Published by Middle Man Enterprises, LLC • [email protected] • For Advertising Call (256) 797-7930 May 20, 2024 The Neatest Little Paper Ever Read OVER 4 MILLION Readers Weekly Nationwide! ALL RIGHTS RESERVED ©2007 FREE Vol. 1 Issue 1 Over 16,800 READERS WEEKLY! ALL RIGHTS RESERVED © 2024 TIDBITS® TURNS UP SOME RECORDS INFO by Kathy Wolfe Turn up the volume as Tidbits releases these facts on records, from 78s to LPs, 45s, CDs, and digital music. • A vinyl record take its name from its composition of polyvinyl chloride, or PVC. Most of PVC, 57%, consists of chlorine, with the other 43% derived from crude oil. • Beginning in the late 1890s, records were made of shellac, a rather heavy, brittle material. These 10-inch (25 cm) records were called “78s,” due to the number of rotations per minute. Recording duration per side was three to five minutes. During World War II, the War Production Board called for a 70% cut in production of phonograph records. Why? Because shellac wasn’t used just in record production, but was also needed for the manufacture of explosives. The shortage of shellac paved the way for vinyl records. • RCA had already been experimenting with 12-inch (30 cm) vinyl records, having released thefirstlong-playing record in 1931, a recording of Beethoven’s Symphony No. 5 by the Philadelphia Symphony Orchestra. Its rotational speed was 33 1/3, able to hold more than 20 minutes of music per side. These larger records became known as LP’s, for “Long-playing.” turn the page for more! of Athens & Limestone Co. All Types - Foriegn & Domestic 256-230-0400 or 256-772-0442 1114 Old Railroad Bed Rd Next to the Capshaw Post Office in Madison “We’ll get you goin!” PREMIER OFFROAD CENTER FOR JEEPS, TRUCKS & SUV’S 26469 Nick Davis Rd, Athens, AL 35613 OutlawOffroadHuntsville.com 256-853-0998 OutlawOffroadHvl • 18 - Hole Championship Golf Course • Full service Pro Shop • Southern Gayles Grill • Golf Instruction • Memberships Available 22230 Mooresville Rd, Athens, AL 35613 (256) 232-9888 www.SouthernGayles.com 809 Shoney Dr, Suite 108, Huntsville, AL 35801- Each office is independently owned and operated. Debbie Robertson Associate Broker, REALTOR 256-684-5212 cell 256-519-7220 office [email protected] BestRealtorInHuntsville.com We solve Real Estate Problems! • Can’t afford your house payment? • Tired of being a Landlord? • Inherited a “trouble” house? • Repairs more than you can pay? We buy real estate of all types. We pay cash and we close fast. Call us at 256-677-9533 www.RandyBuysProperty.com We go ALL OUT for your plumbing needs! Jeremy Mosley Owner Athens H.S. ‘05 *Licensed & Insured *Members of the BBB 256-298-3708 Does Your Agent work for YOU or the INSURANCE COMPANY? We are Independent Agents. We work for you, NOT an Insurance Company. This means YOU get an Agent that Looks Out For You and Your Best Interests! Get the RIGHTInsurance Protection at the LOWESTCost... burkettinsurancegroup Call us for ALL of your Insurance. We want to WORK FOR YOU! 256-704-7400 BurkettInsurance.com Who are YOU Going to call? A Full-Service, Local Roofing Company Committed to Excellence. Call Today for a FREE Estimate 256-860-9741 Ask about our TidBits FREE GUTTER GUARD* special! We offer COMPLETE Residential & Commerical Roofing 256-860-9741 *Tidbits Gutter Guard Special may not be combined with other offers. Due to the significant savings of this offer, it is only available to home owners who mention it during our initial converastion. Naturally this is a limited time offer. • Gutter Replacement • Chimney Services MadisonALRoofRepair.com Modern Solutions & Treatments for all types of pests. www.RedhawkPestControl.com 256-975-8817 • Crawl Space • Pest Control • Mosquito Mngmt. • Pest Exclusion Svc. Call us today to get rid of those pests that plague your home & lifestyle. • ElectricalTrouble • LowVoltage • Remodel • NewConstruction Electrical Solutions 256-384-4511 Solar Specialists 47energy.com
