î ÌßÞÔÛ ÑÚ ÝÑÒÌÛÒÌÍ ×ÍÍËÛ îðïîòîð Þ®»¿µº¿¬ °¿¹» ïóì Ú¿³±« Ô¿²¼³¿®µæ Ó±«²¬ ͬò Ø»´»² °¿¹» ëóê °¿¹» éóè Publish a Paper in Your Area WANT TO RUN YOUR OWN BUSINESS? We provide the opportunity for success! Call 1.800.523.3096 (U.S.) 1.866.631.1567 (CAN) www.tidbitsweekly.com TIDBITS® INVITES YOU TO EAT BREAKFAST! by Patricia L. Cook This Tidbits examines breakfast around the world. Many studies say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but when it comes to what people think should be on the breakfast table, there are quite a few differences. meaning to eat again after hours of sleep and no food. Numerous nutritional studies have shown that people who skip breakfast are more likely to have problems with metabolism, weight and concentration. 15th century when it was likely that porridge or by German writer Franz Kafka in 1915. type of breakfast is now more likely to be reserved for weekends and holidays. When more people lived on farms and got up early for manual labor, a large breakfast was common. Now, it is not unusual to start the day with simply cereal or toast along with milk, juice and/or coffee. turn the page for more! Ïæ ɸ¿¬ ¸¿°°»² ·º §±« »¿¬ §»¿¬ ¿²¼ ¸±» °±´·¸ º±® ¾®»¿µº¿¬á ßæ DZ«Ž´´ ®·» ¿²¼ ¸·²»ÿ FOR ADVERTISING CALL - 205-552-5502 - WWW.MYWEEKLYTIDBITS.COM - JSE MEDIA, LLC Issue 18 The Neatest Little Paper Ever Read May 14, 2012 OVER 4 MILLION Readers Weekly Nationwide! May Customer Special All-in-One Organizer $5 with each $31 Purchase Available May 1st - 31st 2012 www.mythirtyone.com/Aimees31 Aimee Bailey 205.529.5138 Pink Lotsa Dots only available in MAY Textured Twill Black Parisian Pop LiL Blossom Pink Lotsa Dots Minty Chip Best Tweets Available in the prints below YES YOU CAN AFFORD HEALTH INSURANCE! Major Medical Plans as low as $50 a month HSA Plans; High-Deductible Plans, Copay Plans Customized Health Insurance to Fit Your Budget CALL TODAY! 205-874-6505 EMAIL TODAY [email protected]Share Tidbits with a Friend! Tidbits® is a FREE weekly paper dedicated to publishing entertaining morsels for the mind, food for thought: trivia, fun facts, amusing stories and oddities. Ice Cream, The Way it's Supposed to be. 3421 South Shades Crest Road Hoover, AL. 35244 205-444-8000 Across from the new YMCA / next to Great Clip Follow us on FaceBook
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Publish a Paper in Your AreaWANT TO RUN YOUR OWN BUSINESS?
We provide the opportunity for success!
Call 1.800.523.3096 (U.S.)
1.866.631.1567 (CAN)www.tidbitsweekly.com
TIDBITS® INVITES YOU TO
EAT BREAKFAST!by Patricia L. Cook
This Tidbits examines breakfast around the world. Many studies say breakfast is the most important meal of the day, but when it comes to what people think should be on the breakfast table, there are quite a few differences.
meaning to eat again after hours of sleep and no food. Numerous nutritional studies have shown that people who skip breakfast are more likely to have problems with metabolism, weight and concentration.
15th century when it was likely that porridge or
by German writer Franz Kafka in 1915.
type of breakfast is now more likely to be reserved for weekends and holidays. When more people lived on farms and got up early for manual labor, a large breakfast was common. Now, it is not unusual to start the day with simply cereal or toast along with milk, juice and/or coffee.
Share Tidbits with a Friend!Tidbits® is a FREE weekly paper dedicated to publishing entertaining morsels for the mind, food for thought: trivia,
fun facts, amusing stories and oddities.
I ce Cream, The Way i t ' s Supposed to be .
3421 South Shades Crest RoadHoover, AL. 35244205-444-8000
Across from the new YMCA / next to Great Clip
Follow us on FaceBook
Page 2 Tidbits® of Hoover, Pelham, Alabaster & Helena!
