Tidbits of the River Region

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This Tidbits tackles some football stadiums where history was made. Looking only at college stadiums, let’s kick back and learn!

•Three of the oldest college football stadiums in the nation are in the northeast, where the oldest institutions of higher learning in this country exist.

• The University of Pennsylvania’s Franklin Field is considered by the NCAA (National Collegiate Athletic Association) to be the oldest football stadium. Built in 1895, it originally cost $100,000. Rebuilt in 1922, it became the nation’s first two-tiered stadium. Franklin Field was the location of the nation’s first scoreboard in 1895, first football radio broadcast in 1922, and first telecast in 1939.

• The horseshoe-shaped Harvard Stadium is claimed on Harvard’s website to be the nation’s oldest stadium. Built in 1903, recognized as a National Historic Landmark, the stadium was the world’s first “massive reinforced concrete structure.”

• The first bowl-shaped stadium was the Yale Bowl, opened at Yale University in 1914. When it opened it was the largest stadium in the world since construction of the Roman Coliseum in 80 AD. It is one of four National Historic Landmarks on Yale’s campus.

• Another historic stadium dating back to 1913 is Bobby Dodd Stadium at Georgia Tech’s Grant Field. It is the oldest continuously-used on-campus college football site in the FBS (Football Bowl Subdivision, formerly Division I-A). The game has been played at the downtown Atlanta site since 1905. The stadium was the site of the most lopsided game in football history. Georgia Tech defeated Cumberland College 222-0 in 1916!

• A west coast college football venue listed on the National Historic Landmark, but not as old as Yale or Harvard, is the Los Angeles Memorial Coliseum. Home field for the University of Southern

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Vol 1 Issue 39of the River Region

TIDBITS® TAKES A LOOK AT

FOOTBALL STADIUMSby Patricia L. Cook

Page 2 Tidbits® of the River Region

FOOTBALL STADIUMS(continued): California (USC), this is the only stadium in the world that has hosted the Olympics twice. It has also hosted the Super Bowl and the World Series.

• Another California field, Stanford Stadium, made a lot of history in its 84-year life span. In spite of this, it was decided that the best thing for the school, players and fans was to replace the stadium. A new structure opened in 2006. One of the biggest complaints about the old Stanford Stadium was inadequate restroom facilities. The restrooms were enlarged but overall the new stadium was made smaller. The old stadium, built in 1921, had a seating capacity of 86,000, and held as many as 94,000. The new stadium is built for a crowd of 50,000.

• Of the big events held at the old Stanford stadium, two standouts were: when Herbert Hoover, a Stanford grad and former football manager, accepted the Republican nomination for president in 1928; and a track meet between the U.S. and the USSR (Soviet Union) in 1962, during the “Cold War,” when political tensions were high. The attendance over two days was 153,000 to watch the friendly competition.

• American football has a history dating back to the late 1800s, emerging from the European game of rugby. Player and coach at Yale University, Walter Camp, is the “Father of American Football,” recognized for instituting the early rules of the game.

• “The Birthplace of Intercollegiate Football,” Rutgers University in New Jersey, held the first inter-collegiate football game in 1869. Rutgers defeated Princeton by two goals. Those players didn’t play in a stadium, but on a field on College Avenue in New Brunswick with a few fans there to see what the game was about. Today, Rutgers has a beautiful stadium that seats 52,454 fans.

• Today, many stadiums are named after corporate sponsors who provide funds for the rights to advertise themselves. One of those is the Carrier Dome at Syracuse University. Built in 1980, it is the only domed stadium in the Northeast. Even though named for Carrier, an air conditioning company, the dome isn’t air conditioned!

• The air is thinner (less oxygen) in higher elevations and breathing can be difficult in high

energy contests like football. War Memorial Stadium at the University of Wyoming has the highest elevation of any Division I university at 7,770 feet (M?). Western State College in Gunnison, Colorado is even higher with an elevation of 7750 feet. (M?) Falcon Stadium, the home field for the Air Force Academy in Colorado Springs, Colorado, another high elevation stadium, at 6621 feet (2018 m) above sea level, is flying high.

