3rd Quarter 2010Week 37

Sept. 9- Sept. 15Page 1

TABLE OF CONTENTSISSUE 2012.37

LAST GOOD-BUYpages 1-4

Famous Landmarks:Martha’s Vineyard

pages 5-6

Cleaning Out the Garagepages 7-8

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LAST GOOD-BUYby Blue Sullivan

There is something singularly satisfying about finding a really good price on something. Pawn stores and antique shops present opportunities to experience this joy. It’s surely why so many of us are drawn to them.

• The old stereotype about pawn shops was that they were dirty places run by unscrupulous men and women looking for every chance they could find to cheat you out of a buck. Yet the massive success of reality shows such as “Pawn Stars” and “Hardcore Pawn” has done a lot to rebut that inaccurate image.

• David Bakke of “Market Crashers” notes that while you, “probably look for ways to save money as often as you can… here’s one you may never have considered: shopping at a pawn shop. It’s actually a viable way to save money — and not just on guns.”

• In his article, “7 Things You Should and Shouldn’t Buy from a Pawn Shop,” Bakke outlines the best things to buy.

turn the page for more!

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There are two good reasons to have a copy of your military records:For family: If something happens to you, your spouse and child will have to get your military records if you’re to be buried in a military cemetery. Make it easy on them and have the paperwork in your files.For health: If you need to file a claim for benefits with the Department of Veterans Affairs, in some cases, be-ing able to prove where you were stationed and when is crucial. Save time by getting your records now and having them on hand.Go online to www.archives.gov/veterans and click Request Military Service Records. Per the instructions, you’ll need to start by getting your DD 214, if you don’t already have it. (If nothing else, you should send

Slowing Macular Degeneration

for that and always have a copy available.) Click on eVetRecs and follow the steps.Not just anyone can get military records -- it’s limited to either the veteran or a deceased veteran’s next of kin, which is mother, father, spouse, son, daughter, sister or brother. For family members, if the veteran is deceased, be prepared to provide proof of death: a copy of the death certificate, a letter from the funeral home or a published obituary.If you’re not an immediate next of kin, such as a grand-child, you need to complete a SF 180 form. Download one online, fill it out, then mail to one of the addresses on the back of the form. If you cannot print out a form, you can request one from your local VA office or write to:National Personnel Records Center1 Archives DriveSt. Louis, Missouri 63138 If you have an urgent situation, such as burial or medical care, you can call the emergency number at 314-801-0800 . You’ll likely wait on hold a long time, but once someone answers you should be able to get the informa-tion the same day.

Military Records

LAST GOOD-BUY (continued):• Bakke says that perhaps the safest buys at any pawn shop are tools. He notes that the prices are often far supe-rior to those of new tools. This is doubly true if you’re just looking for one or two specific tools for home renovation or repair. “It’s simply not worth it to pay full price for seldom-used tools,” says Bakke.• According to Bakke, the other great value found at almost any pawn shop is jewelry. He explains that it’s typical to find prices that are half what they would be for new retail jewelry. Bakke chalks this up to people’s distrust of the idea of “used” jewelry. • “Some people may have an issue with buying ‘used’ jewelry, but isn’t almost all jewelry ‘used’ in some way, shape, or form?” Bakke argues. Since so much jewelry, even retail jewelry, is comprised of items made from melted down gold from other sources and re-set diamonds, why not buy it “used” for a much better price?• As for items that are best left on the pawn-shop shelf, Bakke is emphatic. He advises to never buy electronics or home appliances with a lot of moving parts. He singles out vacuum cleaners, computers, digital cameras and televisions as things to avoid. •Bakke thinks televisions are possibly the riskiest pawn-shop purchase. “There is an implied risk with purchasing anything from a pawn shop since it’s all used merchandise, but this risk goes up even farther with televisions, especially flat-screen LED TVs,” says Bakke.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I am an 82-year-old woman. My body cannot tolerate antibiotics, vitamins or pain-killers. I am told I have macular degeneration and was advised to take Ocuvite once a day. My sister sug-gested I write to you to see if you have an idea of how to take Ocuvite in some other manner or some other way to get the ingredients in it. Help. -- L.M.