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BREAKFAST (continued):
include, and when did this custom start?
breakfasts became popular. They would start with porridge and then have bacon, eggs, tea
popular.
bacon and eggs as the star of the plate. They
or other breads. Typically, the British would start with orange juice, cereals, stewed or fresh fruit and tea.
included oddities such as baked beans and black pudding. Black pudding is generally made by mixing pig’s blood with pork fat and oatmeal
that a festival is dedicated to it: the World Black Pudding Throwing Championships!
British, including black pudding. They are likely to include white pudding and soda bread on the table as well. White pudding is similar to black except it doesn’t contain blood. Both
add potato scones, haggis and oatcakes. Haggis is another odd sausage, made from chopped lamb’s heart, lungs and liver mixed with suet, oats, onions and seasonings and usually boiled. (Hungry yet?)
Depression. Post-Traumatic Stress Disorder. Substance abuse. Thoughts of suicide. Trauma from sexual assault. Anxiety. If you’re a veteran with any of those mental-health struggles, there is help via the Department of Veterans Affairs.You can take a big step forward in getting help for your-self or a veteran family member by going to the VA’s website, www.mentalhealth.va.gov. Click on: --Screening tools: You’ll find screening tests for depres-sion, PTSD and substance abuse, including drugs and alcohol.--Where to get help: Click on the green HELP graphic, and you’ll find tabs for getting help right now (if you are in crisis, call 1-800-273-8255 and press “1”), program locators and treatment info. Click on the map graphic to find the nearest VA facility. Use the drop-down menu to find the type of facility you need. There is a special PTSD link on the left side of the screen.--If you’re having suicidal thoughts (or if there is a
To Your Good Health By Paul G Donohue M.D.
DEAR DR. DONOHUE: What is the difference between dementia and Alzheimer’s disease? Are they the same? -- M.J.ANSWER: “Dementia” is an encompassing word that includes many different conditions. Those conditions have some similar features that indicate an impairment or loss of important mental functions. The inability to retain new information, getting lost in familiar surroundings, difficulty choosing the proper words to express oneself, trouble doing simple arithmetic like adding and subtracting, the failure to recognize close relatives and friends, and showing poor judgment like dressing for winter in the middle of summer are signs of dementia. Alzheimer’s disease, Pick’s disease,
vascular dementia (dementia due to many small strokes), dementia with Lewy bodies and frontotemporal dementia are but a few of the dementia illnesses. Each of these illnesses has special features that set it apart from the other dementing conditions.Alzheimer’s disease is the most common kind of dementia. People often use “dementia” when they mean “Alzheimer’s disease.” It’s best to give the exact name for the illness that is causing mental deterioration.The booklet on Alzheimer’s disease provides the signs and symptoms of this illness. Readers who would like a copy can obtain one by writing: Dr. Donohue -- No. 903W, 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: What has happened to the appendix? I never hear about appendicitis anymore. Has the operation gone out of fashion? Or is there some other way to deal with it? -- R.P.ANSWER: The appendix is still where it always has been, dangling down from the first part of the colon on the lower right side. Long thought not to have any purpose, it does appear to add to immune defenses and seems to produce products useful for the development of the fetus. We do well without it, though.Appendicitis has not gone out of fashion. It happens with the same regularity it always has. The age group most likely to suffer from it is the group between 10 and 19. Around 250,000 appendectomies are done yearly in the United States.Newer developments in the diagnosis of appendicitis include CT scans and ultrasound. Many surgeons now use a laparoscope to remove it. It’s a viewing instrument passed into the abdomen through a small incision. Instruments also are inserted through similar small incisions. DEAR DR. DONOHUE: I don’t think my problem will impress you, but here I go.I refuse to wear a bathing suit in the summer because of all the spider veins on my legs, especially in the area of the ankles. How are they gotten rid of? I heard that tea bags work. Do they? -- E.L.ANSWER: I’m not familiar with tea bags for spider veins.Other treatments do work well. Lasers can obliterate them. So can sclerotherapy. A doctor injects these tiny veins with a solution that causes them to wither and dry up. I’m sure you won’t have trouble finding a doctor who does these procedures. If you do have trouble, ask your family doctor for a referral.