• The United States Military Academy at West Point, New York, has a unique tradition for its games: a skydiver lands on the field at Michie Stadium holding the football to start the games.

• Many college and university teams have other traditions observed in their home stadiums. Some involve songs music, some a motto, and many involve mascots.

• When the Tennessee Volunteers and their 100,000 or so fans sing “Rocky Top” in Neyland Stadium, it is a chorus that you will hear in your sleep for a few nights afterward!

• “Take Me Home, Country Roads,” a song recorded by John Denver in 1971 has been the theme song for West Virginia University since 1972. Denver sang the song at the opening of the “new” Mountaineer Field in 1980. The words and music were written by Bill Danoff, Taffy Nivert and Denver, and at the time none of the trio had actually been to the state.

• A stadium that has received more attention in recent years for its high level college playing is known for having the only blue turf in football. Boise State’s Bronco Field’s turf is also called the “smurf turf” for the cartoon Smurfs.

• Aloha Stadium, the home stadium for the University of Hawaii, is owned by the state of Hawaii, and hosts many events other than football. The Aloha Stadium Swapmeet & Marketplace, held every week on Wednesdays, Saturdays and Sundays should be on every visitor’s itinerary.

• Many people refer to the “big house” as prison or jail. However, in football “The Big House” is the largest stadium in the country, home of University of Michigan football, with a capacity of 109,901. One of the “big” stories about this stadium is that when it was under construction in 1926, an underground spring and moist, quicksand-like soil swallowed a crane! It is still there, under the stadium!

Depression in seniors is a lot more common than we let on. We point to aging as a reason for how we feel, but that’s not necessarily the case. There are any number of reasons why we might feel depressed: if we’ve recently lost someone in our life, if our health isn’t what it used to be, if we’re taking multiple prescriptions, if we’re alone or if we’ve re-tired and no longer feel vital.Depression can impact all areas of our lives: our appetite, interest in activities, how we sleep and so much more. The key is to recog-nize the symptoms and get treated, because depression is treatable.If you can point to at least one item on the following list as being true, it’s time to talk to your doctor.--Having trouble sleeping or sleeping too much.--Losing interest in activities or hobbies you used to enjoy.--Feeling isolated, or excluding yourself from activities with friends.--Thinking about death.--Skipping your medications, meals or baths.--Feeling anxious, hopeless, guilty or irri-table.--Experiencing new aches and pains, or a worsening of existing ones.--Having trouble concentrating.Your doctor might ask a lot of questions and make a number of suggestions. He might recommend (as a place to start) that you get enough sleep or volunteer at a charity agency, make regular visits to friends or visit a nu-tritionist to make sure you’re getting enough nutrients in your diet. The key might be as simple as scheduling regular exercise and taking your medications on time all the time.If you don’t feel like your normal self, there’s help for you. Please go to your doctor and ask for it.

Matilda Charles regrets that she cannot personally answer reader questions, but will incorporate them into her column when-ever possible. Write to her in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475, or send e-mail to [email protected].

(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.

Are You Depressed?

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Celebrating bountiful fall apple crops is an Ameri-can tradition we can pass on to our children in lively and creative ways. Share your childhood memories with your kids while you enjoy these old-fashioned apple activities updated with a twist.

APPLE TASTE-TESTINGHave your family taste-test several varieties of apples, including specialties from your area. First, sort them by color and name, such as Granny Smith, Red Delicious, McIntosh, etc. Help your children pronounce and identify them correctly. Which are sweetest, tartest and juiciest? Which would taste yummy dipped in a caramel sauce or baked in a pie?