Page 2 Middle Man Enterprises, LLC • [email protected] • For Advertising Call (256) 797-7930 DEAR DR. ROACH: Recently, I had anal cancer and was treated with chemo and radiation. The radiation burned my insides and severely damaged most of my internal organs. One of the aftereffects was occasional blood and small clots in my urine. A few months ago, both the frequency and amount of blood, especially the clots, increased dramatically. The size and number of the clots got so large that they blocked my urethra. During a visit to my urologist, he looked into my bladder and declared it “angry.” Then he told me the same thing every doctor has told me about every problem caused by my treatment: “It was caused by the radiation, and there is nothing that can be done.” Shortly after this, I began to take unfiltered apple cider vinegar in hopes that it would improve my digestive problems. It helped a little, but the big difference was that I have not had a single recurrence of either blood or clots in my urine. Can you tell me if this is due to the vinegar or if it is just a coincidence? -- A.G. ANSWER: No, I can’t definitively tell you whether the vinegar helped. It was probably by chance, but let me explain a little about it. Rectal cancer is often treated with radiation, or combined chemotherapy and radiation, either prior to or after surgery. The dose of radiation is quite high compared to some other cancers, and the complications can be significant. In addition to damage to the bowel and bladder, radiation treatment can damage the bones and bone marrow, leading to poor blood-cell production, infertility, premature menopause, and more cancer years later. On the other hand, radiation is used when it is expected to improve the cure rate of cancer. Still, the side effects can be challenging. Hemorrhagic cystitis (bleeding from the bladder) can be caused by chemotherapy or radiation. It may start within a few months or as long as 20 years after radiation. I am surprised your urologist did not offer any treatments, as there are certainly ones available. Although none of the currently available systemic drugs are proven to be very effective, hyperbaric oxygen is one treatment that is, at least, moderately effective. Medicines placed into the bladder and laser bladder treatments are sometimes tried as well. I was unable to find any study that evaluated the effectiveness of apple cider vinegar. I am skeptical, but reports like yours of apparent improvement associated with its use might convince a researcher to conduct a study to determine whether it really is effective. Apple Cider Vinegar Is a Surprising Help for Blood in Urine [email protected] Randy Lee Owner/Publisher RECORDS FACTS (continued): • Improvements were made to vinyl over the next several years, and in 1948, Columbia Record Company introduced the first 12-inch microgroove record album. With 23 minutes of music on each side, it was a recording of Mendelssohn’s Violin Concerto in E minor performed by New York’s Philharmonic Orchestra. • RCA’s 1949 innovation was a 7-inch (17.7 cm) record with a bigger hole in the center. It played a single song at 45 rpm’s, and was the preferred format for jukeboxes. The 45s had a better sound than the LPs, because they rotated at a faster speed. This made for more waveform definitions and grooves on the record’s surface, creating better audio quality. • The first 45 rpm record, a green vinyl recording of Eddy Arnold’s “Texarkana Baby,” went on sale on March 31, 1949. The most valuable 45, a 1965 recording of “Do I Love You, Indeed I Do” by Motown artist Frank Wilson, sold for $37,000 in 2009. If you have a copy of the Beatles’ “Love Me Do” 45 record, it can be worth up to $20,000. • In 1970, a vinyl record could be purchased for around $5.00 (about $33 in today’s dollars). The price of a 45 rpm was 95 cents. • The popularity of vinyl led to the end of production of shellac records in the late 1950s. Yet vinyl’s popularity was coming to an end as well. Philips debuted the cassette tape in America in 1964, with music recorded on magnetic film. This innovation gave listeners the ability to record their own tracks of audio, giving rise to the mixtape. Within five years, cassettes outsold records. In 1979, Sony’s Walkman cassette tape player provided the convenience of on-the-go music. (256) 797-7930 © 2024 King Features Synd., Inc. PEARSON Auto Sales Good Credit? Bad Credit?We work with ALL Credit - Apply Today! Good Credit? Bad Credit?We work with ALL Credit - Apply Today! 26653 Main Street, Ardmore, TN (931) 427-3606 www.PearsonAutoSale.com 256-777-3384 or 256-783-7118 www.NALCFM.com Tyler & Tammy Rains PLEASE LIKE & FOLLOW US ON FACEBOOK SCAN ME 931-427-1124 DINE IN or CARRY OUT 26671 Main St. Ardmore, TN Paul Stafford Owner/Operator 931-478-6528 Paul’s City Barber Shop 30492 Ardmore Ave Ardmore, AL Mon-Fri 8 am-5 pm Sat: 7 am - 11 am Wed & Sun: closed
