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Thursday, January 23, 2014•
N/Warren Town and County News
Page Seven
Still No Dog
In my courageous battle
against the forces that
would bring a dog into our
home (my son), I have, at
different times, agreed to
three-goldfish, two ham-
sters, and now, a canary.
Some would call it com-
promise; I call it a slippery
slope. Many a family has
started out innocently
with a turtle or a fish and
wound up with two cats,
a rabbit and a St. Bernard.
Before we welcomed
our goldfish, my son had
taken in an assortment of
bugs, moths and wormsl
Eventuall we worked our
way up to a hamster and
he was thrilled, as he put
it, "to finally have a pet
with hair." Unfortunately,
that didn't keep him from
wanting a larger pet with
hair.
Long after the fish had
died and our last hamster
had gone to that Great
Hamster Wheel in the sky,
we compromised again.
Some friends were giving
away a canary and my son
wanted it desperately,
r Medicine for the Funny Bone "
By Dorothy Rosby
Dorothy Rosby is a
syndicated columnist whose
humor column appears in
newspapers in-11 Western
and Midwestern states
plus several magazines.
• She lives in Rapid City, SD
with her husband and son.
even though it's no larger yearsback, Googlingham- ercise. As I'm sure you
than a hamster, nor does it ster care, and wondering, know, birds are uniquely
have hair: I finally agreed "How did it come to this? designed to fly, but the
because the pleading was Me studying the diningcage Mr. Tweeters came in
relentless and also because preferences of a rodent!" was approximately the
it's still not a dog. It came to that because, size of two shoe boxes put
It's not that I don't like in my effort to keep from together--if your feet are
dogs. What I don't like is getting a dog, I had com- big. So we bought .him a
work. To me, dogs are like mitted to a hamster. And bigger, more expensive
Christmas lights; I love now I've committed to Mr. cage, proving once again
them at other people's Tweeters. I comfort myself that there is no such thing
homes. I'd love Christmas with the knowledge, that, as a free pet. It's beautiful,
lights on my house too, but while he certainly requires a mansion of a cage, if your
I don't want to climb up on care, he is still not a dog. mansion has bars for walls
the roof and put them My son cleans the birdand water troughs instead
there. I know what you're cage, because that can wait of faucets.
saying. "You shouldn't put until he gets home. But we And it's worth it. Mr.
a dog on the roof anyway!" team up on feeding Mr.Tweeters seems much hap-
I realize that! The point is Tweeters because that can- pier; at least he's singing to
someone else does the not and because we us more. Well maybe not
work and I don't even have learned long ago that the to us. According to my re-
to remind them to do it. way to a pet's heart is search, he's probably sing-
Pets need care even through its stomach, even ing to claim his territory
when the child, who has if that stomach is very tiny. and attract a girlfriend: He
begged, pleaded and Mr. Tweeters does indeed can.have the territor but
promised you would eat like a bird! Along with there will be no girlfriend,
never have to lift a finger, his bird seed, he's espe- not if I have my way. I
is not at home. And when cially fond of peas and don't always get my way,
the child becomes a teen- cumbers. Maybe he'll in- witness the fact that we've
ager, he is home less and spire us all to eat more had three goldfish, two
less. That's why a pet is a vegetables. He can't eat a hamsters and a canary. On
commitment for the whole whole head of cabbage by the other hand, we've still
family and I stand by my himself, you know. never had a dog.
commitments. I recall sit- I was concerned that he
ting at my computer a few wasn't getting enough ex-
ADVISORY
Radon is the second leading cause of lung
cancer in the United States.
DOES YOUR HOME HAVE A
RADON PROBLEM?
the soil around the foundations can create a
slight vacuum that draws the gas from the soil
into the building. Once inside an enclosed
space, such as a home or office building,
radon can accumulate to significant and
dangerous levels. The EPA has established an
"action level" of 4 picocuries per liter of air (4
pci/L) or higher, at which point homeowners
should take action to reduce the radon risk.
How is radon harmful?
Radon releases decay products, or
radioactive particles, which become trapped
in our lungs when we breathe. These particles
discharge energy that can damage lung
tissue. Exposure to radon over time has the
potential to cause lung cancer.
TEST TODAY!
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*CDUPDN*
FREE RADDN TEST KIT
(WHILE DUANTITIES LAST!)
Bring ~his coupon to:
Warren County Environmental Health
3gl N. Buxton St., Ste. 203
Indienola, IA 5DI25
(515) 9ill-lOG5 Fax (515) 9G1-1083
Questions and Answers about Radon
What is radon?
Radon is a naturally occurring, radioactive
gas that results from the natural breakdown of
uranium. It can be found almost anywhere in
soil, rocks, some building materials and even
well water. Radon then escapes into the air
we breathe.
How does radon enter a building?
Radon can enter a building from the soil
through dirt floors, cracks in concrete floors,
floor drains, sump pumps, joints, tiny cracks and
pores in hollow-block walls and other openings.
Pressure differences between the building and
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..How harmful is radon?