ANSWER: In 2001, the results of the first AREDS report (Age-Related Eye Disease Study) was pub-lished. It showed that the combination of beta caro-tene (a form of vitamin A), vitamin E, vitamin C, zinc and copper could slow the progression of moderate macular degeneration to severe macular degeneration. Macular degeneration is a wasting away of the macula -- a small, round area of the retina necessary for clear central vision, the kind needed to read, sew and drive. Ocuvite is one capsule that incorporates all these nu-trients. Currently a new study, AREDS 2, is being conducted. The vitamin-mineral combination has been altered a bit and new ingredients have been added: lutein, zea-xanthin and omega-3 fatty acids. Some Ocuvite pills also contain these materials.Since you’re unable to tolerate vitamins, you’ll need to get these nutrients from foods. You might not be able to reach the high levels found in pills, but you’d

be getting all the ingredients in those pills.Beta carotene is found in colored vegetables like carrots and peppers, in dark-green vegetables and in colored fruits. Vitamin E is widely available in many foods: meats, nuts, cereal grains, wheat-germ oil and sunflower oil. You find vitamin C in citrus fruits, to-matoes, potatoes and broccoli. Zinc is in meats, shell-fish, nuts and legumes, like peas. Copper is in shell-fish, nuts and organ meats.The new version of AREDS, not yet published, con-tains lutein and zeaxanthin, which you can obtain in kale, spinach, collard greens, corn, green beans, car-rots, squash and tomatoes. Omega-3 fatty acids are found in fish like salmon and tuna.The booklet on macular degeneration explains this common malady and its treatment. To obtain a copy, write: Dr. Donohue -- No. 701, Box 536475, Orlan-do, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a check or money order (no cash) for $4.75 U.S./$6 Can. with the recipient’s printed name and address. Please allow four weeks for delivery. ***DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My heart misses a beat ev-ery now and then. The doctor tells me this isn’t dan-gerous. He has said nothing about food or drink as being a cause of this. I drink two cups of coffee a day. I can’t tell any difference on the days I drink it or on the days I don’t. What’s the thinking on this? -- P.M.

ANSWER: Moderate amounts of caffeine have little effect on the heart. Two to four cups of coffee a day shouldn’t affect your heartbeat. However, if a person is quite sensitive to caffeine, then that person should abstain from coffee. There appears not to be any relationship between cof-fee drinking and artery hardening, artery obstruction or heart pumping. Heart attacks and strokes are no more frequent in coffee drinkers than in those who never touch it.

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

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If you get an automated recorded-message call (called a robocall), it’s likely a scam. And it’s illegal. It doesn’t matter whether or not you’re on the Do Not Call registry -- au-tomated sales calls are illegal.In one month alone earlier this year, 212,000 complaints were lodged with the Federal Trade Commission, with billions of robo-calls being targeted by the FTC in the past two years. If you get a robocall, your best bet is to hang up. Don’t press any numbers, don’t speak -- just hang up. If you press any button at all,

it means there’s a human at your end, and it surely will result in even more robocalls to your number.The FTC has put two new videos on its website (ftc.gov/robocalls) to let consumers know how to handle these calls: “Robocalls Gone Wrong” and “What to Do If You Get a Robocall.”It takes time, but report the call at www.donotcall.gov or by phone at 1-888-382-1222 . If your phone-service package in-cludes call blocking, then block any robocall numbers you get. Beware of paying extra for the service, however. The source of robo-calls changes so often that it’s not worth the expense to keep blocking numbers.The problem with robocalls has gotten so bad that the FTC is going to hold a summit in Oc-tober to explore how to trace and stop these illegal calls, as well as Caller ID spoofing.

Illegal spoofing services provide the means to make calls that appear to originate from another number or an “unknown” number. The danger is that calls can appear to come from people or businesses you know.The key is to assess each call that appears to come from a person or business you’re familiar with. For example, if you get a call supposedly from your bank and it asks for your account information, be suspicious and hang up. The bank already has your in-formation, and the call is likely a scam. Be leery of giving out any information to any-one who calls.Unfortunately, it’s still legal for political candidates and charities to call you, even with robocalls, and even if you’re on the Do Not Call list.One additional warning: The robocall soft-ware is available on the Internet and has been used to perpetuate pranks.

Hang Up on Robocalls

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1. Is the book of Obadiah in the Old or New Testament or neither?2. Upon which mountain did Debo-rah defeat the forces of Sisera? Tabor, Zeus, Sinai, Olives3. From James 3, what part of the body is like a fire? Eyes, Legs, Tongue, Nose4. How many churches does Jesus address in the book of Revelation? 1, 2, 7, 1005. From John 13, who denied Jesus three times? John, James, Luke, Peter6. Who was the mate of Sapphira? Moses, Ananias, Potiphar, Zimriÿ

Pronto Ham Minestrone

Try this soup recipe the next time you have leftover ham. You’re not going to believe how easy and tasty this is until you try it. It’s filled with flavor -- but not fat!