Middle Man Enterprises, LLC • [email protected] • For Advertising Call (256) 797-7930 Page 3 * On May 20, 1506, the Italian explorer Christopher Columbus died in Valladolid, Spain. The first European to explore the Americas since 10thcentury Vikings set up colonies in Greenland and Newfoundland, he traveled the West Indies, South America and Central America, but died feeling he had been mistreated by his patron, King Ferdinand of Spain. * On May 21, 2000, the bones of President James Garfield’s spinal column, showing where one of two assassin’s bullets had passed through it in 1881, were displayed for a final day at the National Museum of Health and Medicine in Washington, D.C., in an exhibit featuring medical odditiesfrom the museum’s archives. * On May 22, 1856, South Carolina Representative Preston Brooks, wielding a cane he used after suffering injuriesin a duel fueled by a political debate years before, savagely beat Massachusetts Senator Charles Sumber during a meeting of Congress when tensions escalated over the expansion of slavery. * On May 23, 1900, Army sergeant William Harvey Carney became the first Black American serviceman to receive the Medal of Honor, for heroically protecting the American flag during the Civil War. * On May 24, 1797, Thomas Jefferson wrote to his friend Angelica Church with a casual inquiry about their mutual friend, Maria Cosway, a woman who’d once captured his heart and inspired a romantically themed essay. Her marriage, his desire to maintain integrity and their physical distance had helped cool his hopeless passion for her some years before. * On May 25, 1977, China’s communist government lifted its decade-old ban on the writings of William Shakespeare, providing additional evidence that the Cultural Revolution initiated by Mao Zedong in 1966 had ended. Officials also announced that a Chinese-language edition of the Bard’s works would soon be available. * On May 26, 1962, clarinetist Bernard Stanley “Acker” Bilk’s instrumental single “Stranger On the Shore” provided an initial, but false, hint of the British Invasion to come when it went to No. 1 on the Billboard Hot 100. Despite its popularity, it was Bilk’s only significant hit. RECORDS FACTS (continued): • More new technology put vinyl and cassettes at risk in 1982 when Sony created the first compact disc, a 4.75-inch (12 cm) disc with a capacity of 80 minutes of audio. The disc’s tracks are scanned by an infrared laser, with RPMs between 210 and 480. CDs were small, portable, and convenient, played on a device that could go anywhere. • The success of CDs wound down when the first version of the MP3 format was introduced in 1993. This format launched the downloading of digital music, and the capability of listening on a computer. • Apple revolutionized listening to music with the introduction of the iPod in 2001, a small convenient device advertised as giving music lovers “1,000 songs in your pocket.” Because the iTunes store wasn’t launched until 2003, listeners added music to the iPod from CDs or other online sources like Napster. By March, 2002, the updated iPod could hold 2,000 songs, and four months later, that number was up to 4,000. In September, the upgrade increased the total to 10,000 songs, and the 80 GB iPod of 2005 brought the total to 20,000. Apple discontinued the iPod product line in 2022. • Yet all of the new innovations haven’t marked the end of vinyl records. Since 2007, there has been a renewed interest in vinyl records. The comeback was small at first, but by 2010, growth was quickly picking up. By 2020, the increase was 29.2%, surpassing sales of CDs for the first time in over 30 years. In 2021, 41.72 million vinyl records were sold in the U.S. For the first half of 2023, sales exceeded 23 million, with Taylor Swift leading the pack. These days, nearly every major artist is releasing their newest records on vinyl. 