EDIBLE APPLE ARTAt mealtime, eat your apple art. For each serving, make an edible apple bowl by cutting the top 1/4 off an apple and scooping out the fruit and core with a grapefruit-style knife. Make sure there is a 1/4-inch-thick apple shell remaining. For extra fun, etch a funny face or wacky design on the outside using jack-o’-lantern carving tools or a butter knife. Fill with applesauce topped with a sprinkling of cinnamon, or a Waldorf salad composed of apple chunks from the scooped-out fruit, seedless grapes, diced celery, walnuts, a little mayonnaise or vanilla yogurt and a few squeezes of lemon juice.

GLOWING APPLE CENTERPIECE Carefully scoop out the top center portion of an apple, leaving enough space for tucking a tea-light candle firmly in place. Arrange several pressed, colorful fall leaves that your children have collected in the middle of the table. Set the apple and its candle on the leaf arrangement. Light the candle at dinnertime.Note: An adult should always be present when burning candles.

APPLE STORYTIMEJohn Chapman, known as Johnny Appleseed, was famous for planting apple trees across America. Read the classic tale of Johnny Appleseed at bed-time.***Donna Erickson’s award-winning series “Donna’s Day” is airing on public television nationwide. To find more of her creative family recipes and activities, visit www.donnasday.com and link to the NEW Donna’s Day Facebook fan page. Her latest book is “Donna Erickson’s Fabulous Funstuff for Families.”

(c) 2012 Donna EricksonDistributed by King Features Synd.

Apple Time Nostalgia

Because of the new banking laws that limit how much banks can charge retailers, user fees have continued to rise as banks have hustled to find other ways to prop up their income.The recent 15th annual survey by Bankrate shows that the average monthly fee is now in the range of $5.50 -- up 25 percent in a year -- for accounts that don’t pay interest. For accounts that do pay interest (averaging 0.05 percent), that amount is

more than $14.ATM fees also are up, averaging $1.57 (charged by your own bank) if you make a withdrawal at a bank not your own. The bank that you withdraw from will charge an average of $3.50 if you don’t have an account there.Overdraft charges now average $31.Non-sufficient funds charges are all in the $30 range across the country, except for two states.Free checking is on its way out: Only 39 percent of checking accounts today free, as opposed to 76 percent of banks offering free checking back in 2009. “Free” not only means free of a charge for having the account, but being free of the re-sponsibility of meeting the bank’s requirements, such as keeping a minimum balance.There are ways to get around being charged fees, but they aren’t for everyone. Setting up direct deposit is one way, but not everyone works for a company that offers to pay electronically. An-other way is to agree to keep a higher minimum balance at all times, although those minimums have continued to rise, in many cases to more than $6,000.Banks are betting that you won’t abandon them

despite higher fees, that you’ll decide it’s just easier to stay and hand over the money, no mat-ter how high the charges go. They have a point: If you change banks you might need to deal with new routines, the inconvenience of chang-ing a direct deposit, new tellers who don’t know you, and more. Perhaps you have a loan with an interest rate that’s directly tied to having an account (not a good idea, for obvious reasons).Best bet: Per Bankrate, more than 70 percent of credit unions still have free checking. If your bank’s fees are continuing to climb, investigate a credit union near you. The “pain” of switching banks is only temporary. For more information, see bankrate.com.

David Uffington regrets that he cannot personal-ly answer reader questions, but will incorporate them into his column whenever possible. Write to him in care of King Features Weekly Service, P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475, or send email to [email protected].

(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.

