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March 6, 2012 The Neatest Little Paper Ever Read

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by Patricia L. Cook Many people suffer from the blues during the winter months because of a lack of sunshine, but spring will bring us all warmth and sunny days soon! This Tidbits explores the gigantic star that our planet revolves around. •Thesunisahugestarthatisthecenterofoursolar system. Earth is tiny compared to the sun.Ourentireplanetcouldfitinsidethesun109 times if it was a hollow ball! Of course, it’s not hollow; it isfilledwithhot gasses.How hot? The surface of the sun is about 10,000 degrees Fahrenheit (5,500 degrees Celsius). The core, or center of the sun, is estimated to be more than 28 million degrees Fahrenheit (15.5 million C). •Thesunis864,000miles(1.4millionkm)in diameter, almost 35 times larger than the diameter of the earth and is about 330,000 times the mass of earth.•Onamountainsummitonahotsummerday,it appears that the sun is really close to earth. However, it is nearly 93 million miles (150 million km) away. It takes sunlight about eight minutes to reach us. Even with that distance, the light and heat keep our planet warm, allowing plants to grow and even giving us a sunburn if we are not careful. Without the sun, earth would be frozen and dark all the time and could not support life as we know it.

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Vol 1 Issue 8of Elmore County

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SUNSHINE

Page 2 Tidbits® of Elmore County

This easy yet impressive dessert can be made in advance and heated when you’re ready to serve it, making it the perfect choice when you’re hosting a large group. The splash of framboise in the pudding adds an elegant touch.

1 cup (2 sticks) unsalted butter, melted and cooled, plus more for greasing3/4cupgood-qualitycocoapowder1/2cupall-purposeflour4extra-largeeggs,atroomtemperature2 cups sugar1 vanilla bean, split, seeds scraped1tablespoonframboiseliqueur(optional)Vanilla ice cream, for serving

1.Preheatovento325F.Lightlybutter2-quartshallowovalbakingdish.2.Intomediumbowl,sifttogethercocoapowderandflour.Inlargebowl,withmixeronmedium-highspeed,beateggsand sugar 5 to 10 minutes or until very thick and light yellow.3. Reduce speed to low; add vanilla seeds, framboise (if using), and cocoa mixture. Mix just until combined. Slowly pour in butter; mix just until combined.4.Pourmixtureintoprepareddishsetinlargerbakingpan.Addhottapwatertopantocomehalfwayupsideofdish.5.Bakeexactly1hour.Atoothpickinserted2inchesfromsidewillcomeoutclean.Centerwillappearveryunder-baked. Cool completely.6.Servewithicecream.Serves12.

MakeAhead:Tomakeahead,wrap;refrigerateupto3days.Toserve,bringtoroomtemperature.

„Eachserving:About335calories,18gtotalfat(11gsaturated),110mgcholesterol,30mgsodium,40gtotalcarbs,1gdietaryfiber,4gprotein.

Forthousandsoftriple-testedrecipes,visitourwebsiteatwww.goodhousekeeping.com/recipefinder/.

Baked Chocolate Pudding

Homemade Gelatin Citrus Snacks

It’s citrus time! Prepare for your family’s next snack attack with 100 percent pure fruit juice magically transformed into whimsical and eye-catchingcitrusbowlsandslicesusingunflavoredgelatinandscoopedoutorange,lemon, lime or grapefruit halves. Later,whenyouhearamid-afternoon“I’mhungry”groan,say,“Itsoundstomelikeit’stime to eat some art.” Here’s how to make the healthy sunshine snack:

Homemade Gelatin in Citrus Bowls

Citrus BowlsFirst,preparethescooped-outcitrushalves.Choose two or more of the following depend-ingonsize:oranges,lemons,limesorgrape-fruit. Cut fruit in half evenly lengthwise or around the circumference. Insert a paring knife just between the white pith and the fruit in each half, and remove the fruit pulp to form bowls. (Use removed fruit for salads or snacking as desired.) For stability, set empty citrus bowls perfectly upright into small bowls or sections of a muf-fintin.Ifcitrusbowlsarewobbly,carefullytrim a bit off of the base, being careful not to pierce all the way through. Set them aside while you prepare the gelatin.

