tidbits of mississippi issue 16

OF MISSISSIPPI GULF COAST

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Of Mississippi Gulf Coast

TIDBITS® SINGS12 DAYS OF CHRISTMAS

by Kathy Wolfe

Most of us are familiar with the popular Christmas tune “The Twelve Days of Christmas.” This week, Tidbits has a few more details about each of the gifts received by the singer from his or her “true love,” everything from drummers drumming to maids a-milking to swans, geese, turtledoves and the partridge in the pear tree!• The drum is considered the oldest musical instrument and is also used for non-musical purposes, such as long-distance communication. An Englishman set a world record by playing 400 separate drums in 16.3 seconds in 1995. Ireland’s Millennium Drum, constructed of birch plywood and sailcloth, is considered the world’s largest drum with a diameter of 15 feet, 6 inches. It was built for Ireland’s millennium festivities.•A set of panpipes consists of from three to 40 tubes, usually cane, but also wood or pottery. The length of the pipes determines the pitch of the note. • Greek mythology tells of Pan, the god of woods and pastures and the protector of shepherds and their flocks. According to legend, Pan, half-man and half-goat, is the inventor of the panpipe, fashioned from reeds, on which he piped lovely music. • The title “Lord” can be used if a gentleman is a baron, viscount, earl, marquis, bishop, a dignitary of the Church of England or a member of Great Britain’s House of Lords. An aga is a Turkish Lord. • The cuckoopint is a European plant with bright red poisonous berries and is often referred to as the “Lords-and-Ladies.” Ingesting the berries can result in swelling of the throat, difficulty breathing, burning pain and an upset stomach. • The 1993 Arizona half-marathon had an interesting entrant, Elizabeth Ursic, who chose to tap-dance the 13.1-mile distance.• In 1931, a couple set out to win Chicago’s Merry Garden Ballroom dance marathon. They danced over 214 days, with rest periods beginning at 20 minutes per hour, decreasing to zero minutes per hour. They were not allowed to close their eyes for more than 15 seconds. Their record-setting endurance was rewarded with a $2,000 prize. • A California cow named simply “Number 289” is

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the leader in lifetime milk production, with more than 54,070 gallons of milk to her credit. That’s enough to fill more than eight 60-foot tanker trucks. She averaged about 7 gallons a day, compared to about 4.4 gallons for a normal cow. Number 289 lived to be 19 years old, about four times longer than the average Holstein. • Thanks to L.O. Colvin, we have the milking machine. Back in 1860, he introduced the first suction-type contraption. A sign seen in recent years on the back of a milk truck read: “Modern Milking Machine Company … All That We Are We Owe to Udders.”• “Swan” is the 1,471st most popular last name in the United States, which computes to about 20,000 people. •Swans live on every continent except Africa and Antarctica. The sounds they make vary from whistles to hisses to trumpet-like noises. Beware of the female swan; she will attack anything that presents a danger to her eggs, including dogs, foxes and people. • The stars Deneb and Albirco mark the head and tail of the swan in the constellation Cygnus. According to my-thology, Cygnus was a friend of the son of Apollo, the sun god. When the son fell into the river, Cygnus dove into the water time after time in an attempt to rescue his friend, but to no avail. They myth says Cygnus was turned into a swan by Zeus in order to allow him to dive deeper. The English language uses the word “cygnet” for a baby swan. • Although the lifespan of the domestic goose averages 25 years, making it the longest-lived bird, George the Goose of Thornton, England, lived to be nearly 50 years old. Speckle the Goose of Goshen, Ohio, is noted for laying the world’s heaviest egg. It was 24 ounces, twice as weighty as the average goose egg. • In order for it to be made into jewelry, other metals must be added to gold, creating an “alloy.” If your ring is 18-karat gold, it is 18 parts pure gold and six parts other metals. • Nevada is the leading gold-mining state in America, producing 79 percent of the nation’s supply. South Africa leads the world. It takes more than two tons of South African rock to yield less than one ounce of gold. • It’s believed that the calling bird in the song is actu-ally the mockingbird, a bird with the ability to imitate the sounds of other birds. One such bird was heard to