Bank Pile On Fees

Tidbits® of the River Region Page 4

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

DEAR DR. DONOHUE: Will you give me information on the low-purine diet for gout? -- C.J.ANSWER: Years ago, before effective gout medicines were available, diet was the major treatment for gout. Now, with modern medicines, diet doesn’t play such a big role.Elevated blood uric acid sets the stage for a gout attack. Uric acid infiltrates joints as needle-shaped crystals. Most uric acid comes from the recycling of body cells, a daily process. Only a small amount comes from food. It’s still wise for gout patients to take it easy on foods that are high in purines, but they don’t have to be as strict about diet as former patients had to be. Purines are the substances that produce uric acid.Gout patients ought to scale back a bit on meat and fish. Anchovies, organ meats like liver and sweetbreads, and gravies have lots of purines in them, and should be taken only once in a while, if at all. Patients need to watch the amount of alcohol they drink. Beer, in particular, often triggers a gout attack. High-fructose corn syrup and table sugar ought to be used in moderation. Soft drinks have a large amount of high-fructose corn syrup in them. These are the only foods that bear some watching.Milk and other dairy products lessen the chance of gout attacks. All fruits and vegetables can be eaten without any restriction.Weight loss is important for overweight gout patients. That’s about all you need to know about the low-purine diet for gout.The gout pamphlet explains this quite common and often misunderstood illness. Readers can obtain a copy by writing: 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 printed name and address of the recipient. Please allow four weeks for delivery. ***DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I have gotten my weight to a point where I am happy with it. I still have fat bulging at my sides. I think these are called love handles. I don’t love them. I don’t think that losing more weight will rid me of them. What do you think of liposuction? Is it risky? -- A.S.

ANSWER: Liposuction removes fat from fat deposits beneath the skin. It doesn’t remove deep deposits of fat, the fat that surrounds organs in the abdomen, the fat that creates most metabolic troubles. It’s the deep fat that’s associated with increased risk of heart attack and stroke. Your dieting should have taken care of that fat.Liposuction surgery is cosmetic surgery, so you’d better check with your insurance if you need it to cover the procedure.All surgical procedures, including liposuction, carry a risk. Complications from it, however, are not frequent.***DEAR DR. DONOHUE: As I understand it, drinking coffee makes a person’s blood sugar rise, and then insulin has to be released by the body. Does drinking coffee overstimulate insulin production and contribute to diabetes, especially if a person is prone to diabetes? -- T.F.

ANSWER: Coffee has turned into a health drink. It’s believed to prevent diabetes. It’s also said to prevent heart attacks and strokes.***Dr. Donohue regrets that he is unable to answer individual letters, but he will incorporate them in his column whenever possible. Readers may write him or request an order form of available health newsletters at P.O. Box 536475, Orlando, FL 32853-6475.

(c) 2012 North America Synd., Inc.All Rights Reserved

Gout Diet Not Too Restrictive

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Register to win at www.riverregiontidbits.com and click on “Tommy Tidbits”. Fill out the registration information and tell us how many times Tommy appears in ads in the paper for this week. From the correct entries, a winner will be selected. You must be 18 years of age to qualify. The gift certificates will range in value from $25 to $50 each week. Entries must be received at the website by midnight each Saturday evening or at PTK Corp, PO Box 264, Wetumpka, AL 36092.

This week’s winner receives a $25.00 Gift Certficate from Capitol City Frame.

Last Week’s Ads where Tommy was hiding:1. Jason Hart, p. 8

DEAR PAW’S CORNER: I’ve been trying to house train my puppy, “Genie,” but she still leaves puddles around the house in the morn-ing before I wake up. I tried rubbing her nose in the mess, but it doesn’t seem to work. Can you help? -- Claire W., Akron, Ohio

DEAR CLAIRE: Some dogs are a bit more dif-ficult to house train than others, but don’t give up. First, however, stop rubbing Genie’s nose in her puddle. Dogs’ attention spans are pretty short, and trying to punish her long after the act won’t help, and in fact can set her training way back.Does Genie make that puddle at roughly the same time each morning? If so, that’s a clear signal that her bladder is full by that time. You need to make an adjustment: wake up earlier, before Genie pees in the house. Take her outside

on her leash and encourage her to go, praising her lavishly when she does. Repeat this every morning without fail -- Genie will get it.Now, to get your sleep time back, you need to try and adjust when Genie goes at night. If you’re taking her out at 10 p.m. and she’s wet-ting the floor at 5 a.m., take her out at 11 p.m. instead. Then take her out at 5:30 a.m. the next morning, and at 6 a.m. the following morning. See if her clock adjusts.If that doesn’t work, remember, Genie is still young and growing. She may be able to hold her urine longer when she gets bigger. So be patient, and keep working with her.