Homemade Fruit Juice Gelatin2 cups pure, 100 percent fruit juice1-2tablespoonshoney2(1/4-ouncesize)envelopesunflavoredgela-tin such as Knox brand1.Inamedium-sizesaucepan,heat11/2cupsof juice. Bring to a boil and remove from heat.2. While juice is heating up, stir remaining 1/2 cupofjuiceintotwoenvelopesofunflavoredgelatin in a medium bowl (preferably with a spout) with a spout and let stand for 1 minute. Addthehotfruitjuiceandstiruntilthegelatinis completely dissolved. Stir in honey.3.Coolslightly,andpourintothepre-pre-paredcitrusbowls.Refrigerateuntilfirm.4.Whenset,servewithaspoonandeatthegelatin right out of the citrus bowl. Or, slice intowedgeswithasharpknife.Makes4-6servings.Alternateidea:Use1(3-ounce)boxofgela-tinsuchasJell-Obrand,asanalternativetohomemade gelatin. Use the Jigglers recipe on thesideoftheboxforfirmergelatin.***DonnaErickson’saward-winningseries“Donna’sDay”isairingonpublictelevisionnationwide.Tofindmoreofhercreativefam-ily recipes and activities, visit www.donnas-day.com and link to the NEW Donna’s Day Facebookfanpage.Herlatestbookis“DonnaErickson’s Fabulous Funstuff for Families.”***

SUNSHINE continued from Page 1• Thecloseryougettotheearth’spoles,the more extreme the days are with and without sunshine. The North Pole does not havesunshinefor186daysayear.•Barrow,Alaska,doesn’thaveanysunshinein December and January, but when summer rollsaround,JunethroughAugust,theyareblessedwithcontinualsunshine24hoursaday. • Today,muchattention is focusedonourneed for vitamin D, known as the sunshine vitamin. Being in the sun is the best way to satisfy your body’s need for vitamin D; it is produced in your skin when your skin is exposed to sunlight. •AlackofvitaminDcanputyouatincreasedrisk for the bone disease osteoporosis. Low vitamin D can also cause poor metabolism, a weakened heart and cause your body to heal slowly from broken bones and cuts. •Even though Florida is nicknamed the“SunshineState,”therearefiveotherstatesthatactuallyhavemoresunshine.Accordingto theNationalWeatherService,Arizona,California, Texas, Nevada and New Mexico catch more rays.•The sunniest place in theUnited Stateswhere you can absorb some natural vitamin DisYuma,Arizona.Thenext fourplacesare: Redding, California; Flagstaff andPhoenix,Arizona;andLasVegas,Nevada.•Juneau,Alaska,isthecloudiestcityintheUnited States with only 30 percent of the annual possible sunshine. Other areas that lack sunshine, where vitamin D supplements may be needed, are Quillayute, Washington; Elkins, West Virginia; Hilo, Hawaii; and Anchorage,Alaska.• If you search the internet for businesses,towns, clubs and other organizations that use the word sunshine in their name, you will probably be amazed. It seems that everyone loves sunshine! The word seems to imply happiness. However, there are a few places borrowing the name that haven’t turned out so sunny. How about ghost towns?• Sunshine,Tennessee, is also known asKinsel Springs, after S.J. Kinsel who established the town in the early 1900s. Located in what is now the Great Smoky Mountain National Park, at one time it had a large resort hotel, and people rode the train from Knoxville to enjoy swimming in the Little River and walking across the swingingbridge.Afterthehotelburnedin