1 full cup diced extra lean ham1 (16-ounce) can tomatoes, coarsely chopped and undrained1 (10 3/4-ounce) can reduced-fat tomato soup1 cup water1/2 teaspoon dried minced garlic1 tablespoon Worcestershire sauce1 tablespoon Italian seasoning1 (16-ounce) can red kidney beans, rinsed and drained1 cup shredded cabbage1/3 cup broken uncooked spaghetti1/4 cup grated reduced-fat Parmesan cheese

1. In a large saucepan, combine ham, undrained tomatoes, tomato soup and water. Stir in garlic, Worcestershire sauce and Italian seasoning. Add kidney beans, cabbage and uncooked spaghetti. Mix well to combine.2. Bring mixture to a boil. Lower heat, cover and simmer for 15 minutes or until spaghetti is tender, stirring occasionally. When serving, top each bowl with 1 tablespoon Parmesan cheese. Makes 4 (1/2 cup) servings.

¥ Each serving equals: 219 calories, 3g fat, 14g pro-tein, 34g carb., 811mg sodium, 7g fiber; Diabetic Exchanges: 2 Meat, 1 1/2 Starch, 1 1/2 Vegetable.

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in a very “Wedding Crashers” way, play at weddings, reunions and bar mitzvahs, and use said celebrations to pick up women. “Wedding Band” premieres Saturday, Nov. 10 at 10 p.m. ET/PT. ***Q: I read that Alan Ball stepping down as show runner/head writer for season six of “True Blood.” What plans does he have post-”True Blood”? -- Keith W., via e-mailA: Alan, who also brought us the brilliant “Six Feet Under” and “American Beauty,” is hard at work on a new Cinemax show called “Banshee,” which is slated to begin airing sometime next year. His production company has several other projects in development at HBO -- both series and movies -- and he has three screenplays in various stages of development. Alan also says that he has not ruled out writing a season-six

1. MUSIC: Who composed the opera ÒSwan LakeÓ?2. LANGUAGE: What is the meaning of the Latin phrase ÒArs gratia artisÓ?3. GEOGRAPHY: The island of Corsica be-longs to what country?4. MYTHOLOGY: What is the name for the three Greek goddesses of vengeance: Alec-to, Megaera and Tisiphone?5. LITERATURE: Who wrote a semi-autobi-ographical travel book called ÒRoughing ItÓ?6. TELEVISION: What detective series fea-tured the theme song ÒKeep Your Eye on the SparrowÓ?7. CHEMISTRY: What is the chemical symbol for bromine?8. AD SLOGANS: What was billed as ÒThe Greatest Show on EarthÓ?9. FAMOUS QUOTATIONS: Who once said, ÒDo not take life too seriously. You will nev-er get out of it alive.Ó?10. MOVIES: Which Disney movie featured the hit song ÒA Whole New WorldÓ?

A: “How the States Got Their Shapes” will be return to H2 for a second season with back-to-back 30-minute episodes on Saturday, Sept. 29, at 10 p.m ET/PT. Hosted by journal-ist and former “Daily Show” correspondent Brian Unger, the show has an added twist this season: Brian will be quizzing Americans about what unites us and what really divides the states -- and exposing some of our country’s most stubborn regional rivalries. Competitors can earn cash prizes and show their state pride by proving just how well they know their United States. This season, Brian will travel to Pittsburgh, Miami, Seattle, Chicago, St. Louis and Nashville, Tenn. ***Q: I’ve been following Brian Austin Green’s career since “Beverly Hills, 90210.” I especially loved him in “Ter-minator: The Sarah Connor Chronicles,” which was on Fox a few years back, as well as his guest appearances on “Smallville.” What does he have coming next? -- Deanna R., Jackson, Miss.A: Aside from pending fatherhood (as of this writing, his wife, actress Megan Fox, is due to give birth to the cou-ples’ daughter any day now), Brian also has a new show to look forward to. He stars in TBS’s “Wedding Band” -- along with Melora Hardin (Jan from “The Office”), Peter Cambor, Derek Miller and Harold Perrineau. The shows centers on the friendship of four young men in a band who,

Q: One of my favorite shows was “Big Love,” and I especially loved Chloe Sevigny in it. What does she have coming up that I can catch her in? -- Tallulah G., via e-mailA: Beginning this January, you can see Chloe in a multiple-episode story arc on IFC’s hit comedy “Portlandia,” which stars Fred Armisen and Carrie Brownstein. Season three is currently in production on 10 all-new episodes. Chloe will play Fred and Carrie’s roommate, Alexandra. And don’t you worry, Kyle MacLachlan fans: He will return as Portland’s mayor, and many more guest stars will make appear-ances throughout the season.