Send your questions or comments to [email protected]. If your question or comment is printed in the weekly column, you’ll receive a free copy of “Fighting Fleas,” the newest book-let from Paws Corner!

(c) 2012 King Features Synd., Inc.

House Training Adviceby Samantha Mazzotta

Tidbits® of the River Region Page 6

1. Is the book of 2 Corinthians in the Old or New Testament or neither?2. From Leviticus 19:25, the fruit of a newly planted tree must not be eaten until which year? 2nd, 3rd, 4th, 5th3. What was Bathsheba doing on the roof when David first saw her? Bathing, Praying, Singing, Hiding4. Samson’s strength was correlated with what part of his body? Heart, Chest, Hair, Legs5. Job suffered from what physical affliction? Deafness, Boils, Blindness, Coughs6. Who was the mate of Esther? Jehu, Darius, Ahasuerus, Abner

1. Name the last time teams with the best-regular season records in each league met in the World Series.2. When Al Lopez was manager of the White Sox between 1957 and 1965, how many seasons did Chicago win at least 90 games?3. In 2010, Michigan quarter-back Denard Robinson set the record for rushing yards for a quarterback (1,702). Who had held the mark?4. Name the last NBA rookie before John Wall in 2010 to have at least seven assists in each of his first five games.5. In 2012, the Los Angeles Kings set a record with 10 consecutive road playoff vic-tories in the same year. Who had held the mark?6. Who was the only player to record a hat trick (three goals) in a men’s World Cup soccer final?7. How many Olympic gold medals did Cuban heavy-weight boxer Teofilo Steven-son win?

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1. It was 1999 (New York Yankees vs. Atlanta).2. Five times (1957, 1959, 1963-65).3. Air Force’s Beau Morgan rushed for 1,494 yards in 1996.4. Oscar Robertson, with the Cincinnati Royals in 1960.5. The 2009-10 Chicago Blackhawks, with seven.6. England’s Geoff Hurst, versus West Germany in 1966.7. Three -- 1972, 1976 and 1980.

BIBLE TRIVIA ANSWERS:

1) New; 2) 5th; 3) Bathing; 4) Hair; 5) Boils; 6) Ahasuerus

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Tidbits® of the River Region Page 8

It was inventor Thomas Edison who made the follow-ing sage observation: “We don’t know a millionth of 1 percent about anything.”

Those who study such things say that chewing gum will reduce your recall ability by 10 percent.

As ostrich can run just as fast as a racehorse.

In 1972, an extraordinary birth occurred. On July 22 of that year, a woman in Rome gave birth a whopping 15 babies -- five boys and 10 girls. The siblings were quindecaplets, though, obviously, that term doesn’t see much use.

You probably know that J. Edgar Hoover was the first director of the FBI, helping to found the bureau in 1935 and serving until his death in 1972. You might not realize, though, that in his career he never made an arrest or even personally conducted an investigation.

It’s been reported that the last words of famed com-poser Ludwig van Beethoven were “Friends, applaud; the comedy is over.”

The Rubik’s Cube, that ubiquitous 1980s toy, was invented by a mathematician in Hungary to help teach math to his students. The device was first marketed as a toy in Hungary -- where one in five citizens owned one -- then was brought to the U.S., from whence it became an international sensation. The success of his cube made Erno Rubik the first self-made millionaire in a communist country.

The next time you’re visiting Washington, D.C., keep in mind that in our nation’s capital, it is illegal to throw a bull in any way.

A queen honeybee can live for up to seven years.

On a per capita basis, Switzerland consumes more chocolate than any other country. No. 2 and No. 3 are Norway and Great Britain, respectively.***Thought for the Day: “Don’t let your opinions sway your judgment.” -- Samuel Goldwyn

by Samantha Weaver