the 1950s, and the railroad’s demand for the local lumber dried up, the company was discontinued and the town died. The swinging bridge has been renovated, but not much else is there today. •Mr.Kinsel, known for hiswealth,wasalso known for his generosity. He donated a large sum of money to the International Sunshine Society. The society was started in the early 1900s to help infants and children whowereblind,tobring“sunshine”totheirsweet lives.•Twominesnamed“Sunshine”werelocatedin Utah and Idaho, for gold and silver respectively.• SunshineMine inUtahwas expectedto be a great gold find but proved to bedisappointing and was abandoned after 15 yearsofwork.Onlyabout$400,000ingoldwas extracted. Sunshine Canyon, where the mine was located, has been deserted since 1910. •SunshineMineinIdaho,locatedbetweenthe towns of Kellogg and Wallace in the Idaho panhandle, was a silver mine that producedalmost365millionouncesofsilverfrom1904through2001.Unfortunately,theSunshine Mine has the distinction of being the spot of the worst disaster in Idaho history. Afireintheminein1972killed91workers.Amonumenttothelostminerswaserectednear the mine and can be viewed there today. • SunshineHill, Texas, nearWichitaFalls, got its name from the fact that at 1,208feet(368m)abovesealevel,itwasthe highest hill in the area. The school that was established there in 1889 was the only structure left in the town in recent years. Unfortunately, the school burned to the ground in March 2011. •NorthoftheborderinAlberta,Canada,isSunshine Village Ski Resort, one of three ski resorts within Banff National Park. It claims to have up to 30 feet (9 m) of snow in the winter! It also has summer hiking access and fun programs beginning in June. •Allofusneedtobethankfulforthesuncoming up every morning and going down every night. There have been numerous religions that have the sun as their centerpiece. TheEgyptians,Aztecs,GreeksandJapaneseall had major tenets of their beliefs based on thesun.TheAztecsactuallythoughtthesundied every night and had to be resurrected each day.

***

DAYTONABEACH,Fla.--Theno-frillsDaytona 500 got off to a colorful start on Monday night, mainly because the dude with his hands on the plunger set off the fireworksearly.Onthestart,MattKensethbump-draftedGregBifflewhileeveryoneelseplayednice... for slightly more than a lap. The bump draft worked out nicely. Behind the streak-ingFordsatthefrontcaromedthefive-timechampion, the previous winner, the ban-ished bad boy and ... The Danica.Contact between Elliott Sadler’s plebeian Chevy and Jimmie Johnson’s royal one touched off the bottle rockets. The last time a driver began a championship season with a500victorywasJohnsonin2006.Sincethenhehasfinishednobetterthan27th.Nextupforthewinneroffiveofthepastsixtitles:HeandcrewchiefChadKnaustryto duck the book being hurled at them by thealwaysarbitraryNASCARjudiciary.“I’mreallybummedout,”saidJohnson,andhe wasn’t insincere. He said he had some “help”frombehind,whichisanoddwayfor destruction to be described. Johnson still earned$327,000dollars,orabout$163,000per lap.Lotsoftimes,rained-outracesseemre-strained when everyone comes back and reconjures the magic. In particular, it’s usu-ally later than the second lap when some-onetouchesoffabrawlofsparksandfire.Rain apparently isn’t calming when it’s the Daytona500andfirstplaceisworth$1.5million or so.Eleven laps later Ryan Newman went spin-ning down the back straight, but he had a signedexcusebecauseatirewentflat.Then there’s Danica Patrick, who, as usual, got more attention than Tony Stewart, Lenny Kravitz and Mitt Romney combined. She won a Nationwide Series pole, but otherwisecompetedinthreeraces--twomajor-leagueandoneminor--andwreckedaleague-leading1.000.It will undoubtedly get better, in large mea-sure because it is impossible for it not to.It seemed like yesterday when Trevor Bayne won the race, but this time Bayne barely made it a lap. The Kurt Busch Resur-rection Tour went on immediate hiatus.It’soneofthereasonsNASCARinsistsonhaving43carsineveryrace.Sometimesthebigshotschargethebarricadestooquicklyand reinforcements are necessary.***

They All Get Giddy on a Monday Night

For Advertising call (334) 202-7285 Page 3

FOG OR SMOG?

Both fog and smog reduce visibility in ar-eas where they are present and in extreme cases, can result in snarled air and ground traffic.Inadditiontocausingvisualim-pairment, smog can be dangerous to your health. • Fogisdefinedas“alargemassofwatervaporcondensedtofineparticles,at or just above the earth’s surface; thick, obscuringmist.”Smogis“fogthathasbecome mixed and polluted with smoke.” The word smog is a portmanteau, which is a blend of two or more words into a new word. •Fogcanbedangeroustoyourhealthifit impedes visibility and causes automo-bile or airplane crashes, but otherwise, just breathing it in is not harmful. Smog, on the other hand, can be extremely bad, especially to people with allergies and/or asthma. • Sincetheword“smog”wasfirstused, scientists have worked on minimiz-ingitanditsconsequences.Dr.H.A.desVoeuxisgivencreditforthefirstrecordeduse of the word in a paper he presented to the Public Health Congress in London in 1905.HewasquotedinaDailyGraphicnewspaperarticlesaying,“Itrequirednoscience to see that there was something produced in great cities which was not found in the country, and that was smoky fog, or what was known as ‘smog.’” The nextday,theGlobewrotethat,“Dr.desVoeux did a public service in coining a new word for the London fog.”•Londonisindeedknownforitsfog,asis San Francisco, but Grand Banks, off the island of Newfoundland, Canada, is known as the foggiest place in the world. The cold Labrador Current from the north and the warm Gulf Stream from the south meet at Grand Banks and cause the almost ever-presentfog.•Twotowns,Argentia,nearGrandBanks,Newfoundland, and Point Reyes, Califor-nia, near San Francisco, have over 200 foggy days per year. The high humidity from the fog makes for beautiful greenery in both areas