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imitate the songs of 32 different birds during a 10-minute period. • Can you identify the famous family who lived at 1313 Mockingbird Lane? It was television’s Herman Munster family — Herman, Lily, Grandpa and Eddie.• A hen begins laying eggs when she is about 20 weeks old. If a farmer uses artificial lighting, the hen will begin laying at a younger age. If she is exposed to about 15 hours of light per day, she will lay more eggs. The aver-age hen lays about 250 eggs in a year. • A member of the pigeon family, a turtledove is noted for its purring coo. It differs from the mourning dove, although the two are often mistaken. Don’t look for turtledoves in America, as they live mainly in Europe, Asia and Africa. • The Turtledove Folk Club of Coatesville, Pennsylvania, is an organization for music lovers, specifically those who want to preserve and promote folk music and dance.• A partridge is most generally known as a quail or a bobwhite. There are about 150 varieties of partridges. Some parts of America refer to a partridge as a ruffed grouse. If you plan to keep a partridge as a pet, have plenty of grains, plant shoots and insects on hand. A typi-cal bobwhite might consume as many 15,000 weed seeds a day, a tremendous help to farmers. • If someone offers you a Comice, Seckel, Winter Nelis, Kieffer, Leconte, Anjou, Bosc or Garber, he is offering you an item obtained from a pear tree. Over 800,000 tons of pears are produced annually in the United States, with the state of Washington leading the nation in fresh pear production. The average American eats about 3.1 pounds of fresh pears a year.

Make It Easy on Your Survivors

Do you keep your service files organized? Most of us don’t, unless pushed. But here’s something to consider: Can your family easily find what it needs to handle your affairs if something happens to you?Here are a few documents your family will need to lay their hands on quickly:--Your DD214 or service equivalent. If you don’t have your discharge papers, send for them.--A list that includes Social security number, branch of service, dates of service, date and place of birth. Include all the places you were stationed, and dates.--Immunization record, birth certificate and will. (You do have one, right? And it’s updated, not one you wrote 20 years ago?) Add your government life-insurance policy, copy of all marriage certificates and divorce decrees and

Weekly Horoscope

ARIES (March 21 to April 19) I know, dear Lamb, that you don’t like anyone trying to take charge of one of your projects, but try to be a bit more flexible. A new idea could help hasten a positive result.

TAURUS (April 20 to May 20) I’m sure, like the time-thrifty Taurus that you are, that you’ve done much of your holiday shopping. But don’t relax yet. Wrap those gifts now to save yourself lots of unwanted pressure.

GEMINI (May 21 to June 20) Be receptive when a family member or friend asks to confide in you. Your positive reaction could ensure that he or she will have a happy holiday experience.

CANCER (June 21 to July 22) Don’t be rushed into wrap-ping up that workplace problem. Consider leaving it until after the holidays. This way you’ll have the facts you need to reach the right resolution.

LEO (July 23 to August 22) You’ll get news that will make you glow brighter than the lights of the holiday season. Be sure to use what you learn both carefully and kindly, to avoid giving the wrong impression.

VIRGO (August 23 to September 22) That frayed relation-ship could be mended in time for the holidays if you were more flexible. Give a little, and you could get back a lot more than you imagined.

LIBRA (September 23 to October 22) Things might not seem to be settling down as quickly as you would prefer. But it might be just a little holiday time flutter. You’ll soon get news that will lead to more stability.

SCORPIO (October 23 to November 21) Stop getting so involved in everyone’s personal problems that you lose precious time with loved ones. Remember, even the Su-preme Court closes for the holidays.

SAGITTARIUS (November 22 to December 21) All signs point to a bright holiday, with all of those pesky problems finally resolved in your favor. Share the good times with people you love and, of course, who love you.

CAPRICORN (December 22 to January 19) Your plans should not be set in stone and cemented over. Leave some openings in case you need to make changes. Spend the holidays with your nearest and dearest.

AQUARIUS (January 20 to February 18) Surprise! This holiday finds you on the receiving end of the generosity of those who are usually the recipients of so much that you give so freely and lovingly.

PISCES (February 19 to March 20) That piece of good news assures that you’ll be swimming in clearer, calmer waters this holiday season. There might be a storm or two ahead, but you’ll weather it all in fine style.