Alzheimer’s Is Common Type of Dementia
veteran you’re worried about): If you can get to a computer, consider checking in with the Veterans Crisis Online chat. Someone is there 24 hours a day. Go to www.mentalhealth.va.gov and click Suicide Prevention on the left side of the screen. (Or go to http://veteran-scrisisline.net/) You also can send a text message to 838255. You don’t have to be enrolled in VA health care to get help. Secretary of Veterans Affairs Eric K. Shinseki recently announced that the VA would be adding 1,600 more mental-health clinicians -- nurses, psychologists, social workers, psychiatrists -- plus 300 more support staff. The need is great -- 1.3 million veterans were helped with mental-health services last year -- and that number will only increase.If you need help, it’s there. Don’t wait. Just take the first step.
Few of us want to even contemplate giving up driving, but we should. We should think long and hard because there are steps we can take to help us keep driving longer.
The American Automobile Association has put together a website full of valuable information for us: www.seniordriving.aaa.com.
There you’ll learn how to:--Evaluate your driving ability: a 15-question
self-rating tool, interactive driving evaluation and links to getting a professional assessment.
--Understand mind and body changes: As we age, our vision and hearing might not be as good as they once were. The medications we take can affect us, too. Our reaction times can slow, but there are ways to learn to overcome that.
--Improving driving skills: Everyday driving can become challenging for us as we age, and unexpected situations can be downright dangerous. Click on the sections with tips for handling both everyday and unexpected situations on the road. Don’t miss the link to driver-improvement courses, especially the AAA’s Senior Defensive Driving Program. You can take the class online from home!
--Maintaining mobility and independence: One of the best things we can do to keep driving longer is to stay physically and mentally fit. Click on the physical fitness techniques link. AAA has a series of stretches and exercises designed to improve neck, shoulder, trunk, back and overall flexibility. When you consider all the twisting and turning involved in getting in and out of the car and bending to put groceries in the trunk, it makes sense that we’ll do better if we stay limber.
If you don’t have a computer, have a friend print out the brochures under Tools & Additional Resources.
Keep Driving Longer
State parks can be a bargain for a tight vacation budget: Once you pay the entrance fee, most of the activities in the park are free. Most states have at least one park; some have dozens when you add in historical or memorial spots, wild-life refuges, natural monuments and recreation areas.One of the best online park finders is the one created by LL Bean, the outdoor gear store. They’ve accumulated infor-mation on thousands of state parks, making it easy to find just the right park experience.
Go online to www.llbean.com/parkfinder/search and type in the location you’re interested in (by ZIP code or city and state) or the name of park.If you search by location, you’ll see a number of flags on the map, each indicating a different park. You can filter your search by activities (boating, camping, fishing and more) or by distance from you. Mouse over each flag for the name of the park, and click for more information. You’ll find the address, phone number, park website and driving directions, as well as the activities the park supports. What you won’t find is the associated fees. For that you need to click through to the park’s websiteIf you’re going to be a frequent visitor to your state’s parks, consider getting a seasonal or yearly pass instead of pay-ing day-use fees each time you go. Read the fine print: You might be able to purchase an annual vehicle pass that’s cheaper than the per-person rate you’ll pay. Some parks sell a discount “punch card” that’s good for a certain number
of visits.Check fees for children and seniors -- they’re less, and in some locations seniors are free, as are disabled veterans.If you’re camping, your day-use fee is likely included in the camping fee.Note whether the park is open all year or only during warm weather months. Check, too, whether pets are welcome.Some parks have cabins and cottages available for the night or by the week. You’ll need to make reservations in advance. Whether you want the occasional weekend away this sum-mer or want to get away for a whole week, state and locals parks can be a bargain.If you want to explore one of the 58 national parks, there’s a guide at http://parks.mapquest.com. Click on All Parks for a list of all parks.
Summer Vacation on the Cheap
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1. Is the book of Zephaniah in the Old or New Testa-ment or neither?2. From 2 Samuel 24, to whom did Gad ask, “Shall seven years of famine come unto thee”? David, Joshua, Isaiah, Jonah3. After her first husband’s death, whom did Ruth marry? Malachi, Joel, Cyrus, Boaz4. Of these, what name was shared by 33 people in the Bible (KJV)? David, Zechariah, Daniel, Haggai5. Who fathered 70 sons with his many wives? Solo-mon, Jacob, Gideon, Esau6. From Exodus 33, who saw the back of God? Adam, Noah, Abraham, Moses?
Easy Peanut Butter Muffins
Close your eyes and imagine a pan of muffins coming out of the oven right now -- doesn’t it make you smile with pleasure just thinking about it?! Well, wait until you bite into this. Whether it’s for breakfast, lunch or snacks, you’ll be smiling from ear to ear!
