.Severalplanswerepresented over the next several decades, but itwasn’tuntil1988thattheactualexcavationbegan. •Constructioncommencedin1988andcon-cludedin1994.Threeofthoseyearswerede-voted to the actual boring of the chalky earth beneath the sea. The boring machines spanned thelengthoftwofootballfieldsandcouldbore250feet(75m)aday.Thereareactu-ally three tunnels, two of which are full-sized, largeenoughtoaccommodaterailtraffic.Between these two train tunnels is a service tunnel, a smaller tube that is an emergency escape route. During the peak of construction, 15,000workerswereemployed.• TheChunnelbridgesadistanceof31.4miles(50.5km)betweenFolkestoneintheUnitedKingdomandCoquelles,France,nearCalais.Thetunnelactuallyrunsunderwater for 23 of those miles. Boring machines workedfromboththeEnglishsideandtheFrenchsideinaracetothemiddle,acon-test won by the British. The tunnel’s average depthis148feet(45m)belowtheseabed,withitsdeepestpointat250feet(75m).• Onthedayoftheofficialdedicationceremony,England’sQueenElizabethtrav-eledthroughtheChunnelonaEurostartrain,whileFrenchPresidentMitterrandtraveledfrom Paris. Their trains stopped nose to nose aspartofthefestivities.Overthenextsixyears, 12 million passengers utilized the new rail service. Last year, close to 10 million peoplerodetherailsundertheEnglishChan-nel. •TheChunnelcertainlycouldn’tbeconsid-ered an economical venture. It was one of his-tory’s most expensive construction projects, carrying a price tag of $21 billion, (about 700 timesthecostofSanFrancisco’sGoldenGateBridge!), 80 percent above the forecasted bud-get, and taking over a year past the estimated completion date. The project claimed the lives of10workers,eightBritsandtwoFrench-men. • Sinceitsopening,therehavebeenthreemajorfiresinthetunnel,producingseriousdamage.Oneyearintooperation,31peopleweretrappedinafire,buttheservicetunnel proved its worth, as all passengers were able to escape. In addition, there have been other incidents when passengers have become trappedbyelectricalfailures.Onesuchfailurekept passengers stranded for six hours, while another incident trapped 20,000 under the sea overnight. •TheaverageticketpriceonaEurostarpas-senger train from London to Paris is about $200 for a trip that takes two hours and 20 minutes.About30,000peopleridethetraindaily.

TIDBITS LANDMARKS OF THE WORLD:THE CHANNEL TUNNEL

Tidbits® of Elmore County Page 4

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

DEARDR.DONOHUE:Iama38-year-oldwomanwho has a very stressful job. It is also very well-paying, so I don’t want to give it up. I think it might be giving me chest pain. The pain comes and goes unpredictably. Sometimes I am just sitting at mydesk,andIgetasqueezingsensationinmychest.Atother times, I had been hurrying around.I have had several EKGs, been examined by threedoctors, had a stress test and a radioactive stress test. The doctors say my heart is healthy, and the chest pain could come from stress. In speaking with people I trust, I have been told to have a heart catheterization. Whatdoyouthink?--P.A.

ANSWER:Noneofyourthreedoctorstoldyouthat.Don’t you think they might know more than your friends? You have to be guided by advice given to you by those who have had experience in assessing people’s complaints. There’s no pattern to your chest pain. Heart pain, in contrast, causes chest pain when a person is physically active. That pain goes when the person rests. Your kind of pain is not suggestive of a heart disorder.Your doctors have told you that your heart is healthy. YouhavehadEKGs,stresstestsandevenaradioactivestress test. Those tests would have disclosed a heart problem if you had one.Furthermore,youareonly38yearsold--notanagefor heart problems to occur. You mention no family history of heart trouble at early ages.

Not All Chest Pain Comes From the Heart

1. Chicago Cubs shortstop Starlin Castro set a record in 2010 for most RBIs in a major-league debut. How many did he have?2. In 2011, Atlanta’s Brian McCann became the second person in major-league history to have a pinch-hit, game-tying

homer in the ninth and followed with a game-winning home run. Who was the first?3. Who was the last coach of the Houston Oilers before Jeff Fisher took over in 1994 and the team eventually moved to Tennessee?4. Entering the 2011-12 season, Kentucky was the No. 1 team for total victories in Division I college basketball (2,052). Name three of the next five schools. 5. How many players reached the 100-point plateau in the NHL in the 2010-11 season?6. Name the Russian superheavyweight Olympic weightlifter who won two gold medals and had a nine-year unbeaten streak (1970-78).7. Who was the last LPGA golfer before Yani Tseng (2010-11) to capture two women’s majors in consecutive years.