BORN THIS WEEK: You have a flair for seeing things as you’d like them to be, as well as a gift for turning your perceptions into reality.

Classified

copy of children’s birth certificates.Download online (or send away for) the following blank forms, to be kept in the file: Application for United States Flag for Burial Purposes; Claim for One Sum Payment Government Life Insurance; Claim for Monthly Payments National Service Life Insurance; Application for Standard Government Headstone or Marker.If you have an ongoing claim with the Department of Veterans Affairs, put all related documents in a separate file, newest at the top. Keep several sheets of blank paper in the file so you can note the date, time and whom you spoke with whenever you call the VA so the infor-mation is always current.Go online to www.vba.va.gov, click Veteran Services, then Survivors. Scroll down and look for any additional information that might apply to you. Send for the ap-propriate forms. Print out the VA Benefits for Survivors pamphlet and put it in the file, or call the VA (1-800-827-1000) and have one sent to you.You only need to do this once. When you’ve assembled and organized your information, you just need to keep it updated.

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1. Who was the last pitcher before Seattle’s Felix Hernandez in 2010 to have at least 30 quality starts in a season?2. In the decade of the 1950s, a future Hall of Fame pitcher had the most losses during the 10-year span. Name the pitcher.3. Name the last defensive lineman to be a Heisman Trophy finalist before Nebraska’s Ndamukong Suh in 2009.4. When was the last time the Hawks played in the NBA Finals?

5. Twice in the 1980s, the NHL had Stanley Cup Finals featuring two Canadian teams. Name the teams and the years.6. Cadel Evans won the Tour de France cycling race in 2011 at the age of 34. Who is the oldest winner of the event?7. In 2011, Rory McIlroy set a record for lowest four-round score at golf’s U.S. Open with a 268. Name two of the four to hold the old record of 272.

The classic rubber salmon and cold chocolate-chip cookie award banquet is, sadly, going the way of the two-martini lunch and corporate expense account. We used to complain about them, but nostalgia has a way of making even the most unfortunate catered af-fairs in dingy hotel “ballrooms” seem like a night at the Playboy Mansion. My old pal Bill Grigsby, rest his soul, was the long-time voice of the Kansas City Chiefs, the inaugural broadcaster for the Super Bowl, and the announcer guy for the local professional wrestling telecasts back in the day. As such, he was a mainstay in the Midwest’s cocktail circuit.We had been to so many luncheons and award banquets that we could almost call ourselves a comedy duo. Though Grigsby never liked to share microphone, I was always happy to toss him a few softballs to get him started, usually with the tried and true “Hey, Grigs, tell us about the time you ...” opening line.Invariably, he’d begin with his “nursing home” shtick. It seems that one time he met up with an elderly lady in the lobby of one such home. “Do you know who I am,” he asked her. “No,” the lady replied, adding, “but if you

For Advertising Call: (228) 627-7284 Tidbits® of Mississippi Gulf Coast CHRISTMAS BITS

