GOOD TIMES

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September/October 2012

Corn Mazes
Ohio towns celebrate with

Where getting lost can be fun!

MUM FESTIVALS

TRIVIA FINANCIAL ADVICE AND MUCH MORE

BOOMER MEMORIES

Contents
3..... THOSE WERE THE DAYS Are superstitions an American creation? 4..... IN THE SAME BOAT A clean room defined 5 .....CELEBRATING MUMS Ohio hosts Mum Festivals 7 .....GETTING LOST CAN BE FUN Corn Mazes in Ohio 8 .....CROSSWORD PUZZLE Theme: TV Land 9 .....CORN MAZE TIPS 10 ...DIVERSIFICATION WITH RETIREMENT SECURITY 11 ...HOW TO GET YOUR POLITICAL OPINION HEARD 11...DARE TO SCARE WITH FRIGHTFUL FARE

Birthday Trivia
1. I was born on September 21, 1959 in St. Clair Shores, Michigan. I am an actor and cartoon voice actor. I played Uncle Joey on the TV series Full House. Who am I? 2. I was born born September 22, 1958 in Italy. I am an Internationally famous operatic tenor, blind since age 12. My duet with Celine Dion in The Quest for Camelot won us both a Golden Globe. Who am I? 3. I was born September 29, 1957 in New York. I am best known as a foul mouth comic who usually performs in a leather jacket and duck tail hair cut. Who am I? 4. I was born on Oct. 1, 1945 in Panama. I was a Minnesota Twins slugger who hit over .300 for 15 seasons. I was accepted to play on the All-Star Game every single year I played, except my last. I stole home seven times in the 1969 season to lead the majors, just missing Ty Cobbs Major League record of eight. Who am I? 5. I was born on October 8, 1943 in Georgia. I am a best selling author of scary Goosebumps stories for kids. Who am I?

GOOD TIMES
Vol. 6 No. 12 Don Hemple, Publisher Nancy Spencer, Editor A monthly publication for Allen, Auglaize, Putnam, Logan, Mercer and Van Wert Counties. For editorial information: Nancy Spencer: 1-800-589-6950 Ext. 134 Email - nspencer@delphosherald.com For advertising information: 1-800-589-6950 Marilyn Hoffman Ext. 131 Stacy Prine Ext. 129

A DELPHOS HERALD PUBLICATION 405 N. Main St., Delphos, Ohio 45833

Birthday trivia answers

1.Dave Coulier 2. Andrea Bocelli 3. Andrew Dice Clay 4. Rod Carew 5. R. L. Stine

You remember lining up in the school gymnasium to get the new vaccinations and you have a scar on your arm to prove it. You remember metal ice cube trays with levers. You didnt pay for air at a gas station and they even gave you trading stamps!

You Know You Are A Boomer If...

2 GOOD TIMES September/October 2012

Are superstitions an American creation?

by Paul Niemann I recently attended a conference in downtown Chicago. It was held on the 14th floor of the building. As I hit the button on the elevator, I noticed that there was no 13th floor; the numbering of the floors went straight from 12 to 14. This is a common tactic that building owners take because some people are superstitious and the owners are just trying to keep their guests happy. What was unusual was that the hotel where I was staying, the Holiday Inn, booked me in a room on the 14th floor, so I looked at the elevator buttons to see if they skipped the 13th floor, too. I was surprised to see that there was indeed a 13th floor, meaning that the folks at Holiday Inn did not give in to a silly superstition. The hotel incident made me wonder how superstitions were created. Actually, concocted might be a better word. Trust me nothing bad will happen to you just because you stay on the 13th floor of a hotel. Here are the origins of a few well-known superstitions One theory says that this superstition got started because Judas was the 13th person at The Last Supper. This explanation makes sense, but it actually started before that. In ancient Rome, witches usually gathered in groups of 12, and the 13th one was considered to be an evil witch. Another theory is that the number 13 is unlucky because the Vikings hangman noose had 13 knots. So would Friday the 13th be the worst day of the year on which to be born? No, its actually considered lucky to be born on Friday the 13th, and every year has at least one Friday the 13th. The bottom line here is that there are many theories of the origin of how the number 13 came to be regarded as unlucky. My guess is that there are exactly 13 different theories (you had to see that one coming).

This superstition originated in ancient Europe, and is based on the belief that an image of a person contained a part of that person. Breaking a mirror would destroy or injure the person who is looking at it, and this is what causes the bad luck. Its a little far-fetched for modern times, but lets play along. Then what about the number 7? The ancient Romans belief that the number 7 brought bad luck was based on the Roman numerology of shadows. I cant go into detail on this one because I dont remember a thing from my high school Roman Numerology class.