With a catheterization, a thin, pliable tube is inched from a groin blood vessel to the site where the heart arteries are found. There, dye is injected so doctors can visualize the health of heart arteries. The doctors can spot any obstructions, like cholesterol buildup, in those arteries. It’s an amazing test. However, complications can arise from any procedure that invades the body. When the detection of heart disease can be accomplished in no other way, information from a catheterization is justified.Inyourcase,it’snot.Stressisthemostlikelycauseofyourchestpain.Coronary artery disease is the No. 1 cause of deathin most of the world’s countries. The booklet on that subject explains in detail its symptoms and its treatments. To order a copy, write: Dr. Donohue -- No. 101W,Box536475,Orlando,FL32853-6475.Enclosea check ormoney order (no cash) for $4.75U.S./$6Canadawiththerecipient’sprintednameandaddress.Please allow four weeks for delivery.***DEARDR.DONOHUE:I’vebeentalkedintodonatingblood.MyhangupisthatIhaveafitnessprogramthatI religiously adhere to. The thought of an extended rest bothers me. How long do you have to spend recuperatingafterdonatingblood?--A.A.

ANSWER:You’renotfacinganextendedrecuperationafterdonatingblood.Onedayisenough.Thatsoundsliketoolittletime,butit’ssufficient.Youwon’tnoticeit.It takes a full month for your blood count to return to what it was before you donated. That slight dip in your blood count isn’t going to affect your exercise performance unless you are into marathon training.***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.Box536475,Orlando,FL32853-6475.

(c)2012NorthAmericaSynd.,Inc.AllRightsReserved

CousinsInsurance Agency

567-8493234 Hill St.

Downtown WetumpkaLife Home Car Business

Joe Bennett, Vicki Mullino, Robin Ellison, Keith Nobles,

Sherry Thorne and Ann Gantt

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It isn’t often that our Western-medicine physicians will suggest we take an alternative route to health. BostonUniversityscientistshavedonesomere-search,however,thatpointstoanEasternformofexercise that will help with a big Western problem: Yoga is theorized to help reduce stress.Specifically,theirresearchshowsthatyogacanhelp treat and prevent high blood pressure, cardiac disease and anxiety. Yoga, they believe, helps to restore balance to the nervous system. Imbalance can come from stress. In one study, participants were split into two groups: walking versus yoga. Onlythoseintheyogagrouphadariseingammaamino-butyricacid(GABA),aneurotransmitterthat produces feelings of calm.

Yoga Research

Researchers took a big step (for Western medi-cine)whentheysuggestedthatspecificyogapractices should be created as a way to help with stress-related conditions. The theories now will be tested in clinical studies.Yoga classes are easily found, but for seniors, a classthatisspeciallygearedtousissafer.Mus-cles get weak, and osteoporosis can result when we sit too much. Yoga itself isn’t a strenuous exercise, but it’s best to start with slow, gentle movements and a skilled instructor.With yoga we can learn deep breathing and mild stretching...withquietEasternmusicplayinginthe background. Doesn’t that sound peaceful?Look for senior-friendly yoga classes at the senior center, churches, assisted living centers (even ifyoudon’tlivethere)andfitnesscenters.Yes,thosefitnessgymsarestartingtofigureoutthatthere are a lot of us, and we’ll use their services if theyprovidewhatweneed.Sometimesthatcaninclude special classes, like yoga for seniors.

Q:I’mprettyregularaboutcleaningmyhome’swindowsontheinside, but as a new homeowner I’ve never cleaned the outside ofthewindows,andthey’regettingprettygrungy.Thefirstfloorshouldn’t be a problem, but what about the upstairs windows? Also,isthereafasterwaytocleanthanwithpapertowelsandspray cleaner? -- Brad in Knoxville, Tenn.