Here are just a few fun and interesting facts you may not know about the holiday season, from toys to trees to songs. •Twenty-four electricians, standing on scaffolding, string 5 miles of wire containing 30,000 lights on New York City’s Rockefeller Center Christmas tree every year. The tree stands between 75 and 90 feet tall (23 to 27.4 m) and is usually at least 50 years old. The Center’s first tree went up in 1933 with 700 lights. The annual tree lighting was televised for the first time in 1951. When it’s time to take the tree down, it’s recycled into three tons of mulch. • Do you remember the Cabbage Patch Kids craze of Christmas 1983? Within the first six months on the mar-ket, there were more than two million sold. Consumers stood in line for hours hoping to purchase a doll, even suffering broken bones when crowds turned violent. Coleco Toys chartered planes to bring 200,000 more dolls per week from its Hong Kong factories. Each of the homely dolls came with its own birth certificate and adoption papers. A 21-year-old art student was respon-sible for the creation of the dolls.• The year before the Cabbage Patch craze, two of the most popular Christmas toys were Pac Man and the Rubik’s cube. Ten years before that, everyone wanted a mood ring! • The word “wassail” can have several different mean-ings. Since the Middle Ages, people in England have held a traditional ceremony of singing and drinking to the health of trees, hoping to scare away evil spirits that keep apple trees from bearing a good harvest the fol-lowing autumn. The term also refers to the salute Waes Hail from an old English phrase, translating “good health.” • Wassail can also mean the hot mulled beverage fre-quently consumed during the holidays. It can be apple cider with several spices and topped with slices of toast or a recipe of wine mixed with brandy or sherry with added apples or oranges. For those who go “a-wassail-ing,” it can mean going caroling from door to door or going to the orchards to sing to the trees. •We’ve all seen the red kettles manned by bell-ringing volunteers every December. The Salvation Army, the second-largest charity in America, had its first kettle fundraiser in 1891 in San Francisco. Within six years, it was a nationwide program. It now has more than three million volunteers and raises upwards of $120 million each holiday season. •We hear a lot about myrrh and frankincense this time of year, but what exactly are these two substances? Myrrh comes from a small thorny shrub in the Com-miphora species that grows in rocky terrain. It’s the gum resin of the shrub that is produced as a reaction to a cut through the bark and into the sapwood. Ancient Egyptians used myrrh, a very valuable commodity, for embalming mummies. Myrrh’s medicinal qualities also made it a good dressing for wounds. In religious ceremonies, it was used on the incense altar in the Jerusalem tabernacle. Today, myrrh is still used in liniments and salves for abrasions, arthritic aches and skin ailments. Like myrrh, frankincense is also a resin, obtained from the Boxwellia tree. Because of its rich fragrance, it’s used for incense, perfumes and aroma-therapy. Burning this substance can repel mosquitoes. It can be ingested internally and is a traditional medicine for digestive ailments. • What would Christmas be without the work of John-ny Marks? This songwriter brought us “Rockin’ Around the Christmas Tree,” “Rudolph the Red-Nosed Rein-deer” and “A Holly Jolly Christmas,” among others. All in all, this talented man had 94 songs to his credit.

ask the people at the front desk, they can tell you.”That always killed.Then there was that story “about that one time” he and legendary coach Hank Stram were hired to speak at a banquet of some sort. Grigsby spoke first, probably told the nursing home story, and then ceded the stage to Stram. This was back in the days of receiving cash for your work, so Grigsby collected the envelope from the event sponsor, then took the envelope to the bathroom where he cranked up the hot water in the sink and used the steam to open the envelope, which yielded $400. Grigs pocketed a c-note, left $300 and then resealed the envelope. Grigs gave the envelope to Stram after he got off the stage. Later that night, driving home, Grigsby asked how they made out money-wise.“Cheapskates,” Stram replied. “They only paid us $200.”I’m reminded of this as I watch the video of former quarterback Joe Kapp deck former defensive tackle and pro-wrestler Angelo Mosca at a recent Canadian Foot-ball League banquet. For those who managed to miss it, the 70-something Kapp decked the 70-something Mosca before they were set to recount stories of their playing days. Mosca hit Kapp with a cane, Kapp decked him with a movie star-worthy right to the jaw. And then the two of them dusted off and went on to tell stories “about that one time ...”Like the ol’ cocktail circuit -- unfortunate as it was -- it was an instant classic.

The Instant Classic


All of us at Tidbits of Mississippi Gulf Coast join in saying Thank You and wishing you a happy holiday and a

prosperous new year.

Merry Christmas & Happy NewYears!!!From:

Gerry & Michelle



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Macaroni and cheese is, without doubt, one of America’s most popular comfort foods. It’s quite adaptable and can be served as a festive side to roast beef, lamb or pork, chicken or turkey. It’s also the perfect partner to enjoy with that leftover holiday ham, and travels well, too, for tailgate or bring-a-dish gatherings.Its roots here are in the South, and was first served at a White House dinner hosted by Thomas Jeffer-son. His cousin Mary Randolph help to popularize it with a mention in her cookbook “The Virginia Housewife,” published in 1824.The macaroni dish featured here is simple to pre-pare using a mixture of three distinct cheeses, and has an incredible rich, creamy texture, thanks to a combination of Jarlsberg and American cheese. The fresh goat cheese adds just the right touch of delicious tangy flavor.While a curly pasta version is pictured, you also can use classic elbow. With so many tasty possi-bilities, don’t feel limited to the variations sug-gested below.