1/2 cup fat-free milk1/4 cup reduced-fat creamy peanut butter1 tablespoon no-fat sour cream1 teaspoon vanilla extract1 egg or equivalent in egg substitute1 1/2 cups reduced-fat biscuit baking mixSugar substitute to equal 1/4 cup sugar, suitable for baking
1. Preheat oven to 375 F. Spray 8 wells of a 12-hole muf-fin pan with butter-flavored cooking spray or line with paper liners.2. In a large bowl, combine milk, peanut butter, sour cream, vanilla extract and egg. Add baking mix and sugar substitute. Mix gently to combine. Evenly spoon batter into prepared muffin wells.3. Bake for 15 to 20 minutes or until a toothpick inserted in center comes out clean. Place muffin pan on a wire rack and let set for 5 minutes. Remove muffins and continue cooling on wire rack. Serves 8.
On May 22, 1455, the battle of England’s War of the Roses begins in St. Albans, 20 miles northwest of London. The forces of House of York, whose badge was a white rose, defeated the red-rose House of Lan-caster. Both families claimed the throne, and the war would stretch on for 30 years.
On May 23, 1701, at London’s Execution Dock, Brit-ish privateer William Kidd, popularly known as Cap-tain Kidd, is hanged for piracy and murder after cap-turing a boat that was loaded with gold, jewels, silk, sugar and guns. A colorful legend grew up around the story of Kidd, including reports of lost buried treasure.
On May 21, 1881, in Washington, D.C., humanitar-ians Clara Barton and Adolphus Solomons found the American National Red Cross, an organization estab-lished to provide humanitarian aid to victims of wars and natural disasters.
On May 26, 1897, horror writer Bram Stoker’s clas-sic vampire tale, “Dracula,” is first offered for sale in London. Through fictional journal entries and letters written by the novel’s principal characters, “Dracula” tells the story of a Transylvanian vampire and his Eng-lish victims.
On May 24, 1917, after losing 373 Allied and neutral ships in one month because of attacks by German U-boat submarines, the British Royal Navy introduces a convoy system, whereby all merchant ships crossing the Atlantic Ocean would travel in groups under the protection of the British navy.
On May 27, 1963, Bob Dylan releases his second al-bum, “The Freewheelin’ Bob Dylan,” which includ-ed future hits “Blowin’ In the Wind,” “Don’t Think Twice, It’s All Right” and “A Hard Rain’s a-Gonna Fall.”
On May 25, 1977, the communist government of China lifts its decade-old ban on the writings of Wil-liam Shakespeare. Mao Tse-Tung’s 1966 revolution had banned any cultural work -- music, literature, film or theater -- that did not have the required ideological content. By the early 1970s China was desperate for new sources of trade, and the revolution was declared ended.
Tidbits® of Hoover, Pelham, Alabaster & Helena! Page 4
Live with Your Parents for the Rest of Your Life,” in which Brad Gar-rett and Elizabeth Perkins play the aforementioned parents. Sarah plays Polly, a recently divorced single mom who moves in with her eccentric parents, Elaine and Max. The show is set to premiere this fall.***Q: I am hooked on “Once Upon a Time.” Will it be back for a second season? -- David T., St. LouisA: As of this writing, no official word has come from ABC, but you can bet the farm that the top-rated drama series, which has smashed viewing records each week, definitely will be back for another season.
1. CHEMISTRY: What two elements are combined to make bronze?2. MEASUREMENTS: How many furlongs are in a mile?3. HISTORY: What was the first permanent English settlement in America?4. ANATOMY: In which part of the body would you find the metatarsal bones?5. GEOGRAPHY: In which city would you find the famous Carnaby Street?6. LANGUAGE: What common item used to be known as “India rubber”?7. GENERAL KNOWLEDGE: What does the Apgar Scale measure?8. U.S. PRESIDENTS: Who was the only U.S. presi-dent to be sworn into office by his father?9. SPORTS: Who was the first person officially to run a mile in less than 4 minutes?10. ANIMAL KINGDOM: Which species of big cat cannot retract its claws?