Q: When will “How the States Got Their Shapes” be back with a new season? It’s such an interesting show! -- Greg D., Bangor, Maine

¥ On Sept. 22, 1776, in New York City, 21-year-old Nathan Hale, a captain in the Continental Army, is ex-ecuted by the British for spying. Before being hanged, legend holds that Hale said, “I only regret that I have but one life to lose for my country.” There is no his-torical record to prove that Hale actually made this statement.

¥ On Sept. 18, 1793, George Washington lays the cor-nerstone to the United States Capitol building. The building would take nearly a century to complete, as architects came and went, the British set fire to it, and it was called into use during the Civil War.

¥ On Sept. 23, 1846, German astronomer Johann Gott-fried Galle discovers the planet Neptune. The blue gas giant, which has a diameter four times that of Earth, has eight known moons and a ring system containing three bright and two dim rings.

¥ On Sept. 21, 1938, a powerful Category 3 hurricane slams into Long Island and southern New England. Charlie Pierce, a junior forecaster in the U.S. Weather Bureau, was sure that the hurricane was heading for the Northeast, but the chief forecaster overruled him. All told, 700 people were killed by the hurricane.

¥ On Sept. 19, 1959, in one of the more surreal mo-ments in the history of the Cold War, Soviet leader Ni-kita Khrushchev explodes with anger when he learns he cannot visit Disneyland. Government authorities feared that the crowds would pose a safety hazard.

¥ On Sept. 17, 1965, four adventurous Englishmen ar-rive at a motor show in Germany after crossing the English Channel by Amphicar, the world’s only mass-produced amphibious passenger car. On land, the cars used a four-speed-plus-reverse manual transmission. In the water, they used a transfer case that had two speeds: forward and backward.

¥ On Sept. 20, 1973, in a highly publicized “Battle of the Sexes” tennis match, top women’s player Bil-lie Jean King, 29, plays Bobby Riggs, 55, a former No. 1-ranked men’s player. Riggs, a self-proclaimed male chauvinist, had boasted that women were infe-rior. King beat Riggs 6-4, 6-3, 6-3.

LAST GOOD-BUY (continued):• Bakke warns that almost no pawn shops allow money back returns. The most they offer is in-store credit, so buyer beware. He advises, “Be sure to inquire specifically about all aspects of any return policy they may have.”• Though he mentions that he has experi-enced instances where something he bought at a pawn shop broke soon after, Bakke thinks that the positives easily outnumber the negatives. He says, “The overall money that I have saved over the years has far outweighed the replace-ment cost of the few things that did break down.”• The process of finding good value at antique shops requires a little more time and thought, but it’s just as rewarding. An advice column from the website Antique-Marks.com entitled “Buying antiques — how, where, when and why to buy” gives 10 sure-fire tips on how to make a wise purchase.• Most antique dealers are happy to haggle over their prices. The column strongly advises antique shoppers to ask for a discount on any item they are interested in. It notes that dealers usually assign a private code to each item advising how much of a discount they’re prepared to give (for instance, 25 percent off the sticker). Asking for a discount prompts the salesperson to investigate this. Simply ask, “What’s your best price on this item?”• Another potential option for getting a discount is paying cash, but don’t offer to pay in hard currency up front. After negotiat-ing a maximum discount under the auspices of paying by check or credit card, then (and only then) ask if there might any further cash discount.