THREE CHEESE MACARONI2 cups (8 ounces) elbow macaroni or other curly pasta1/2 stick butter, divided1/3 cup unseasoned fine dry breadcrumbs1/2 teaspoon paprika3 tablespoons flour3 cups milk1 4-ounce log soft Chevrai (unripened goat cheese)2 cups coarsely shredded Jarlsberg cheese1 cup diced American cheese

1. Preheat oven to 350 F. Butter a 2-quart round ovenproof casserole dish. Cook pasta until al dente; transfer to colander and drain.2. In same pasta pot over very low heat, melt but-ter; remove from heat. Measure off 2 tablespoons butter and, in small bowl, combine with bread-crumbs and paprika. Set aside.3. Return pot to heat. Blend in flour and sim-mer until bubbly (1 minute). Gradually whisk in milk, goat cheese and shredded Jarlsberg. Cook over low heat, stirring constantly until mixture is creamy-smooth and thickens slightly. Return pasta to pot and toss until coated; mix in diced cheese.4. Transfer to prepared casserole dish and sprinkle with buttered breadcrumbs. If desired, sprinkle with additional paprika. Bake 30 minutes or until center is bubbly-hot and crumbs are golden. Serves 8 to 10.

VARIATIONSWhen combining pasta with cheese sauce, fold in:--2 cups cooked small shrimp or shredded cooked chicken (or 1 can of tuna) with 1 cup frozen petite peas.--2 cups small cubes of chorizo, kielbasa or ham, with 1 cup chopped cherry tomatoes. Instead of buttered breadcrumb topping, use crushed, lightly salted tortilla chips.--2 cups small broccoli florets and 1 cup each (cooked, well drained) lean, chopped beef and chopped mushrooms.--2 cups cooked crumbled bacon or prosciutto and 1/4 cup fig jam.

Team Mac ‘N’ Cheese With Holiday Favorites

Easy No-Cook EggnogYour holiday visitors will be surprised when they discover that this rich and creamy eggnog requires absolutely no cooking -- and you’ll be happy that this no-fail treat can be ready in less than 5 minutes.

1 1/2 cups half-and-half1 cup egg substitiute1 cup vanilla ice cream2 tablespoons sugar1 tablespoon McCormick Pure Vanilla Extract1/2 teaspoon McCormick Nutmeg, Ground1/4 teaspoon McCormick Imitation Rum Extract

1. Place all ingredients in blender container. Cover. Blend 1 minute or until well-mixed.2. Serve immediately, or refrigerate until ready to serve. Makes 8 (1/2-cup) servings.

• Each serving: About 128 calories, 8g fat, 9 g carbohydrate, 25mg cholesterol, 85mg sodium, 0g fiber, 5g protein.

Holiday Weight-Gain Myth Is Bunk, Scientists Say

The common assumption that people put on 5 pounds over the holidays has been studied and actually found to be a myth, according to sci-entists at Vanderbilt University. In fact, weight gain from Thanksgiving through New Year’s is, on average, closer to three-quarters of a pound to 1 pound.And while this doesn’t sound as drastic, what typically happens with obesity is that people gain weight slowly and keep it on, said Vander-bilt obesity expert Roger Cone, Ph.D., profes-sor and chairman of Molecular Physiology & Biophysics.“It’s not just overeating at holidays. We are chronically overeating and under-exercising in this country,” Cone said. “And what happens then is your weight gradually creeps up.”“If we do become obese, it’s because there is a minor difference between what we are consum-ing and what we are burning,” he said. “So the trick is to try to match your energy expenditure with your energy intake, to try to control your diet overall and keep it healthy, and to try to up your activity until the two are in balance.”Obesity leads to health-care costs that are 36 percent higher, on average, and a 77 percent increase in medication costs.Liz Aleman, Healthy Children’s program man-ager for Monroe Carell Jr. Children’s Hospital at Vanderbilt, said obesity is the result of poor choices and behaviors more than genetics and metabolism, which means there is a lot a person can do to fight obesity.