As for Breckin making a cameo, he played coy: “I don’t know -- we’ll see. There might be an Alfred Hitchcock-like walkthrough. Hopefully we’ll have some better guest stars than just me.”Speaking of guest stars, as “Franklin & Bash” gears up for its second season -- premiering Tuesday, June 5, on TNT -- Breckin revealed: “We have an unbelievable line of guest stars this season. Sean Astin plays a superhero. Seth Green and Eric Mabius come on as the ‘Bizarro’ Franklin and Bash. Cybill Shepherd guest-stars. And we actually get to meet Mark Paul Gosselaar’s mom this time around, who’s played by Jane Seymour.”***Q: When will my favorite show, “Rookie Blue,” be returning for another season? Please say it hasn’t been canceled! -- Olaf D., St. Paul, Minn.A: “Rookie Blue” will indeed be back for its third season on Thurs-day, May 24, at 10 p.m. ET/PT on ABC. Now entering their third year on the job, our five rookie cops have learned to overcome the sophomore curse -- knowing a little knowledge is a dangerous thing. Having seen the premiere episode, I can tell you that it is indeed one that fans won’t want to miss!***Q: I love everything that the talented Sarah Chalke does. When will she get her own show? -- Jason R., via e-mailA: Sarah is slated to star in the new ABC comedy called “How to
Q: My husband said he read somewhere that Breckin Meyer is leaving “Franklin & Bash” because he has a new comedy on TBS. Please tell me that isn’t true. -- Kellie K., via e-mailA: The only part that is true is that Breckin does indeed have a new comedy called “Men at Work” on TBS, which premieres Thursday, May 25, at 10 p.m. ET/PT. The multicamera comedy, which Breck-in created, writes and executive produces, stars Danny Masterson, James Lesure, Michael Cassidy and Adam Busch. Breckin told me a bit about his new show when we spoke the other day: “Honestly, it’s a show based on my life and the embarrassing relationships I’ve had. It’s about four guys who are all at different stages of their lives relationship-wise, and they have each other’s backs. It’s based on me and my friends.”
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BREAKFAST (continued):
became popular for breakfast, this occurred in the late 1880s and was prompted by a backlash against large breakfasts. Many thought these large morning meals were leading to health problems. Cereal pioneers like W.K. Kellogg, Henry Perky and C.W. Post developed products that became extremely popular. Cereals were very important when eggs and bacon were
morning meal is not much different from other meals.
cheese served with tortillas. Just as for other meals, spicy food is welcomed at breakfast.
mint and pork and served with rice offered by street vendors in the morning. Other dishes are available as well, dishes very similar to those
population representing many cultures, so there are multiple variations in breakfast foods. Probably the most common breakfast dish nationwide is rice porridge with pickled
many enjoy hot soy milk and fried dough sticks that are like unsweetened doughnuts. On the
steamed breads, noodles and dumplings, some
cow’s milk was not a part of Chinese diets. Now consumption of cow’s mike is encouraged, as
have begun to follow the Western way of making children big and strong.
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cats are most at risk. ÒThe disease acts very quickly and can kill a cat less than a week after it begins to show signs of being sick, so it is important to get treatment from a veterinarian as soon as the cat appears ill.ÓHow can you keep your cat safe? Keep it indoors. If your cat must be outdoors, make sure it is treated regularly for fleas and ticks or wears a flea/tick collar. If your cat shows signs of illness -- sluggishness and/or refusal to eat -- or if you discover a tick on its fur or skin, contact your veterinarian immediately.Cohn recently developed a more effective treatment for bobcat fever, which increased the survival rate for cats affected by this illness from less than 25 percent to nearly 60 percent. She also is doing research toward a vaccine for bobcat fever. In the meantime, prevention is the best medicine for this disease.
DEAR PAW’S CORNER: I recently began hearing reports about something called Òbobcat fever,Ó which affects cats. What is it, and how can I keep my cat safe? -- Darlene G., Kansas City, Mo.
DEAR DARLENE: Bobcat fever, scientifically known as Òcytauxzoonosis,Ó is a serious illness that has spread across the United States in recent years. It affects cats -- not only domesticated cats, but wildcats and even tigers -- and has a high mortality rate. It does not affect dogs.Bobcat fever is spread through bites from infected ticks: A tick first bites and sucks blood from an already-infected cat, drops off then bites and infects another cat. Leah Cohn, a University of Missouri veterinarian, said healthy outdoor
Bobcat Fever Is Cat Killer
By Samantha Mazzotta
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BREAKFAST (continued):
and have a crispy edge. They’re usually eaten with sour cream, jam, honey or fresh berries.
enjoy for breakfast — or anytime with a cup of strong coffee. The croissant is one of the famous pastries for which the French have been given credit, and they do serve them beautifully, but it was actually adapted from an
1800s.
opened a Viennese bakery in 1838 or 1839. French bakers loved the pastry and started
crescent.
plenty of coffee are very popular at breakfast
consists of bread rubbed with garlic and tomato and then topped with olive oil and salt.