(continuedonPage6)

Tidbits® of Elmore County Page 4

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

DEARDR.DONOHUE:IhavehadheadachessinceI was 12. I am now 32. I hear people talk about their migraine headaches and wonder if I might have them. What makes a headache a migraine headache? I take aspirin for my headaches. It helps, but not all that much.Aretherespecialmedicinesformigraines?--K.D.

ANSWER:Yes,therearespecialmigrainemedicines,so it is important to determine if your headaches are true migraine headaches.Some of the distinguishing attributes of migraines are the following:They begin before age 40.Morewomen have them than men. The headache starts out with minor pain but often progresses to intense and incapacitating pain. The word used to describe it is “throbbing.” Nausea and vomiting frequentlyaccompany it. In a little more than half of migraine patients, the headache is on one side only. Bright lights and noise intensify the pain. Sufferers try to findadark,quietroomwheretheycanliedownuntiltheheadachegoes,andthatcantakefourto72hours.Migraine sufferers can identify triggers that bring on their headaches. Stress, missing a meal, too much or too little sleep, menstrual periods, bright lights, certain odors like cigarette smoke or perfume and fatigue are some of the things that start a migraine. Alcohol--beerandredwineinparticular--chocolate,some cheeses and cured meats like hot dogs, sausage and bacon are triggers for some.Aspirin, Tylenol, Midrin and naproxen alleviate

Is It a Migraine?

1. Who holds the Los Angeles Dodgers record for longest hitting streak?2. Since 1940, name the only two players to retire with a career batting average better than .335.

3. Who holds the NFL record for most consecutive games with at least one touchdown pass?4. Name the last Wooden Award winner (top collegiate player) before Kevin Durant to go on to win an NBA season scoring title.5. Which No. 1 overall draft pick recorded a hat trick the earliest in his NHL career?6. Name the only two drivers to win from the pole position in NASCAR Cup’s Homestead-Miami Speedway.7. When was the last time before 2012 that no male U.S. tennis player made the final 16 at the Australian Open?

mildmigraines. Cafergot is a migraine standby. Agroup of newer drugs are especially good for migraine sufferers. Seven of them are available. Some names are Imitrex, Maxalt and Zomig. Imitrex comes as a nasal spray and as an injection, administered like insulin. Zomig also comes as a nasal spray. This is a godsend for those who become sick to the stomach along with the headache.Not all migraine headaches produce all the signs and symptoms I mentioned, but if you have more than two of these characteristic symptoms, it’s a good bet that you suffer from migraines.The booklet on headaches describes the common kinds and their treatment. Readers can obtain a copy bywriting: Dr. Donohue -- No. 901W, Box 536475,Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a check ormoneyorder (no cash) for $4.75 U.S./$6 Canada with therecipient’s printed name and address. Please allow four weeks for delivery.***DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Many of my friends takeaspirin for the prevention of a heart attack or stroke. I decidedIshouldjointhem.Isthisawisemove?--K.H.ANSWER:Aspirin and similardrugs are the rule forprevention of heart attacks and certain strokes. The aspirindoseingreatestuseis81mg--low-doseaspirin.Three different regimens for the prevention of stroke are acceptable: Plavix, aspirin or aspirin combinedwith sustained-release dipyridamole. The aspirin-dipyridamole combination comes in one tablet called Aggrenox.Notethattheseareforpreventionofsecondheart attacks and strokes.For the prevention of a first heart attack or stroke,patients should consult their doctor, who will evaluate each patient’s risk. Based on that, the doctor will recommend a regimen that’s appropriate. It’s not a goodideatoself-medicatewithanymedicine.***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 requestanorderformofavailablehealthnewslettersatP.O.Box536475,Orlando,FL32853-6475.