BREAKING A MIRROR 7 YEARS OF BAD LUCK:

THE NUMBER 13:

A ladder leaning against a wall forms a triangle with the wall and the ground. My research said that this triangle signifies the Holy Trinity and to enter into the sacred enclosed area is a punishable offense. It didnt say who will punish you, though. Some of the worlds most famous people had superstitions of their own. President Harry S Truman displayed a horseshoe over the door of his White House office; Winston Churchill petted black cats because he thought he would obtain good luck by doing

WALKING UNDER A LADDER:

so; and Napoleon Bonaparte feared cats and the number 13. The scientific name for the fear of cats, in case youre keeping score at home, is ailurophobia. Its apparent that superstitions are not an American creation, but then again the United States had 13 original colonies (which

explains why the original flag had 13 stars). I doubt if all of this had anything to do with the Founding Fathers having any superstitions, though. And on what day of the week did Francis Scott Key write The Star-Spangled Banner? You guessed it Friday the 13th.

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In the Same Boat

A cleaned room defined

Its sorta clean, yeah, ture. What was left after my answered my daughter when children moved out might I quizzed her about her room. be described by an on-scene She was about to leave for news reporter as Aftermath, college and had been stacknot unlike the chaos following mountains of stuff in ing a natural disaster, or the her bedroom before takeoff. debris on the streets after a Her things overflowed into 4th of July parade. You turn my laundry room, on to my the corner and WHAM! Inkitchen table and out on the stant shock at the sudden back steps as well. It was change in landscape. Basifinally all corralled a few cally, I had thirty minutes Sundays ago and loaded into to call in a wrecking ball a truck to join her brother in and a front-end loader, or college town, USA. Cinderella and a whole inI questioned the accuracy vasion of her mice houseof her statement, but I really keeper friends equipped By Mary Beth didnt worry about it much. with brooms, mops and gas Weisenburger Until the bank called that masks. Having neither opMonday and said they were tion at my disposal, I resortsending someone out to take pictures for a ed to posting a Quarantined sign on the home appraisal. In a panic, I ascended the kids locked-down doors and mumbled stairs to see what the camera would cap- something to the appraiser about Swine

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If you remember when...

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Flu. I know my children know what my definition of a clean room is. And I know they know that their rooms do not currently represent that definition. So, as a gentle reminder to assist them when next they return home, I offer a list of characteristics that, in my mind, do or do not equal a clean room: A Clean Room does have a vacuumed floor. A Clean Room does not require use of a garden rake to locate the floor. A Clean Room is free from dirty dishes. A Clean Room does not have milk glasses from your junior year in high school sitting on your nightstand. A Clean Room does have trash picked up and placed in appropriate waste containers. A Clean Room does not have receipts, contact lens packaging, clothing tags, empty water bottles or spent Kleenexes on the floor next to the waste containers. A Clean Room does have a place for

everything and everything in its place. A Clean Room does not have Halloween costumes in it. Especially if its August. A Clean Room does have dusted surfaces. A Clean Room does not send your dust-allergic mother into anaphylactic shock. A Clean Room also does include having a Clean Closet. Throwing the mess from your room into a corner of the closet so the room will be clean, does not count as a Clean Room. This initial list just scratches the (dirty) surface of my expectations, but Im sure my kids will acknowledge it appropriately. And then well get started on their bathroom Mary Beth Weisenburger has a blog with more stories about trying to maintain order in her household. Check it out at www.inthesameboatwithmarybeth.com.

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St., Bluffton, OH 45817

Fall is the time of year when the calandars fill up with all sorts of fall events, from applefests to pumpkin fests. None, however, are as colorful as the mum festivals held around the state. Check your local calendar of events for some close to you but here are a couple you might want to add to your to see list.

Celebrating Mums
BARBERTON MUM FEST
culture Services, located in Barberton, Ohio. Aris Horticulture Services, formerly known as Yoder Brothers, is a leading grower of high quality ornamental plant products. The mums are featured in colorful collage displays. In addition to the mum gardens, are garden mum hanging baskets and a floral arch of garden mums. MUM FEST 2012 is a cooperative effort involving the City of Barberton Beautification Program and Aris Horticulture Services.

to feature Mums, Music and More; Annual festival to be held September 29th and 30th in Barberton, Ohio. Lake Anna Park will explode with color as 20,000 chrysanthemums create over a million mum blooms in a rainbow of color at the twenty-second annual MUM FEST. The dazzling floral display will provide a brilliant backdrop for a weekend filled with FREE family entertainment, historic views of Barberton, arts and crafts, gardening tips, and fabulous food. MUM FEST 2012 will include water ski shows, canoe races on Lake Anna, musical entertainment, historical displays, unique food vendors, sand sculpting and children's activities. Admission to the Mum Fest is FREE. The chrysanthemums, some twenty-one (21) varieties in all, are donated by Aris Horti-