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Page 4 Middle Man Enterprises, LLC • [email protected] • For Advertising Call (256) 797-7930 * “My best friend recently had her first child. For her shower, we decided to get together and cook her several meals that could be frozen and go right from the freezer to the oven. This way, she has many meals to grab in the first few sleepless weeks.” -- E.S. in Mississippi * Need to save money grocery shopping? Studies show that if you shop when the store is least busy, you’ll make smarter decisions. Try shopping at off-peak hours, such as later in the evening or early in the morning. Or try your store on Wednesday, traditionally the least busy day of the week. * “I was making cookies last week and needed to roll out the dough. I couldn’t find my rolling pin anywhere. In a pinch, I pulled a bottle of wine off my wine rack and wrapped it tightly in plastic. It did the trick. I’m thinking I might just save the next empty bottle and clean the label off of it to use. I can store it right there in my rack!” -- O.V. in Oregon * Add shredded veggies to tomato sauce to up the veggie quotient. Many vegetables can be added without adding many calories and will not change the taste that much. Try carrots, squash or sweet potatoes. You can even add a tablespoon or two of canned, pureed pumpkin. * “I like the smaller size of kids’ meals at the drive-thru. I save the toys in a box, then I drop them off with a teacher friend to use as rewards in her classroom.” -- via email * “I found a bunch of guttering at a garage sale super cheap, and was inspired to bring it INSIDE my house. I purchased end pieces at my local hardware store and cut the gutters to fit inside my closet. They line the wall all the way up in horizontal rows. I use them to keep shoes, purses, even small baskets of accessories. It’s wonderful. -- T. in Tennessee RECORDS FACTS (continued): • What’s created thisresurgence of vinyl records? Part of it is a sense of nostalgia as listeners enjoy adding a new record to their collection and displaying them creatively. They like the imaginative cover art and the bonus items, such as posters, included in albums not present with CDs. Some say that the sound of vinyl is “warmer” and “more authentic,” a unique sound different from digital music. • Michael Jackson’s Thriller, which was released in 1982, isthe biggest-selling album of all time. It sold 32 million copies its first year, with an estimated 70 million number of sales to date. The honor of best-selling single of all time worldwide belongs to Bing Crosby’s “White Christmas,” recorded in 1942. Conservative estimates place the total at 50 million copies. “Rock Around the Clock” is the biggest-selling rock and rollsingle of all time. It was originally released on a vinyl 45 and a shellac 78 in 1954. Its sales are estimated at 25 million. • We usually associate the hit “I Will Always Love You” with songstress Whitney Houston, featured in the 1992 film “The Bodyguard.” But it was a hit long before by its composer Dolly Parton, who wrote it in a day in 1974. Actor Kevin Costner contacted Parton for permission to use it in the film. Parton never heard another word about it, until she was driving her car down the road after the movie’s release and heard Houston singing it on the radio. Houston’s version is the best-selling single by a female artist of all time. The song was played at her 2012 funeral. • Songs that were slammed by broadcasters, critics, and listeners as the “worst ever” include “Achy Breaky Heart” by Billy Ray Cyrus, the Baha Men’s recording of “Who Let the Dogs Out?,” and “Don’t Worry, Be Happy” by Bobby McFerrin. 1. What Italian manufacturer became the official tire supplier of the FIA Formula 1 World Championship in 2011? 2. What Norwegian female long-distance runner won both the Boston Marathon and New York City Marathon in 1989? 3. Former professional boxer Tony Burton first portrayed trainer Tony “Duke” Evers in what 1976 film? 4. What American swimmer upset Australia’s Susie O’Neill to win gold in the women’s 200-meter butterfly at the 2000 Sydney Summer Olympics? 5. What Chicago White Sox pitcher recorded the 18th perfect game in Major League Baseball history in a 5-0 win over the Tampa Bay Rays on July 23, 2009? 