Page 5For Advertising Call (334) 202-7285

Say it isn’t true. Seniors are moving to online banking?SosaysasurveydonebytheAmericanBankersAs-sociation.Forthefirsttimeever,thoseofusage55andolder now prefer doing our banking online rather than going to the bank in person or using the mail. It wasn’t just a few of us either. We went from 20 percent of seniorsdoingbankingonlinein2010toawhopping57percent in 2011.Part of this, it’s said, is due to the banks now having alonglistofrequirementstoavoidthefeestheynowcharge.Insomecaseswe’rerequiredtohaveaverylarge balance in savings or we’re charged a monthly fee to get statements by mail. Doing our banking online is often one of the ways we can save money.Why do we do it? It’s convenient, especially if we no

Online Banking Grows by Leaps and Bounds

longer drive or if we live in places with inclement weather. For those of us who are so busy it’s not easy to get to the bank during working hours, online bank-ing is a means to easily take care of business. That doesn’t mean we’re eager to use our cell phones toconductbankbusiness,however.We’renotquitethere yet. Computer classes have made us more com-fortable pressing keys, but a small cell phone is easily lost.So,whatcanwedoonline?Wecan:transferfundsfrom one account to another, check balances, see if a check has cleared, view our statement and pay bills.If you want to explore online banking, remember two key safety steps. Keep good virus protection on your computer, and close your browser after you log out of the bank’s website.

Matilda Charles regrets that she cannot personally answerreaderquestions,butwillincorporatethemintoher column whenever possible. Write to her in care ofKingFeaturesWeeklyService,P.O.Box536475,Orlando,FL32853-6475,orsende-mailtocolumnre-ply@gmail.com.

(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.

Q:Regardingyourrecentcolumnonpipeinsulationandfreezing:Youblew it this time.As a chemical engineerwho has worked with construction and operation of vari-ous facilities, I can categorically tell you that pipe insula-tionwill not prevent pipes from freezing -- particularlywhere power and heat are not available.Pipe insulation will slow the transfer of heat and cold into or out of piping. However, if heat is not available for asufficient time, thewater in thepipewill freeze if thesurrounding air temperature is below 32 F. It might take awhile, but it will freeze.The simplest method for preventing damage to piping sys-tems is to drain the piping as fully as possible, thereby keeping any remaining water from damaging the pipes when it freezes. The freezing water will simply expand into the voids and not split or break the piping.When heat is again available, the warming will melt the frozenwater.Addingwaterbackintothepipingwillper-mit it to operate as usual, eventually. I had this experience in my house back in the ‘80s during a massive and long

Even Insulated Pipes Can Freeze

By Samantha Mazzotta

* Use a muffin pan to make cookie cups for ice cream or fruit. Just flip your muffin pan over, and press dough over the upturned wells. It will puff up a little, but once it settles will make very nice bowls. I do this with pizza dough as well. Prebake for a few minutes to form the bowl, then fill with ingredients and complete baking.

* If you can put a tension rod in the cabinet under your sink, you can use it to hang spray bottles for extra storage. It’s amazing how much space it clears up, and it’s easy to find the bottle you need.

* Got popcorn? For a healthier (and much less expensive) version, go old school: Put popping-corn kernels in a regular brown paper bag, seal bag, then microwave.

* “Bread tags (the little plastic clips that hold bread bags closed) make great cord organizers when you are using a multiple-outlet power strip. Write the kind of device (e.g. TV, VCR, Wii) on the tag, then clip it to the plug end of the cord. When you need to unplug, it’ll be easy to see which is which.” -- C.C. in Ohio

* Travel a lot? Make use of those shower caps by pairing up shoes and using the shower cap to hold them together while simultaneously protect-ing your clothes from the shoe bottoms. Smart!

* “I make plenty of cupcakes for my children’s various events, but I kept having unreturned cupcake carriers. Those things are expensive! I make my own now, using a box lid. The lids for paper cartons work really well. Cut a cross into the lid top with a razor or carpet knife, and press down. Make it the size of a cupcake. Insert cup-cakes and go.” -- A.R. in Georgia

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

(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.