Hot Spiced Cider6 cups apple cider1/2 teaspoon whole cloves1/4 teaspoon ground nutmeg3 sticks cinnamon

1. Heat all ingredients to boiling in 3-quart saucepan over medium-high heat; reduce heat to low. Simmer uncovered 10 minutes.2. Strain cider mixture to remove cloves and cinnamon if desired. Serve hot.Serves six.

Focus beyond the Thanksgiving table and holiday overeating. The struggle with obesity is year-round.

Tips for Healthier Eating• Drink more water throughout meals to help feel fuller, quicker.• Be careful with portions (one-half plate should be fruits and vegetables, one- fourth proteins and one-fourth grains.)• Take a long walk after a meal; it is good for digestion and will make you feel better.• Cook healthy versions of traditional recipes by using resources such as eatbetteramerica. com and mypyramid.gov. • Use whole grains instead of white for making bread, stuffing and pasta.• Substitute applesauce for oil when making baked goods such as cookies and cakes.• Use herbs instead of salt to add flavor to food.• Adults should exercise 30 minutes a day, which can be divided into 10-minute segments if necessary.• Use local produce whenever possible. It tends to maintain its nutrients longer than produce that has traveled long distances.



• On Dec. 23, 1888, Dutch painter Vincent van Gogh, suffering from severe depression, cuts off the lower part of his left ear with a razor while staying in Arles, France. He later documented the event in a painting titled “Self-Portrait With Bandaged Ear.” During his lifetime, van Gogh sold only one painting.

• On Dec. 22, 1900, the first car to be produced under the “Mercedes” name is delivered to its buyer, Emil Jell-inek, an Austrian car racer and auto dealer to the rich and famous. In exchange for buying 36 of the cars, the auto company agreed to name its new machine after Jellinek’s 11-year-old daughter, Mercedes.

• On Dec. 24, 1923, President Calvin Coolidge touches a button and lights the first national Christmas tree to grace the White House grounds. The tree was the first to be decorated with electric lights -- a strand of 2,500 red, white and green bulbs.

• On Dec. 20, 1957, rock ‘n’ roll star Elvis Presley re-ceives his draft notice for the United States Army. He served in Company D, 32nd Tank Battalion, 3rd Armor Corps in Friedberg, Germany, where he attained the rank of sergeant.

• On Dec. 25, 1962, “To Kill a Mockingbird,” a film based on the 1960 Pulitzer Prize-winning novel of the same name by Harper Lee, opens in theaters. The Great Depression-era story of racial injustice and the loss of childhood innocence is told from the perspective of a young Alabama girl named Scout Finch.

• On Dec. 21, 1975, in Vienna, Austria, Carlos the Jackal leads a raid on a meeting of the Organization of Petro-leum Exporting Countries (OPEC), killing three people and taking 63 hostage. Carlos managed to evade inter-national authorities until 1994, when French agents cap-tured him hiding in the Sudan.

• On Dec. 19, 1986, Michael Sergio, who parachuted into Game Six of the 1986 World Series at New York’s Shea Stadium, is fined $500 and sentenced to 100 hours of community service. Sergio had landed on the infield with a “Let’s Go Mets” banner in the first inning of the sixth game between the Mets and the Boston Red Sox.

mid-50s. Her mother is 85 and shakes so bad she can’t write or hardly help herself. They told her it is hereditary. Is there any medication or treatment available? My wife is getting very frustrated. She’s not able to carry out simple tasks. -- P.E.

ANSWER: Your wife and mother-in-law most likely have familial tremor, also called essential tremor. It does run in families. There is treatment. Propranolol (Inderal) and primidone (Mysoline) work very well for most. Both your wife and her mother should be getting treatment. A neurologist is the doctor who specializes in tremors and their treatment.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My husband and I wish to leave our bodies to science but do not know whom to contact. How do we go about this? -- E. and C.D.

ANSWER: You and your husband deserve a round of applause. Most medical schools have a body-donation program. Contact the medical school nearest you and ask for the anatomical donation committee or the anatomy department.If you can’t make contact with a medical school, three organizations can assist you in donating your bodies: MedCure (866-560-2525), BioGift (866-670-1799) and Science Care (800-417-3747).

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I have faux gout. At least that’s what I’ve been told I have. It’s in my left foot. I understand it’s not caused by uric acid but by calcium. Can you tell me more about it and what can be done for it? -- C.B.