6. Alan Eagleson, who was convicted of fraud and embezzlement in 1998, was the first executive director of what sports labor union? 7. What Kansas City Chiefs quarterback threw for 504 yards and two touchdowns and ran for one score in a 49-31 loss to the Oakland Raiders in November 2000? 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Middle Man Enterprises, LLC • [email protected] • For Advertising Call (256) 797-7930 Page 5 1. Is the book of Simon (KJV) in the Old or New Testament or neither? 2. How many chosen men of Israel did Saul take with him to the wilderness of Ziph to search for David? 12, 100, 200, 3000 3. From 1 Samuel 3, whose voice did Samuel think it was when he first heard God calling him? Jonathan, Saul, Ahiah, Eli 4. The word of God is quick, and powerful, and sharper than any ...? Tongue, Knife, Two-edged sword, Wit 5. In Genesis 26, where did Isaac stay when there was a famine in the land? Gerar, Endor, Sychar, Lydda 6. What insect was a plague on the Egyptians? Wasp, Locust, Flea, Cockroach BEAUTIFUL BODY: “M” PARTS How many of these body parts beginning with the letter “M” are you familiar with? Tidbits invites you to “get physical” to test your knowledge. • The malleolus and the malleus might sound similar, but they’re in no way related. The malleolus is the bone that sticks out on either side of the ankle joint, providing stability to the joint. The bone on the inner side of the ankle is at the lower end of the tibia, while the one on the outer side is formed by the lower end of the fibula. The malleus is also a bone, but it’s located in the middle ear, and transmits sound vibrations from the eardrum to the inner ear. This small bone is commonly referred to the “hammer,” due to its shape. • Also related to the ear, the mastoid is that bony protrusion located just behind the earlobes. This bump is connected to the middle ear and critical for hearing and balance, as well as acting as the attachment site for several muscles in the head and neck. • “M” parts related to the jaw include the mandibula, the maxilla, and the masseter. The mandibula, or lower jawbone, is the face’s largest and strongest bone, providing support to the lower teeth and structure for the lower face. The mandible works closely with the maxilla, or upper jaw, in the chewing process and to assist with speech. The maxilla contains the upper teeth and helps form the roof of the mouth and the floor of the eye sockets and nasal cavity. It also helps you smile along with other facial expressions. The masseter is a muscle within the jaw, one of the strongest muscles in the body, and critical for biting and chewing food. It’s connected to the mandible and the cheekbone. © 2023 King Features Synd., Inc. Automotive Repair Lift Kits, Tires, Wheels & Service 28046 Main Street, Ardmore, AL 35739 256-423-4959 256-777-3744 Please Tell Us you saw our ad in TidBits Ethan Mullins Manager We’re here for all of your Powerstroke, Cummins and Duramax needs. TruTorqueDiesel 256-529-0635 21030 Clement Gin Rd, Athens Hours: Monday-Friday 6 AM - 3 PM Saturday & Sunday: Closed 30010 Ardmore Ave Ardmore, AL 35739 www.NorthAlabamaBank.com (256) 423-9100 BankingWithNAB Kniess Commercial and Residential Call for a free quote today: 256-910-9575 Devan Kniess, Owner INTERNET ADVERTISING SOLUTIONS MADE SIMPLE! Big3MarketingLLC.com We’ve Helped 1,000’s of Clients Like You! Affordable & Beautiful Websites, Google Search Engine Marketing, Social Media Marketing on Facebook, Instagram, X (Twitter) & LinkedIn 256-212-6100 Call or Scan for a FREE Consultation No Obligation
Page 6 Middle Man Enterprises, LLC • [email protected] • For Advertising Call (256) 797-7930 THE BEST SMOKED MEATS & HOMEMADE SIDES IN ALABAMA! 4RDsBBQ.com 1811 Nick Davis Rd, Harvest, Alabama 256-683-9990 THE BEST SMOKED MEATS & HOMEMADE SIDES IN ALABAMA! THE BEST SMOKED MEATS & HOMEMADE SIDES IN ALABAMA! THE BEST SMOKED MEATS & HOMEMADE SIDES IN ALABAMA! • Catfish! • Smoked Burgers! • Sausage! • Ribs! • Wings! Our Hours: Mon & Tue: 10:30 - 7 Wednesday: 10:30 - 2 Thursday: 10:30 - 7 Fri & Sat: 10:30 - 7 Sunday: Closed 1. GEOGRAPHY: Which of the Great Lakes is smallest in surface area? 2. TELEVISION: Which sitcom has the theme song, “Where Everybody Knows Your Name”? 