A:“Fast”dependsonjusthowgrungytheoutsideofthewin-dowsare,butIcangetyouto“effectiveandefficient”whichwill make the task of cleaning windows easier. Onasidenote,springandfallaregreattimestocleantheoutsidewindows, if you don’t do them more frequently. These are typi-cally the seasons when screens are replaced with storm windows and vice versa, and while dual screen-storm windows are more common, it’s still a good guideline to follow.First,inspectallyourhome’swindowstomakesurethey’reun-damaged, including storm windows and screens. Next, remove screens or storm windows and place them on a clean, sunny spot of the driveway or walkway to be cleaned.Take a look at the home’s windows from the inside. Newer double-hung windows can be unhooked and either lifted out of the frame or swung inward to access the outside of the glass.

Is Basement Cleaning Windows

Inside and OutBy

Samantha Mazzotta

* What’s the best way to keep sheet sets together? Tuck all the pieces in a matching pillowcase, of course.

* Need to hull strawberries? Try using a straw. Position the straw at the bottom of the strawberry, then push up toward the stem. It works quickly and well.

* If you mount a magnet strip in your bath-room or on your vanity, you can use it to hold bobby pins or metal barrettes. Or mount a ribbon to hold all kinds of hair clips.

* Baby leg protectors are cute. And cheap, if you have some old athletic socks. Cut off the ends, slip over baby’s legs, and watch cutie scoot across the floor.

* If your entertainment electronics have a clock that is too bright, cover it with plain tape. You’ll still be able to read the time, but the tape will lessen the glare.

* “My in-laws have a vaulted ceiling, and there is a corner that even the longest-han-dled duster won’t reach. My brilliant son had an idea to get down the cobwebs that had accumulated there. He used a rubber band to secure a dishtowel around a tennis ball. Then he just tossed it at the area repeat-edly. I can’t believe how well it worked.” -- A Reader, via email

* If new denims are too stiff, add half a cup of salt to the wash water along with your regular detergent.

Send your tips to Now Here’s a Tip, c/o King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475 or e-mail JoAnn at heresatip@yahoo.com.

(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.

Olderwindowsaresometimesheldintheframebyathinstripof wood, which should be carefully removed. Then the bottom sash can be lifted out of the frame. Being able to swing out or remove the bottom sash makes cleaning the outside of upstairs windows easier and much safer than climbing a ladder to reach them.Tocleanwindows,brushawayloosedustanddebrisfirst.Thenfillabucketwithwarmwaterandmilddetergent.Placeawa-terproof liner (like a tarp or sheet of plastic) underneath the win-dowtoprotectthefloorandwalls.Wearrubberglovestokeepyour hands clean and less pruney. Dunk a clean sponge in the soapy water and wash the windowpanes, repeating as necessary toremovebuilt-updirt.Oncethewindowisclean,grabalint-free cloth, a chamois or for a really old-school way to dry a window, some newspaper. Dry the glass completely; for your finalpass,wipebackandforth, thenstraightupanddown,tominimize streaks.Iusuallystartcleaningtheoutsideofwindowsfirst.Yes,itgrun-ges up your water and sponge faster, but it also gets the hard workoutofthewayfirst.Icancleanthespongeandrefillthebucket for the inside of the windows.Finally,cleanthescreensandstormwindowsthatweresetaside,brushing away cobwebs and loose dirt before using soap and water.Closeupallofthewindowsandreseteitherthescreensor storm windows, ready for the next season.

HOMETIP:Avoid dryingwindows in direct sunlight, as theglass is more likely to streak.

Sendyourquestionsortipstoask@thisisahammer.com,orwriteThisIsaHammer,c/oKingFeaturesWeeklyService,P.O.Box536475,Orlando,FL32853-6475.

(c)2012KingFeaturesSynd.,Inc.

Register to win at www.elmorecountytidbits.com and clickon“TommyTidbits”.Fillouttheregistrationinformation and tell us how many times Tommy ap-pearsinadsinthepaperforthisweek.Fromthecor-rect entries, a winner will be selected. You must be 18 yearsofagetoqualify.Thegiftcertificateswillrangeinvaluefrom$25to$50eachweek.EntriesmustbereceivedatthewebsitebymidnighteachSaturdayeveningoratPTKCorp,POBox264,Wetumpka,AL36092.