(c) 2009 King Features Synd., Inc.

power outage. I drained the water and heating lines as best I could. When power came back I started the boiler, after pressuring that system, and waited. Slowly, the three heat-ing zones cameback into operation -- except for about20 feet of heating pipe in the uninsulated space in the at-tic. That took days and the sun’s heat to return to normal operation.However, in a heated garage with pipe insulation, leav-ing the garage door open (accidentally) in 15 F weather didnotprotectthepiping.Luckilyonlyasplitina2-footlength of pipe needed replacement.I worry that your column will give a false sense of security to homeowners who are not engineers or tradespeople and willfindfrozenandsplit linesafteranoutage. --RalphM., via email

A:Youtoldthem,Ralph,andIthankyou!Whilepipein-sulationslowsheatorcoldtransfer--keepinghotwaterinside thepipes fromcoolingmorequicklyas it travelsthroughunheatedspaces--itshouldnotbereliedupontoprevent pipes from freezing during prolonged cold spells. Alwayschecktheentirerun,includinginsulatedsections,when monitoring for frozen pipes.

HOME TIP:As spring approaches, double check piperuns for damage before turning on water to sections that were shut off for winter, such as exterior spigots.

Sendyourquestionsor tips toask@thisisahammer.com,or write This Is a Hammer, c/o King Features Weekly Ser-vice,P.O.Box536475,Orlando,FL32853-6475.

(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc. Register to win at www.elmorecountytidbits.com and click on“TommyTidbits”.Fillouttheregistrationinformationand tell us how many times Tommy appears in ads in the paper for this week. From the correct entries, a winner will beselected.Youmustbe18yearsofagetoqualify.Thegiftcertificateswillrangeinvaluefrom$25to$50eachweek. Entries must be received at the website by midnight eachSaturdayeveningoratPTKCorp,POBox264,We-tumpka,AL36092.

This week’s winner receives a FREE OIL CHANGEfromParker Tire & Service Center. (See their ad on page 1)

Last Week’s Ads where Tommy was hiding:1. Must Stop Cafe, p 12. Long Run Press p 13. Jakes Barber Shop p 14.ALPaint&Bodyp45.ZapPestControlp46.StateFarmp47.ThomasMitchellp58. Philip Bumpers p 8

Tidbits® of Elmore County Page 6

1. Is the book of Colossae in the Old or New Testament or neither?2. From Genesis 32, who became lame when he wrestled with God? Jacob, Adam, Noah, Aaron3. What city was second of the seven churches as mentioned by John? Derbe, Gomorrah, Beersheba, Smyrna4. From Acts 8, what magician came to be baptized by Philip? Balaam, Endor, Simon, Laban5. Whose standard version of the Bible was/is the Vulgate? Greek, Hebrew, German, Latin6. Which Psalm is the shortest of all? 1st, 3rd, 117th, 123rd

If you began receiving Social Security Disability In-surance payments in 2011, you could have a problem whenyoufileyourtaxreturnandenduppayingtoomuch.Here’swhy:SinceittakessolongtobeginreceivingSSDIbenefits,it’spossiblethatyou’llreceiveaone-timelump-sumpaymentthatincludesbackpaymentsforpreviousyears.Thosebenefitsaretaxableincome,and you could pay taxes at a rate up to a whopping 50 percent. The calculation to determine your income includes any other income you have.

According to a news release by theAllsupDisabil-ity Life Planning Center, an average SSDI benefitis$1,073,whichcomes to$12,876for theyear.Fora couple, a total income of more than $19,000 (or $9,950foranindividual)requiresthatataxreturnbefiled.However, if you receive a large lump-sum paymentand report that, as well as any other income, you could end up paying too much in taxes.This is where you’ll need the help of a tax preparer or taxpreparationsoftware tocompleteyour return:You’reallowed tospread that lump-sumincomeoutover previous years.You’ll receive a Form 1099 showing the amount of SSDI income you received, with the amount showing in Box 3.If you want to complete your return yourself or read about filing to get an estimate of the tax youmightowe, go online to the Internal Revenue Service web-site at irs.gov and search for Publication 915. The nameis“SocialSecurityandEquivalentRailroadRe-tirementBenefits.”LookfortheLump-SumElectionon page 11 for detailed instructions on the Worksheets 1through4thatneedtobefilledout.Scrolldownand

look for the examples of the worksheets. The result of the calculations on those worksheets determine which election method will get you the lowest tax.Publication 915 contains other helpful information aswell.IfyoureceiveaFORMSSA-1042SSocialSecurityBenefitStatementanddon’tunderstandthenumbers in the various boxes, the publication ex-plains each one.IfyoureceiverailroadretirementbenefitsonFORMRRB-1099, this publication explains the figures ineach of the 11 boxes.Ifyoudoyour taxesyourself andhaveaquestion,you can contact the IRS at 1-800-829-1040.Yourbest bet, however, if you’ve received a lump-sumbenefit,istogethelpfromataxpreparer.