Not every seller will offer one, but some do.• Another essential tip when antique shopping is to thoroughly examine any item of interest before buying. Antique-marks advises you to, “Look at the bottom, the top, the sides. Look from odd angles and use a magnifier to look close.”• Examining each item of interest exten-sively is vital, as is inquiring about any damage or restoration the item might’ve undergone. As Antique-marks notes, “If you don’t ask, they don’t need to tell you.”• One of the best ways to find a good deal is to look for items that don’t fit the focus of the individual antique shop. If you’re in a shop that focuses on furniture, look for the odd bit of ceramics or jewelry. Items that don’t fit in will often be discounted much higher to get rid of them. • Check if the shop is a member of any trade associations. As Antique-marks notes, this provides “a greater degree of security and pro-tection” for your purchases. Fake antiques are not uncommon, and some are quite convinc-ing.• When completing your antique pur-chase, make sure you a get a receipt. Make sure it lists specifics about the item, including age, damage or restoration, the material it’s made of and its value.• Finally, if you decide to purchase an-tiques at auction, do your homework! Know the rules of auction bidding and familiarize yourself with items shipped from outside the country. Valuable and antique items must be declared through customs.

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let it sniff the back of your hand. Dogs recognize people by scent, so letting it sniff your hand lets the dog become familiar with you.--Where to pet: Once the dog has sniffed your hand, pet it gently under the chin or on the chest.--Don’t hug dogs: Kids should never hug a dog. Dogs don’t hug each other, and they don’t understand hugs to mean love and affection like humans do. Wrapping your arms around a dog can stress it out and lead to an unnecessary bite.--Keep your chin up: Never put your face down in front of a dog. This can be threatening to the dog and cause it to react. Find out more about safely approaching dogs and about the AKC’s upcoming “Meet the Breeds” event at http://www.akc.org/meet_the_breeds/.

DEAR PAW’S CORNER: A while ago, you printed information on how to safely approach strange dogs. I’d like my two children to be familiar with those procedures. Can you provide that information? -- Candice C., Las Vegas

DEAR CANDICE: I sure can. Here are a few tips courtesy of the American Kennel Club on how to safely approach a strange dog:--Ask permission: It’s very important to ask a dog’s owner first if you can pet the dog. Not every dog reacts the same way to strangers petting them, and the owner will know if the dog is friendly and if it is safe for you to approach.--Approach calmly: If the owner says yes, make a fist, extend your hand slowly to the dog, and

Kids and DogsBy Samantha Mazzotta

FAMOUS LANDMARKS OF THE WORLD:MARTHA’S VINEYARD A quaint, beautiful island in the northern Atlantic off the coat of Massachusetts, Mar-tha’s Vineyard is one of the United States’ most relaxing vacation getaways. Listed below are the aspects that make the island unlike any other.• The world-famous island regularly hosts a variety of occasions, including weddings, honeymoons, corporate events, executive retreats, etc. Some residents live on the island seasonally, others, year round.• The island provides sandy beaches, clay cliffs, bird-watching excursions, elegant din-ing destinations, great shopping and attrac-tions.• Martha’s Vineyard actually prides itself on the uniqueness of its dining experiences — There are no chain restaurants. • The northern part of the island is covered in hills and boulders, while the southern part is mostly sandy beaches. • Many artists live on the island, creating and then selling their hand-crafted, one-of-a-kind pieces.• Vacationers or residents reach the island via ferry or airplane, as there are no tunnels or bridges linked to the island. There are more than 100 lodging destinations, rang-ing anywhere from cozy cottages to camp-grounds to swanky luxury resorts.• Although the oceans around the island are freezing with large waves and dangerous undertows, the island offers many harbors with warmer water.• Martha’s Vineyard is referred to as “No-epe” by the American Indians, which means “Land amid the streams.”• It is believed that Martha’s Vineyard was discovered in the year 1000 by explorers called the Northmen, who named the island Vineland. When Verranazo stumbled upon the island in 1524, he named it Claudia, honoring the mother of France’s Francis II.

One of the best kitchen gadgets I’ve ever invested in is a digital thermometer. Within seconds, it tells me the temperature of the food I’m cooking and whether it’s done.

Temperature is one of the most important safety steps in food preparation to avoid food poisoning. To help us stay safe, the U.S. Food and Drug Administration has created a free booklet especially for us: Food Safety for Older Adults.

It has information we need to know and keep handy: How we get a food-borne illness, and what can happen to us if we do. How to choose lower-risk food options. How long food stays safe in the refrigerator. And much more.

For example, did you know that lunch and deli meats need to be heated to 165 degrees Fahrenheit? The bacteria Listeria can grow even at proper 40-degree refrigerator temperature.

My favorite part of the booklet, especially since I now have a high-tech digital thermometer, is the picture chart of the recommended internal temperatures of cooked food. Fish, 145 degrees. Beef, 160 degrees. And so on. (I also invested in two refrigerator/freezer thermometers to make sure the old refrigerator and freezer are keeping food at the correct temperature: 40 degrees for the refrigerator and 0 degrees for the freezer.)