This week’s winner receives a FREE Oil Change from American Lubefast.(Seetheir ad on page 1)

Last Week’s Ads where Tommy was hiding:

1.Sheila’sPizza,p2. Plantation House, p 8

Tidbits® of Elmore County Page 6

1. Is the book of 3 Peter in the Old or New Testament or neither?2. When the seventh seal was opened there was silence in heaven for how long? 1 breath, Half an hour, Full day, 3 days3. From Daniel 5, whose palace had a hand that wrote on the wall? Solomon, Herod, Belshazzar, Ahasuerus4. What ancient percussion instrument was similar to a tambourine? Tabladrum, Tonse, Tetlum, Timbrel5. Muppim, Huppim and Ard were all whose sons? Gabriel, Michael, Benja-min, Paul6. Who was the first judge of Israel? David, Saul, Absalom, Othniel

If you’ve hoped to buy a home on a low budget, chances are that everything you’ve looked at needs work. If you’re lucky, it might be as simple as paint ineveryroom.Ontheotherhand,perhapsthehouseyou want was a foreclosure that was trashed by van-dals when it sat empty, and the cost of the repair work will take more cash than you’ll have available after closing. There are a number of reasons to take on a home that

needs work: location (you want to stay in the kids’ school district or be closer to work), you can’t afford a perfect house, or you see the potential in the house and know if would serve your family well for many years to come.That’swhereaFederalHousingAdministration203(k)rehab loan can come in. This type of loan covers the mortgage as well as repairs that need to be made to single-family homes, with the total cost wrapped up in one neat loan package.There are two levels to the loan program: 1) if the work that needs to be done is fairly simple (doesn’t in-volvestructuralrepairs)andwillcostunder$35,000,or2)extensiverenovationatacostofatleast$5,000with no maximum limit.During the rehab process, FHA inspectorswill visitthe site multiple times to ensure that the work is up to standards and is following the plan. You’ll have six months to get the work completed by a contractor. Funds,heldinescrow,willbereleasedinstagesasthework is done.If you’re interested in a multi-unit building and plan

to live in one of the units, the 203(k) can be used for up to four family units. You can build a new house on an old foundation, or move a house to a new lo-cation. The work must include improving “thermal efficiency,”suchasweatherstrippingandinsulation.The process for securing a 203(k) loan is complicat-ed, with numerous steps to follow, but the stress can be worth it if it gets you the house you want, with repairs made, at a price you can afford.For more information on FHA rehab loans, go tohttp://portal.hud.gov and put 203(k) in the search box.You’llneedtospeaktoanFHA-approvedlend-er in your area.

David Uffington regrets that he cannot personallyanswer reader questions, but will incorporate them into his column whenever possible. Write to him incareofKingFeaturesWeeklyService,P.O.Box536475,Orlando,FL32853-6475,orsende-mailtocolumnreply@gmail.com.

(c)2012KingFeaturesSynd.,Inc.

Buying a Home With an FHA Rehab Loan

1. What group re-leased“BusStop”?What is the song about?2. Name the band that had a No. 1 hit with “The Voice.”3.VanMcCoywasbest known for

which dance tune?4. Who wrote and released “Give Ireland Back to the Irish”?5.Nametheartistwhowrote“YouAin’tSeenNothin’Yet.”6.“Don’tStandSoClosetoMe”nettedaGrammyforwhat group?

Answers1.TheHollies,in1966.Thesongdescribesaromancethatstarted at a bus stop in the rain, with a shared umbrella.2.TheMoodyBlues,in1981.TheEnglishband’snamedevelopedin1964fromahoped-forsponsorshipfromtheM&BBrewery,whichnevermaterialized.3.“TheHustle,”writtenin1975.Beforehediedin1979,McCoyhadwritten700songs.4.PaulMcCartneyandWings.Thesong,writtenafterthedeadlyBloodySundaycivil-rightsprotestsinIrelandin1972,wasbannedfromairplay.ItrosetoNo.1anyway.5.RandyBachman,ofBachman-TurnerOverdrive(BTO).The1974songwastheCanadianrockgroup’sonlyNo.1single.6.ThePolice,in1982.Thesongwasusedina2009epi-sode of the television show “Glee.”