Radon is the second leading cause of lung
cancer in the'United States. The EPA estimates
that radon is responsible for 21,000 deaths per
year. That's more than the fatalities caused by
drowning, home fires and airline
crashes...combined!
How widespread is radon?
The EPA estimates that 1 out of every 15
homes nationwide is at dsk of containing
dangerously high levels of radon. Iowa is
considered to be in a high-risk area and as
many as three out of every five homes may be
affected. Radon levels can even vary from
house to house.
The only way to know is to test!
If you would like to learn more about radon or
if you would be interested in a radon
presentation, please contact the Warren
County Environmental Health Department:
(515] 961-1065 or
EnvironHealth@co.warren.ia.us.
Radon - Is Your Home Raising Your
Lung Cancer Risk?
Mention radon to most out where to buy a kit, call
people and you'll get a 1-800-SOS RADON (1-
blank stare. But mention 800-767-7236), or visit the
lung cancer and you've got EPA website: www.epa.
their attention! Most gov/radon.
people don't know that If you have high levels
exposure to radon, an in- of radon, mitigation sys-
visible odorless gas, is the tems can be installed that
leading cause of lung can- effectively pull radon out
cer among nonsmokers, of your home. If you're
Iowa is recognized as hav- building a new home, con-
ing a very high risk of ra- sider installing a simple,
don, so we at the Ameri- inexpensive ventilation
can Lung Association system that can protect
want you to know how to your family from radon
protect your family. Agas.
simple test in your home The Federal Depart-
can tell you if you need to ment of Housing and Ur-
take steps to reduce the ban Development (HUD)
risk to yourself and your recently announced that
family. November,-Lungthey will require testing
Cancer Awareness Month, for radon in any multi-
is a perfect time to learn family housing that re-
more and test your home. ceives HUD financing or
Radon, a radioactive refinancing. If high levels
gas from the soil and rock of radon are found, HUD
beneath many homes, will require that the build-
keeps itself well hidden, ing be repaired to reduce
You can't see it, smell it or indoor radon levels. This is
taste it, but according to great news that will pro-
the U.S. Environmentaltect thousands from
Protection Agency (EPA) deadly radon exposure.
about 21,000 lung cancer . But more needs to be
deaths each year in the done. The Lung Associa-
U.S. are radon-related, tion is working to make
Anytime is the right sure that all homes get
time to find out if radon is tested and those that have
a health threat in your high levels get fixed. We
home. Radon can build up are working to make sure
in any house - old or new that new homes are built
- and performing a radon with these low-cost radon
test is the only way to find protection systems in
out if your home has un- place. Because we know
safe levels. Homeowners all too well the cancer ra-
can use do-it-yourself ra- don causes.
don testing kits. To find
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Comfort Food Fun
(NAPS)---During the chilly
months, many people like to
have some warm comfort food
with family and friends.
To make the most of that
idea, you may care to consider
a fun if slightly offbeat way
to feed a crowd with little fuss:
Throw together a delicious
little "barbecue bar" and let
guests go wild building their
own scrumptious dishes.
Start with a tray of mouth-
watering pork BBQ sur-
rounded by assorted popular
toppings for personalized bar-
becue platters ready to go.
Once the BBQ sandwich
basics are all laid 6ut, you~l
be surprised at how just a
few more trimmings can open
up a world of choices for your
guests.
From tangy BBQ nachos
to a light, layered BBQ
salad, the options are almost
limitless.
For example, add some
pita bread and leaf lettuce
for filling BBQ pita pockets
or bring some baked pota-
toes, green onions, sour
cream and cheese into the
picture for hot BBQ stuffed
spuds. Here's the recipe:
BBQ Stuffed Spuds
2 cups Byron's Fully
Cooked Pork BBQ,
heated according to
package directions
4 baking.potatoes
½ cup sour cream
4 green onions, finely
chopped and divided
½ cup shredded extra-
sharp cheddar
cheese
Preheat oven to 425° F.
With a package of BBQ pod(,
you can make many mar-
velous appetizers, such as
these d kjhlfuI BBQ Slulfed
Spuds.
Poke holes in potatoes
and wrap in foil. Bake
potatoes in oven for 45 to
60 minutes, until tender.
(Or, poke holes in pota-
toes and microwave on
high for 10 minutes, turn-
ing potatoes after 5 min-
utes.) While potatoes
cook, combine sour
and 2 tablespoons green
onions; set aside. Slice
potatoes lengthwise and
fluff them with a fork. Top
potatoes with pork BBQ,
sour cream mixture,
cheese and remaining
onions. Serves 4.
These are made with
Byron's Fully Cooked Pork
BBQ. Available at Sam's
Club, it easily delivers
authentic smokehous~ bar-
becue from the freezer to.the
table. Each 4-pound package
of hand-pulled, hickory-
smoked pork BBQ comes
fully cooked in an aluminum
tray and needs only to be
reheated, so it's ready at a
moment's notice.
Learn More
Further information and
other recipes can be found at
www.byronsbbq.com.