3. ANATOMY: Which part of the human body is involved with ACL surgery? 4. GAMES: What is the victim’s name in the U.S. version of the board game “Clue”? 5. ANIMAL KINGDOM: What is the world’s largest species of frog? 6. SCIENCE: What do isobars indicate? 7. LITERATURE: In the novel “Don Quixote,” who is the human companion to the title character? 8. MOVIES: In which movie did actor Bill Murray live the same day over and over? 9. THEATER: Who is believed to be the first actor in a Greek drama? 10. MUSIC: What is the name of Beyonce’s 2024 country album? “M” PARTS (continued): • In the chest, the mediastinum, as the central compartment of the chest cavity, holds the heart, lungs, esophagus, trachea, lymph nodes, and nerves. It’s located right in the middle of the chest between the lungs and is surrounded by the ribcage. The manubrium is also part of the chest, the uppermost part of the breastbone, or sternum, that flat bone located in the center of the chest. Several muscles and ligaments are attached to this handle-shaped portion of the sternum, which functions as the protector of the heart, lungs, and blood vessels. • If you’ve torn your meniscus, you’ve damaged that C-shaped piece of cartilage found in the knee joint, and suffered one of the most common knee injuries. It occurs when the knee is forcefully twisted or rotated while bearing weight on the knee. Each knee has two menisco, which act as a cushion between the shinbone and the thighbone. • You many have heard of macular degeneration, but may not be aware of what the macula does. This tiny oval-shaped area (just 0.25 inch wide), is at the center of the eye’s retina at the back of the eyeball. Composed of photoreceptor cells, it’s responsible for translating light that enters the eye into a signal that the brain can understand. It enables vision for objects directly in front of you. When the macula begins to deteriorate, mostly after age 50, the eye can still take in light, but images that are straight ahead are blurry and without fine detail. Those with the condition maintain their peripheral vision, able to see things off to the sides. About 20 million Americans have macular degeneration, which can be brought on by family history, obesity, smoking, high blood pressure, diabetes, head injuries, infections, or a poor diet without essential nutrients. * Pass the Beano! In Japan, they used to hold contests to see who could fart the longest and loudest. The winner received a prize and high honors. * Leeches have 32 brains. * In June 2017, a tire shop in Fort Worth, Texas, was robbed so often that the owner bought a guard dog. But that didn’t solve the problem -- the next time the shop was robbed, the intruders stole the dog! * Native Americans planted “Three Sisters”-- corn, beans and squash -- together for their mutual benefit. Corn provided a structure for the beans to climb, beans provided nitrogen to the soil, and squash spread along the ground, preventing the growth of weeds. * PayPal once accidentally credited a man with $92 quadrillion. * “Highway hypnosis” is a mental state where a person can drive a vehicle great distances while responding to external events in a safe and correct manner, but with no recollection of having consciously done so. * Andrew Myrick, a storekeeper on a Minnesota Native American reservation, allegedly suggested that starving natives eat grass. While the quote’s validity has been debated, he was notably found dead on the first day of the Dakota War of 1862 with grass stuffed in his mouth. * The average man spends about one year of his life staring at women. * A tattoo needle doesn’t actually inject ink. 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Middle Man Enterprises, LLC • [email protected] • For Advertising Call (256) 797-7930 Page 7 DEAR PAW’S CORNER: We have a contractor coming soon to renovate our kitchen. I plan to keep my cat, “Freya,” out of the way and in a separate room during the day. But at night, she’ll want to wander the house. How do I keep her out of the kitchen? -- Jim in Portland, Maine DEAR JIM: Cats are pretty wily, and I’m sure Freya will try to find a way around any barriers you set up to keep her out of the kitchen. The best way to dissuade her from exploring the construction area, therefore, is to tempt her away