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* On April 4, 1812, President James Madison fires an economic salvo at the British government and enacts a 90-day embargo on trade with England. The embargo did little to forestall war: The British refused to cease harassing American ships, prompting Madison to lead America into the War of 1812.

* On April 3, 1860, the first Pony Express mail simulta-neously leaves St. Joseph, Mo., heading west, and Sacra-mento, Calif., heading east on a 1,800-mile journey. On April 13, the westbound packet arrived in Sacramento, beating the eastbound packet by two days.

* On April 7, 1891, American showman Phineas Tay-lor Barnum dies in Bridgeport, Conn. The 81-year-old showman’s sense of humor never deserted him. He re-quested that a New York newspaper run his obituary before he died so he could enjoy reading it, and the pa-per obliged.

* On April 2, 1902, the first American theater devoted solely to movies opens in Los Angeles. Housed in a cir-cus tent, the venue was dubbed “The Electric Theater.” Admission cost 10 cents for a one-hour show.

* On April 5, 1931, Fox Film Corp. drops John Wayne from its roster of actors. Wayne had played bit parts but failed to impress the studio. In 1939, Wayne finally had his breakthrough in “Stagecoach.” He went on to play in dozens of movies, including “True Grit,” for which he won an Oscar in 1969.

* On April 6, 1970, Sam Sheppard, a doctor convicted of murdering his pregnant wife in a trial that caused a media frenzy in the 1950s, dies of liver failure. After a decade in prison, Sheppard was found Ònot guiltyÓ in a second trial in 1966. “The Fugitive” television series and movie were rumored to have been loosely inspired by the story.

* On April 8, 1990, director David Lynch’s surreal se-ries, “Twin Peaks,” premieres. The show, with its bizarre characters and baffling story line, became an instant cult hit. Kyle MacLachlan starred as Dale Cooper, an FBI agent assigned to visit a small town in the Pacific Northwest to try to unravel the mystery of the murder of resident Laura Palmer.

(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.

*ItwasIrishplaywrightGeorgeBernardShawwhomadethefollowingsageobservation:“Agovern-ment that robs Peter to pay Paul can always depend on the support of Paul.”

*We’reallfamiliarwiththeactofCPR--weoftenseeafilmortelevisioncharactercometotherescueandsavealifeusingthetechnique.AndonTV,accordingtoarecentstudy,CPRisshownasbeingsuccessful75percentofthetime.Therealityisnotquitesorosy,though.Astudyconductedin2010foundthatwhenCPRisusedinreallife,onlyabout 8 percent of the patients were still alive after onemonth.Ofthosewhodidsurvivethatlong,97percent couldn’t live a normal life.

* Do you suffer from astraphobia? If so, I hope youdon’tliveinFlorida.ThosewhoareafraidoflightningwouldbeterrifiedintheSunshineState,especially in Tampa, known as the lightning capital of the world.

*ResearchersintheUnitedKingdomhaveinventeda robot that eats slugs and is powered by the gas from the decaying creatures. They have dubbed their creationtheSlugBot.

*Forsixgenerations,manymembersoftheFugatefamilyoftheAppalachianregionofKentuckyhavesuffered from a rare blood disorder called methemo-globinemia. The disorder seems to have no adverse healtheffects,butit’snotatalldifficulttodiagnoseitataglance:Sufferershaveblueskin.Notjustaslight tinge, either; various family members have been described as “blue as Lake Louise,” “the bluest woman I ever saw” and “almost purple.” ***ThoughtfortheDay:“Astockbrokerurgedmetobuy a stock that would triple its value every year. Itoldhim,‘Atmyage,Idon’tevenbuygreenba-nanas.”’--ClaudePepper

(c)2012KingFeaturesSynd.,Inc.

bySamanthaWeaver

1. Six.2. Jeff Heath of the Boston Braves in 1949.3. Jack Pardee (1990-94).4. Kansas (2,038 wins), North Carolina (2,033), Duke (1,944), Syracuse (1,800) and Temple (1,766).5. Just one, Vancouver’s Daniel Sedin, with 104 points (41 goals, 63 assists).6. Vasily Alekseyev.7. Karrie Webb, in 2000-01.

BIBLE TRIVIA ANSWERS: 1) Neither; 2) Half an hour; 3) Belshazzar; 4) Timbrel; 5) Benjamin; 6) Othniel

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