Hafragrautur, or oatmeal, is served with raisins, nuts and brown sugar.
eggs, bacon and more, we hope reading this Tidbits will encourage you to try something
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It was British mathematician, philosopher and social critic Bertrand Russell who made the following sage observation: “Every advance in civilization has been denounced as unnatural while it was recent.”
If you’re like most adults, you have approximately 1,000 hairs per square inch of your scalp. That might seem like a lot, but consider the otter: Its 1 million hairs per square inch of skin make it the owner of the densest fur in the world.
Before the 19th century, it was declasse to wear clothing with pockets. All the well-dressed members
of the upper classes had servants to carry things for them.
The next time you’re out for a walk in the country, kneel down and scoop up a cupful of soil. You might be surprised to learn that that single cup of dirt could hold more bacteria than there are people on the planet.
Those who study such things say that more Frisbee-type discs are sold every year in the U.S. than footballs, baseballs and basketballs combined.
People sometimes fight over the silliest things. Countries, too. For example, in 1925, Greece and Bulgaria were at war for 10 days, all because of a dog. Evidently, tensions were high in October of that year, when a Greek soldier’s dog ran away from him -- across the border. The soldier chased his dog into Bulgaria, where he was shot dead by a sentry. In retaliation, the Greek army invaded, and the League of Nations had to step in to restore order to the region.
There is a species of frog found in Indonesia that breathes entirely through its skin; it has no lungs at all.
LAVA ROCK
Lava rock is rock formed from the cooling and solidification of lava issued from volcanoes. In North America, most lava rock is located in the continent’s western half. Molten rock beneath the earth’s surface is referred to by geologists as magma. Once this molten material is expelled through a volcano onto the earth’s surface, geologists then refer to it as lava. Lava cools rapidly in air or water, sometimes in a matter of minutes or hours. Because cooling is rapid, lava rock appears very uniform and (as geologists describe) fine-grained. By contrast, granite is a coarse-grain rock, and when examined closely, it has a spotted appearance due to the many minerals in the rock. Lava rock generally is uniform in color with no spotty appearance. Lava rock that cools very rapidly looks like dark glass; rocks of this type are called obsidian. Some ancient cultures used obsidian to make rock-cutting tools. Lava rock that cools less rapidly forms basalt and rhyolite. Outcrops of basalt are very prevalent in the Pacific Northwest states of Washington, Oregon and Idaho. An interesting place to see an array of lava rocks is Craters of the Moon National Monument and Preserve near Arco, Idaho. There you will see and can explore former lava tubes, volcanic cinder cones and rocks of varied, interesting shapes. In fact, this area was visited by NASA astronauts in 1969 while training for their visit to the moon. Craters of the Moon has within its boundaries another geological feature associated closely with volca-noes called the Great Rift. The Great Rift is the earth’s conduit through which lava moved to form the rock formations at Craters of the Moon. Lava coming through the Great Rift is also responsible for the Wapi Lava Field in southern Idaho. Lava rock is a material with multiple practical uses. Landscapers use it extensively for mulch in flower beds and gardens because of its attractive red or black color, its fire resistance and its ability to hold heat and moisture. Lava rock is also used in grills and fireplaces to distribute heat more evenly across and between multiple heat sources (for example, multiple burners in a grill). Lava fields are expanses of lava rock resulting from solidification of lava from one or more volcanic eruptions. Lava fields show up on aerial photographs as black splotches against typical earth hues of brown, grey and green. In the United States, lava fields are prevalent in the Pacific Northwest.If you are interested in seeing lava before it cools to lava rock, two places to visit are Stromboli volcano in Stromboli, Italy, and Kilauea volcano in Hawaii. Stromboli is one of the Aeolian Islands located in the Tyrrhenian Sea, west of the Italian peninsula. Because the volcano has been ac-tive for much of the last 2,000 years and its eruptions are visible from long distances at night, it is known as the “Lighthouse of the Mediterranean.”The Kilauea volcano is located on the island of Hawaii, the largest of all the Hawaii islands. Eruptions have been nearly continuous since 1983. Lava erupting from the cinder-and-spatter cone, named Pu`u `_ `_, flows through a tube system about 6.8 miles (11 km) to the sea.
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