with better distractions. That means moving her food and water to a new location far from the construction area (but out of heavy foot traffic) and giving her treats and attention whenever she opts to stay in the living room with you or near her bedding and food. At night, tighten the barriers around the kitchen -- if there’s a door, close it. If there is plastic sheeting up, tack it to surrounding walls and tape it to the floor. Put a sheet of plywood across the entrance if necessary. Inside thework area,make sure that the contractors put away all sharp tools and cover any containers tightly. They should clean up any debris at the end of each day and use a wet-dry vacuum to pick up sawdust and dirt. Any spills need to be cleaned completely. This will reduce the risk to Freya if she manages to get into the kitchen, and it’s just good practice. Readers, how did you keep your pets safe during home renovations? Tell me at ask@pawscorner. com. By Samantha Mazzotta Home Renovations and Pets Just Don’t Mix MARSHMALLOWS This week, Tidbits has “s’more” than enough facts about one of our favorite treats – the marshmallow! • Did you know that marshmallows grow on trees? Well, sort of anyway. There really is a marshmallow plant found in Europe, Asia, and North Africa. It’s a beautiful flowering plant that’s covered in white flowers, but it’s the roots and sap that provide the real benefit. For centuries, dating back to ancient Egypt and Greece, people used these parts of the marshmallow plant for its therapeutic properties -- to heal wounds, to soothe throat inflammation, and relieve coughs. The sap and root pulp were boiled and mixed with honey. The healing concoction was strictly for use by royalty. • The Egyptians moved the marshmallow from merely medicinal to a confection, combining it with grains and nuts and baking into cakes. • It wasn’t until the mid-1800s that the marshmallow started to become the form we know today. French confectioners took the plant’sroots and sap and whipped them together with sugar, water, and egg whites, resulting in a soft, puffy treat. Each marshmallow had to be hand-formed, so in the latter part of the century, they created cornstarch molds that allowed for mass-production. • Yet the process was still tedious and took a lot of time, since the sap had to extracted from the plant took over a day to dry. Manufacturers replaced it with the more-convenient gelatin, which had the added bonus of helping marshmallows to better hold their shape. Corn syrup, starch, powdered sugar, and water were added to the gelatin, resulting in a fluffy texture. • Marshmallows came to America in the early 1900s, sold as penny candy. Germany immigrants, the Rueckheim brothers, opened Angelus Marshmallows in 1907, adding to the popular confection they had already introduced in 1893, known as Cracker Jack. © 2024 King Features Synd., Inc. Make Every DayPawesome Paws Awhile 256-423-3039 Grooming & Boarding 26944 Main Street Ardmore, AL 35739 256-800-1199 21026 Clement Gin Rd, Athens, AL 35613 • Auto Body • Paint & Collision Repair • Custom Paint & Bodywork Jonathan Hall, Owner NOSTALGIC AUTOMOTIVE SALES 28115 AL 251, Ardmore, AL Phillip: 256-371-0006 Sebastian: 256-970-8879 $20 OFF AN OIL CHANGE* *Please present ad at time of ordering service. May not be combined with other discounts. Other restrictions may apply. Please use before 8.1.24. Protech Auto Service AC Repair, Brakes, Tires & Full Auto Repair “Good service, good price and locally owned.” 30050 Ardmore Ave Ardmore, AL 35739 (256) 423-4515 • Income Tax • Payroll • Sales Tax • Bookkeeping • Consulting 205-712-9878 www.Pennington.CPA Quickbooks ProAdvisors Aaron Pennington, CPA We can’t wait to hear from you. Aaron Pennington LLC Specialist Bethel Grocery Bethel Grocery Corner of Hwy 251 & Bethel Rd • Broaster Chicken • Little Italy Pizza • Fresh Deli & Sides • So Much More! 25981 Old US Highway 31, Toney, AL Hours: Mon-Sat: 4am-8pm Sunday: 7am-8pm 256-423-3670 www.BethelGro.com