There are a number of steps involved in finding the booklet online, but it’s worth the trouble. Go to www.fsis.usda.gov, click Fact Sheets, At-Risk Populations, More Like This at the bottom of that category, then scroll down to the PDF version of Food Safety for Older Adults. If you can’t find it, send email to fsis.outreach@usda.gov to request the booklet.

Or call the hotline and request it at 1-888-674-6854 .

Food Safety

• The first explorer to give the island its cur-rent name was Bartholomew Gosnold, who also discovered and named Cape Cod. While lost in the Atlantic, he stumbled upon a small-er island outside of Martha’s Vineyard and gave this island the name. The next day, he discovered the larger island and after explor-ing, switched the names and titled the smaller island No Man’s Land. Martha’s Vineyard came from his mother, Martha.• The first school on Martha’s Vineyard was established in 1651 to teach native Indians who were willing to learn.•Martha’s Vineyard was considered part of New York until 1692.• At one point in its history during the mid 1800s, after generations and generations, Martha’s Vineyard had such a high deaf popu-lation that the residents developed their own sing language, Martha’s Vineyard Sign Lan-guage (MVSL).•In 1911, the Colonial Inn opening, thus sparking its transformation into a vacationer’s paradise.•Steven Spielberg’s blockbuster hit “Jaws” was filmed on the island in 1974. •When famous actor John Belushi died in 1982, he was buried on Martha’s Vineyard in the town of Chilmark. Many residents and va-cationers visit his grave to pay their respects.•Long-term island residents tend to be afflu-ent, as the cost of living on the island is about 60 percent higher than that of the United States mainland, and the cost of real estate is a striking 95 percent higher. In 2010, the island’s population was 16,535.• In 2011, Martha’s Vineyard celebrated its 100th year of being a supreme vacation desti-nation spot in the United States.

Casey Mears got quite a boost from the circumstances surrounding the Irwin Tools Night Race.He started on the pole. He didn’t win the pole, but he started there. It wasn’t just luck, though. When rain canceled qualifying, Mears advanced to the top of the lineup be-cause his Ford had been fastest in practice.The Bristol Motor Speedway surface had been reworked since the Sprint Cup Series last visited in March 18.“Where they actually worked on the track (it had been ground near the tops of the turns), we actually haven’t been all the way up there yet,” Mears said before the race. “I’ve seen some guys flirting with the edge of it, so it’s really going to be hard to say. If it keeps guys from running up against the wall, I think it could make it a little bit more competitive just because, when guys are running right up against the fence, it’s really hard to pass guys down underneath.”Many didn’t expect Mears, 34, to remain at the front for long. Some didn’t expect him to lead the first lap, but he did. In fact,

Mears’ No. 13 Geico Ford, owned by Steve Ger-main, led the first 26 laps. He wound up finishing 21st after spinning on the 414th of 500 laps.Mears had an impact on the race. He was run-ning 12th as late as lap 375.The Bakersfield, Calif., native was right about it being difficult to pass high. What he and others didn’t fully grasp was that it would also be difficult to pass low.While competing at Hendrick Motorsports, Mears won the Coca-Cola 600 at Charlotte Motor Speedway in May 2007. He began his career with Chip Ganassi’s team, finishing a career-best 14th in the Sprint Cup point standings in 2006. He then spent two years at Hendrick and moved to Richard Childress Racing for the 2009 season. Since then, Mears has driven for Germain, Team Red Bull, Tommy Baldwin Jr. and Raymond Key.Mears comes from one of America’s great racing families. His uncle, Rick, is one of three men to win the Indianapolis 500 four times. His father, Roger, is a legend in off-road racing, which is where Casey began his career.Casey has won in NASCAR, ARCA, Grand American and Indy Lights.