David Uffington regrets that he cannot personallyanswer readerquestions, butwill incorporate theminto his column whenever possible. Write to him in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475,Orlando,FL32853-6475,orsende-mailtocolumnreply@gmail.com.

(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.

Handling Lump-Sum Benefits and Taxes

FOG OR SMOG continued•The“GreatSmogof1952”inLondonwasahorrendouseventthatoccurredoverafour-day period and was the cause of approximately 12,000 deaths. The smog resulted from the widepspread use of coal for heating. In par-ticular, the smog related to this disaster was the type that occurs mostly during cold winter days and is primarily a mixture of sulfur dioxide andparticulatematter,“soot,”fromtheburn-ing coal. The episodes of smog in London were nicknamed“pea-soupers.”•Thesmogovermostcities,includingLosAn-geles(L.A.),isnotduetocoaluse,butcausedby photochemicals. Complaints of pollution in L.A.dateasfarbackasthelate1860s.Photo-chemical smog, which mostly occurs on warm sunny days, contains oxidants, such as ozone, that cause eye irritation, respiratory problems anddamagetoplants.Photochemicalsmogfirstbecameapparentinthe1940s.•Manycountries,includingtheUnitedStatesandCanada,haveairqualitystandardstodayandmonitorandregulatesmog-causingindus-tries to protect the citizens and plant life. Even though smog persists in many areas, it is much improved with the regulations and awareness.***

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* On March 23, 1836, in hopes of keeping pace with the furious march of technology, the U.S. Mint unveils its first steam-powered press. The new-fangled contrap-tion helped crank out coins more efficiently.

* On March 25, 1911, at the Triangle Shirtwaist Compa-ny in New York’s Lower East Side, a fire quickly engulfs the factory and claims 146 lives, mostly young women. Because management had locked the exit doors, many of the garment workers either expired from asphyxia-tion or leapt from windows -- a fatal, 10-story fall. The factory’s owners were eventually found guilty on charg-es of manslaughter.

* On March 20, 1920, Bugatti delivers its first 16-valve car to a customer in Switzerland. The Bugatti was a symbol of wealth and status, and its cars were equipped with massive racing engines. The renowned American dancer Isadora Duncan was riding in a Bugatti when her trademark long scarf caught in a rear wheel of the vehicle, and she was instantly strangled to death.

* On March 22, 1947, President Harry Truman issues an executive decree establishing a sweeping loyalty in-vestigation of federal employees in every department and agency. The program uncovered only a few em-ployees whose loyalty could be “reasonably” doubted.

* On March 19, 1952, the one-millionth Jeep is pro-duced. The name “Jeep” is reportedly derived from the Army’s 1941 request that car manufacturers develop a “General Purpose” vehicle. “G.P.” turned to “Jeep” somewhere along the battle lines.

* On March 21, 1971, “The Andromeda Strain,” the first movie to use computer animation, opens. The sci-fi thriller, featuring scientists racing against time and an alien virus, was the first of many films to be made from a Michael Crichton book.

* On March 24, 1989, the worst oil spill in U.S. terri-tory begins when the supertanker Exxon Valdez runs aground on a reef in Prince William Sound in Alaska. An estimated 11 million gallons of oil eventually spilled into the water, polluting more than 700 miles of coast-line. ***

* It’s still not known who made this sage observa-tion:“Wisdomisdividedintotwoparts:a)havingagreat deal to say, and b) not saying it.”

*In1931,theNewspaperEnterpriseAssociationpredicted that crime would be nearly gone in 20 years.

*Doyousubscribetotheadage“Arosebyanyothernamewouldsmellassweet”?Considerthis:Would that teen heartthrob of an earlier day, Bobby Darin, have become so popular if he had been known by his given name, Walden Cassotto?