1. Pirelli. 2. Ingrid Kristiansen. 3. “Rocky.” 4. Misty Hyman. 5. Mark Buehrle. 6. The NHL Players Association (NHLPA). 7. Elvis Grbac. 1. Lake Ontario. 2. “Cheers.” 3. The knee. 4. Mr. Boddy. 5. Goliath frog. 6. Atmospheric pressure. 7. Sancho Panza. 8. “Groundhog Day.” 9. Thespis, 6thcentury poet 10. “Cowboy Carter.” 1) Neither, 2) 3000, 3) Eli, 4) Two-edged sword, 5) Gerar, 6) Locust Just about the time that I’d decided I needed a major shopping trip to replenish food and supplies, along came two back-to-back winter storms. The winds knocked out power, which took out the freezer and dairy sections of all the local stores, which meant they had to throw away all the frozen and cold foods: milk, eggs, butter, cheeses, everything. Then, of course, trucks struggled to get through all the downed limbs and damage on the roads and therefore were slow to restock the stores. We haven’t seen eggs for nearly two weeks at our local store, for example. Today, miracle of miracles, they managed to get a box -- that’s a box, one box -- of 24 cartons of eggs. The ensuing crush of excited people pressing forward to the dairy section could have been deadly to seniors who aren’t exactly sturdy on their feet. But I ended up very proud of the folks in this town. A handful of college kids saw what was happening and blocked the mass of people who surged forward, carefully escorting one very elderly lady forward and handing her a carton of eggs. That changed the urgent mood of the crowd, when they realized what they were doing and what could have happened. People eased away, no longer in a panic about getting eggs, realizing there just weren’t enough for everyone, and the college kids stayed there taking it upon themselves to distribute eggs, mostly to seniors, I noticed. I was impressed. Afterward, no matter where I walked in the store, it seemed that there was one item left in the sections where stocks were low, as though people were intentionally leaving the last item for someone else who might need it more. Could those college kids have started a trend of kindness? Is that possible? Aftermath of the Storms MARSHMALLOWS (continued): • In 1927, the Girl Scouts’ Handbook and “Scouting Magazine” published a recipe they called “Some More,” maybe because the girls were always asking for more of the treat consisting of two roasted marshmallows and a chocolate bar sandwiched between two graham crackers. The name was later abbreviated to “s’mores.” • 1948 brought a new process that transformed the production. It involved an extrusion machine, in which the mixture was piped through tubes, then cut into equal pieces. It also pumped more air into marshmallows, making them even puffier! • In 1940, a Pennsylvania-based candy company named Just Born introduced a new candy they called Mike and Ike. In 1950, a cinnamonflavored candy known as Hot Tamales was added to Just Born’s lineup. They presented another famous sweet treat in 1953, a chickshaped marshmallow they dubbed Peeps. Originally, a batch of Peeps took about 27 hours to create, all made by hand. Today’s equipment enables the company to crank out the chicks and bunnies in about six minutes. Each Peep contains about 28 calories. • Kellogg’s starting printing the recipe for their “marshmallow squares,” as they were called, on the Rice Krispies packages in 1941. The recipe was a joint project between the Kellogg test kitchens and a fundraiser for the Camp Fire Girls, producing a treat the girls could sell door-to-door. The recipe has remained unchanged ever since. General Mills added marshmallows to oat cereal in 1964, calling them Lucky Charms, and using Lucky the Leprechaun as their sales mascot. • Marshmallows, originally a plant-based treat, are now made primarily from animalbased gelatin, although vegan marshmallows are available. Americans consume about 90 million lbs. (40,823,313 kg) of marshmallows every year. See our vehicles atwww.RandJautos.com or in person at 30075 Ardmore Ave, Ardmore Hours: M,Tu,Th & F: 9-5 Sat: 9-2 W & Su: closed 256-423-2288 Tell Mike “I saw your ad in TidBits & I’m ready to ride.” Financing & Payment Plans Available G&S Tire & Service Center 26649 Elk Street, Ardmore, TN 38449 • Oil Changes • New & Used Tires • Tire Rotation & Balancing • 4 Wheel Alignments • Brake Jobs • Basic Auto Repair 35+ YEARS - TRUST IN OUR EXPERIENCE When your vehicle needs repairs and maintenance, it’s important to choose a Certified Auto Repair Center that has lots of experience. 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