ANSWER: Faux (French for “false”) gout -- or pseudogout, as it is more commonly called -- is like gout in many respects, but the differences between the two are significant.In gout, uric acid crystals infiltrate joints and inflame them. In pseudogout, the crystals making their way into and around joints are calcium pyrophosphate dehydrate, CPPD. Just as uric acid crystals do, CPPD crystals inflame the joint and cause great pain. That’s not true of everyone who has these crystals. Some never experience a minute of pain.The joints most affected in pseudogout are the knees and the wrists. Shoulders, ankles, elbows and hands also might be targets.Who told you that you have this condition? A doctor requires X-ray examination of the affected joint before declaring that a person has pseudogout. Stronger evidence of the diagnosis is obtained by drawing fluid from the joint and examining it microscopically. The distinctive crystals of CPPD can be seen -- proof positive.Nonsteroidal anti-inflammatory drugs -- Aleve, Motrin, Advil and many others -- usually can control this illness and the pain it causes. If they don’t, an injection of cortisone into the joint will. For recurrent attacks, colchicine -- the same drug used for gout -- works for pseudogout, too.The pamphlet on gout and pseudogout explains both illnesses and their treatments. To obtain a copy, write: Dr. Donohue -- No. 302W, Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475. Enclose a check or money order (no cash) for $4.75 U.S./$6 Canada with the recipient’s printed name and address. Please allow four weeks for delivery.

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: My wife of 41 years has tremors. She is 62. The tremors started in her

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

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Gout vs. Pseudogout: What’s the Difference?



1. LITERATURE: Ollivanders is the name of a shop prominently featured in which series of novels? 2. PSYCHOLOGY: What unnatural fear is rep-resented in disorder oneirophobia?3. MOVIES: Which Alfred Hitchcock movie features a main character who is confined to a wheelchair?4. MUSIC: Which rock-and-roll group had a hit with the song “Got to Get You into My Life”?5. TELEVISION: What is the setting for the TV soap “Another World”? 6. ANCIENT WORLD: Who was one of the chief founders of the philoso-phy of Cynicism? 7. POETRY: Who wrote the words, “God’s in his heaven/ All’s right with the world”?8. ART: For what type of work was the 16th-century artist Titian best known?9. MYTHOLOGY: Who is the Greek goddess of love?10. GEOGRAPHY: What is the deepest lake in the world?

DEAR PAW’S CORNER: This weekend I took my dog “Marty,” a dachshund-beagle mix, out to some property, where she sniffed and sniffed and dug and sniffed and sniffed. I think she had her nose buried in the rocky soil for so long that she gave herself a rather large (maybe the size of a nickel) blister on her upper lip. It’s not puffy -- just a raw patch under her nose, and she licks at it. I saw something saying that canola oil or olive oil might help chapped lips, but this seems like a larger area. Any tips? -- Matt P., via email

DEAR MATT: First, I have to caution that it’s always wise to consult your dog’s vet. With that out of the way, I’d say the best thing to do would be to treat the raw patch like you would a blister or a raw patch on your own nose. Keep the area clean, rub a bit of Neosporin over it two or three times daily and watch it closely.Marty probably will lick off the antibiotic ointment within

Reader: Outing a Sore Spot for Nosey DogBy Samantha Mazzotta

a minute or two of application, but in such small quantities it isn’t a problem to ingest. A Band-Aid probably will cause more discomfort and trouble than it prevents. You also can ask your vet for topical medicine to reduce any discomfort and thereby reduce her licking of the area so it can heal faster. If it is indeed just a raw patch caused by friction, the area should heal up within a few days. But do keep a close eye on it: If the patch looks like its getting infected or otherwise changes for the worse, take Marty to the vet right away.

put into an HSA is tax-preferred, which means that it’s not tax-able when earned. Balances roll over from year to year, and the only stipulation is that it be used to pay medical expenses. “High deductible” is defined as $1,200 for yourself or $2,400 for family coverage for 2011. Go online to irs.gov and look for IRS Publica-tion 969 for more details about how much you can contribute.If you’re self-employed, stock up on the consumables you normally use. Those become a business expense that you can deduct. If you’ll likely need a new comput-er soon, or telephones, consider buying those before the end of the year. If you’ve planned to make chari-table donations, do it now. It’s a deduction on the Schedule A if you itemize.Invest in an early copy of the 2011 tax software and run the numbers. This will help you fine tune your year-end strategy.