*Atonetime,Canada’sCBCnetworkbannedthechildren’scartoon“RockyandBullwinkle”becauseofitssometimesunflatteringportrayaloftheMount-ies.

* The Goodrich company, known primarily for its tires,alsoinventedthefirstmoderngolfball.

* Sometimes scientists get to express their creativity when they have the opportunity to name things. Take deep-seasites,forexample:intheNorthAtlanticisthePorcupineAbysmalPlain,ClamAcresisoffthe west coast of Mexico, and there’s a site near the GalapagosIslandscalledHole-to-Hell.

* Those who study such things have found that a sneeze leaves your mouth at more than 100 m.p.h.

*DonaldDuck’smiddlenameis“Fauntleroy.”

* The game of chess originated in India in about 2,000B.C.--itwascalled“chaturanga.”Anditdidn’tlookquitelikethemodernversionthatisplayed all over the world today. Chaturanga had only fourkindsofpieces:elephants,chariots,horsesandfoot soldiers.

*ARochester,Mich.,lawstatesthatanyonewhoisbathing in public must be wearing a bathing suit that hasbeeninspectedbyapoliceofficer.***

by Samantha Weaver

1. Willie Davis hit in 31 consecutive games in 1969.2. Ted Williams (.344) and Tony Gwynn (.338).3. Johnny Unitas, 1956-60.4. David Robinson, in the 1993-94 season. (Durant’s came in the 2009-10 season.)5. In 2011, Edmonton’s Ryan Nugent-Hopkins had three goals in this third NHL game.6. Bill Elliott (2001) and Kurt Busch (2002).7. It was 1973.

BIBLE TRIVIA ANSWERS: 1) Neither 2) Turban 3) 54) David 5) Pottage 6) Ramah

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Areyoudoingyourbesttosaveforyourfuture? It can be very challenging to begin asavingsprogram.Afternecessitiessuchasfood, clothing and housing, there can be little left to put aside for future goals. Unfortunately, failing to save could mean the difference between enjoying a comfortable retirement and giving up some basic needs. Often it is a matter of making the decision to begin saving now in order to buy a new homeorcarlater.Areyoudoingyourbesttosave for your future? It can be very challeng-ing to begin The goals you set are important to you. Making changes to prepare for those goals can make a difference.

For that reason, State Farm has looked at various ways to get a person’s savings plan on track and came up with seven strategies that you can use today.

1. Don’t splurge with your tax refund. In-stead of spending your refund, use it wisely by paying down debt, funding an individual retirement account, or saving it for future financialgoals.2. Take full advantage of your employer’s retirement contributions. Your employer may match a percentage of the contributions you make to your retirement savings plan. It’s a good idea to do what it takes to get the matching limit. It’s free money that can re-ally help your bottom line during retirement.3.Startsmallandstaysteady.Thefirstwordis the most important – start. You should

begin as early as possible to get the most out of your savings plan. 4.Payyourselffirst.Thinkofyoursavingsor investments as a bill you must pay on a regular basis, much the same as a car or mortgage payment. Be disciplined and make the payments according to a set schedule. For better results, establish an automatic monthly deduction from your paycheck or checking account to fund an investment or savings ac-count. 5. Create separate pots of savings for upcom-ing life stages. Retirement may be an impor-tant goal for which to begin saving, but other goals or events need as much or more prepa-ration.Don’tshort-changeothergoalswhileconcentrating on one thing. Whether it’s a home, car or child’s education, it is important to give appropriate attention to each.6.Ifyouhavechildren,findtherightedu-cation plan. You have a number of choices when it comes to saving for a child’s educa-tion. Finding the one that makes sense for your situation takes planning and informa-tion.Thistakesustotheseventhand,quitepossibly, the most important point…7.Workwithsomeoneyouknowandtrust.Everyone’sneedsandgoalsareunique.Justas you go through many changes during your lifetime,yourfinancialgoalsmaychange.You should work with a professional who not only knows about various plans and strate-gies, but knows you and will stay with you through the long haul. Most people feel the best guidance they receive comes from a financialprofessionaltheyknowandtrust.

In the end, it all boils down to making a plan, getting started and staying the course. When youmakethedecisiontofinallystart,contactafinancialprofessionalwhoknowsyouandunderstands your needs.***

Seven strategies for saving By Keyesta ShermanStateFarm®Agent