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CLEANING OUT THE GARAGEHaving dedicated some ink to antiquing and pawn shops, Tidbits explores another of our ma-jor methods of retail “recycling” — the garage sale. Every single weekend, individual mini-entrepreneurs open their garages and yards to sell used (and occasionally new) items from their homes to bargain hunters from their neighbor-hoods and beyond. Here are some interesting bits about this popular underground economy.• Most of us think of garage (or yard) sales as a series of decentralized, unconnected, weekend family “stores” set up in the front yard, and for the most part, they are. However, every year, right before Labor Day weekend, there is a garage sale that stretches from Maryland to California. • This past May celebrated the 13th an-nual “Great US 50 Yard Sale.” This celebration was held May 18-20 this year.• The event includes a loose collection of businesses and towns along US Highway 50. Highway 50 is one of the longest highways in the United States. It stretches from Ocean City, Maryland, to Sacramento, California, over 3,073 miles! A 1997 article in Time magazine declared it the “backbone of America.”• Though the Great US 50 Yard Sale isn’t formally organized nationwide, its organizers have coordinated steadily with counties all along the route who have given their support. This support has grown steadily every year, with me-dia outlets picking up the story. Although of-ficial numbers were too numerous and difficult to tabulate, one writer covering the story found over 75 yard sales in just one 25-mile stretch of highway.

• Organized garage sales like the Great US 50 Yard Sale aren’t the sole province of the United States. In fact, other countries have ap-proached them from a unique perspective. • Calling itself the “World’s Longest Yard-sale,” The 127 Corridor Sale stretches from Ad-dison, Michigan, to Gadsden, Alabama, over 690 miles. Yet that’s not even half the distance of the Great US 50 Yard Sale.• While the descriptor “World’s Longest” may not be wholly accurate, this sale is highly organized, with headquarters in Jamestown, Ten-nessee. The 2012 event took place August 2-5.• One popular celebration in Bondi, Aus-tralia, organized 126 different yard sales for its “Garage Sale Trail.” The idea was the brain-child of a company named “Republic of Everyone” as part of a larger competition to come up with in-novative ways to recycle.• The Garage Sale Trail was a big success. In addition to connecting 126 different sales, it was estimated that nearly $100,000 of goods changed hands. It was the equivalent of 15 metal shipping containers (each housing about 1,600 cubic feet) full of stuff that would’ve otherwise ended up in a landfill.• The sale was one of the prize ideas gener-ated by the “Green Globes” competition. • In an interview with the Sydney Morning Herald, competition judge Nicolette Boele says, “What I loved about this was the hosting of an event…where you could bring so many elements of the community to celebrate and re-use. The whole trash and treasure thing has many more outcomes and benefits for sustainability than was perhaps intended. It may have started out as a big garage sale, but it turned out to be so much more.”

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BIBLE TRIVIA ANSWERS: 1) Old; 2) Tabor; 3) Tongue; 4) 7; 5) Peter; 6) Ananias

Answers

1. Peter Tchaikovsky2. Art for artÕs sake3. France4. The Furies5. Mark Twain6. ÒBarettaÓ7. Br8. Barnum & Bailey Circus9. Elbert Hubbard 10. ÒAladdinÓ

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incumbent mayor in a landslide, and he kept the position for two years. His salary? A whopping $200 per week.

¥ Often these days you’ll see someone carrying a tiny dog around with them, but you might be surprised to learn that this is not an entirely new fashion. In ancient Rome and Greece it was not uncommon for a noble lady to carry her tiny Maltese dog around in the sleeve of her robe.

¥ In the early days of motion pictures, Will H. Hays became known as the “Czar of Hollywood.” He presided over the earliest incarnation of the MPAA, charged with ensuring the morality of movies. Some of the changes the so-called “Hays Office” insisted upon were removing the image of a cow’s udder from a Walt Disney cartoon; and removing any direct reference to adultery in the 1935 adaptation of the Tolstoy novel “Anna Karenina” -- despite the fact that Anna’s affair is at the heart of the novel.

¥ Those who study such things say that a woman’s sense of smell tends to be better than that of a man. ***Thought for the Day: “I think that I am better than the people who are trying to reform me.” -- Johann Wolfgang von Goethe

¥ It was American singer Josh Groban who made the following sage observation: “There’s no half-singing in the shower, you’re either a rock star or an opera diva.”

¥ If you’re considering having a child sometime in the near future, you might want to consider this: It’s said that the cost of caring for a newborn during its first year of life is more than $6,000.

¥ In 1986, actor and director Clint Eastwood took on a new and unfamiliar role: political candidate. He ran for mayor of Carmel, Calif. He defeated the

The Greater Birmingham Humane Society, found-ed in 1883, is the largest and oldest humane soci-ety in Alabama. Over the course of our history we have witnessed the changes in our community and yet have never left the original mission of Dr. Phil-lips “to promote respect for life through education and prevention of cruelty to animals and people”

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