The quiet week at the end of the year is a good time to review finances and make any needed changes before the New Year.Tax deductions: The trick is to balance payroll deductions with the taxes you’ll owe in April so that you come out with nothing due and no refund. If too much money is taken out, you’re essentially giving the government an interest-free loan. Instead make the changes to your W-9 form and put that extra money from each paycheck into a savings account.The biggest event that should make you review your deductions is buying a house. You’ll get a mortgage interest statement (Form 1098) for the interest you paid, which can become a deduction on the Schedule A of your tax forms if you itemize. (You’ll also be able to claim the property taxes you’ve paid.) If you can, make a 13th mortgage payment in December to add to the amount of the mortgage interest. Better savings interest rate: If your emergency fund is safely in place, likely in a savings account, con-sidering putting further savings into a CD or money market account. You’ll get a bit more interest, and the money is still easily accessible in case of an emergency.Health Savings Account: If have a high deductible on your medical insurance, investigate putting mon-ey into a Health Savings Account. The money you

Fine-Tune Finances Before Year’s End



• It was megalomaniacal French Emperor Napoleon Bonaparte who made the following sage observation: “Four hostile newspapers are more to be feared than a thousand bayonets.”

• Orchids are lovely flowers, and many people dedicate years to growing them and finding rare specimens. If you’re like most people, though, you probably don’t realize that the word orchid comes from the Greek word “orchis,” which means “testicle.”

• Records show that the town of Helena, Montana, had more millionaires per capita than any other city in the world -- way back in 1888.

• In the early 1970s, a British plumber named John

Hancock replaced an antique toilet in the home of John Lennon, then kept the old toilet for the rest of his life. In 2010, after Hancock’s death, his heirs put it up for auction. Even the auction house was surprised when the former Beatle’s throne fetched a whopping $14,740.

• When you’re in an unpopulated area and gaze up at the night sky, it’s easy to be overwhelmed by the profusion of stars. But what’s truly overwhelming is this: All the stars that are visible from Earth represent only 0.000000000000001 percent of all the stars in the known universe.

• You may not be aware of this, but there is a new fad that is catching on among some groups across the country: tall biking. Hobbyists construct bicycles with normal-sized front and rear wheels, but with frames and seats that extend anywhere from 6 to 10 feet off the ground. Some riders actually use these bikes to joust, using lances made out of PVC pipe and foam rubber. It’s unclear, however, exactly how the riders mount their steeds.***Thought for the Day: “If you wish to be loved, show more of your faults than your virtues.” -- Edward Bulwer-Lytton

From Tidbits of Mississippi Gulf Coast and our Advertisers!!Merry Christmas And Happy New Years!

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• Behind Closed Doors, LLC.• B & R Tax, Inc.• Anderson’s Tree Service & Land Clearing• JD Frei Custom Engraving

• Et Cetera• Nursing Management, Inc. • Psychic Reading By Marie• Aw Shucks Bail Bonds

Happy Holidays from our family to yours!!!From Direct HD (Directv retailer)

There is no time more �tting to say “Thank You” and to wish you a Happy Holiday Season and a new year of health, happiness and prosperity.

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1. The “Harry Pot-ter” books2. Fear of dreams3. “Rear Window”4. The Beatles5. Bay City6. Diogenes7. Robert Browning8. Painting 9. Aphrodite 10. Lake Baikal in Siberia, Russia

1. Arizona’s Randy Johnson had 30 quality starts in 2002.2. Philadelphia’s Robin Roberts had 149 losses (and 199 wins) for the decade.3. Warren Sapp of the University of Miami, Fla., in 1994.4. It was 1961, when they were the St. Louis Hawks.5. Montreal and Calgary, in 1986 and 1989.6. Firmin Lambot was 36 when he won it in 1922.7. Jack Nicklaus (1980), Lee Janzen (‘93), Tiger Woods (2000) and Jim Furyk (‘03).

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