TIPP CITY MUM FESTIVAL

Ohio Columbus Barber (April 20, 1841 February 4, 1920) was an American businessman, industrialist and philanthropist. He was called "America's Match King" because of his controlling interest in the Diamond Match Company, which had 85 per cent of the market in 1881. He founded the city of Barberton, Ohio in 1891 and moved his manufacturing plant there in 1894. It produced 250 million matches per day. He also founded the Akron City Hospital. a parade, motorcycle ride, entertainment and much more. Check out all the fun at www.tippcitymumfestival.org. and running until the week before Halloween. Join in for great family fun this fall at Lincoln Ridge Farms - a 5th generation farm. Take a wagon ride to the pumpkin patch to pick the perfect pumpkin - they grow the neatest pumpkins! Challenge your friends to a race to the end on our Hootmobile trailway. Adventure through our Great Autumn Adventure barn - you will find it ghost friendly! Climb Straw Mountain and zip back down on our double zip-line - you cant just do this once! Pan for gold and gemstones at the mining camp and visit the barnyard friends along the way. See how high you can bounce on the Giant Jumping Pillow - kids favorite! You wont get lost in their corn maze, but it might leave you clue-less! See how high your pumpkins can fly at the Punkin Chunkin station. Gather around a campfire to roast a hot dog and sip a cup of the farms special recipe spiced cider! So, call your family and friends, plan to stay for the day. Lincoln Ridge Farm is the perfect place for festive fall fun, not to mention a great nature escape, the fall color is glorious! For more info, visit them on the web at www.lincolncandleco. com for group rates and coupons or call them at 419.749.4224. Admission $8.50 (3 and under free) includes everything but pumpkins and food. The farm is located at 6237 Lincoln Highway, Convoy, Ohio

Highlights include a cruise in,

This years theme: Long Live the 50s! September-28-30.

Fall Mums and Pumpkin Festival

Lincoln Ridge Farm Convoy, Ohio Beginning in late September

Lake Anna Park in Barberton explodes with color during the Mum Festival!

September/October 2012 GOOD TIMES 5

Getting lost can be fun!

Its a game! Its an adventure! Corn mazes have become popular tourist attractions each fall. Many are based on artistic designs such as characters from movies or history. Some mazes are even created to tell stories or to portray a particular theme. Most have a path, which goes all around the whole pattern, either to end in the middle or to come back out again. Because these mazes are normally combined with other farm attractions of interest to families and day trippers they provide a great opportunity to enjoy the outdoors. Some of these attractions include hay rides, a petting zoo, play areas for children, and picnic areas. The largest corn maze in the world is located in Dixon, California, and is 45 acres in area. The Guinness Book of World Records gave this designation in September 2007, when it was 40 acres. Although that corn maze may hold distinction as the Guiness world's largest corn maze, Adventure Acres corn maze in Bellbrook, Ohio, just outside of Dayton, Ohio consists of 62 acres of corn maze with 8.5 miles of trails. GPS Systems and tractors to cut their own mazes, but more and more are turning to professionals. These professionals can design and cut the mazes in a matter of hours. The cost for professional services can range from a few hundred to thousands of dollars depending on the intricacy and size of the design. Adventure Acres, created by Ed Martinek and family, has five corn mazes and many other activities on a beautiful rolling property at 784 S. Alpha-Bellbrook Road, a few miles from Kettering, Beavercreek and Centerville. This is the largest corn maze in the state of Ohio, has five different mazes, plus much more fun. The family barn has been named 2009 Ohio Barn of the Year, PBS plans to film it for an upcoming program, and it serves as the starting point for visitors to the maze. While many will appreciate the barn, others will come for the adventures. The five mazes, vary in length, but combined they have more than 11.5 miles of paths through corn that is more than 10 feet high. A watchtower offers a birds-eye view, and mazers will find checkpoints and Sudoku puzzles to compete for a Wii. Dates are Sept. 1 - Nov. 3th, 2012.,www.myadventureacres. com 9867 Mendon Road Van Wert, OH September 7 - November 3, 2012

Where to go?

How do you make a corn maze?

As with designing any attraction, the initial planning stage is crucial to success. The designer must decide how many acres of land will be used for the maze, what type of corn will be grown, and if there will be any other obstacles or structures inside the maze. Once these general ideas

are decided, the planner can use a computer program or other drawing method to plot out the actual paths of the maze. Making a maze too hard or too easy can ruin the attraction, so planners are careful to strike a good balance. With the design ready, the farmer is tirelessly preparing the soil, fertilizer and corn seeds. Usually, the farmer plants corn in two opposite directions to ensure a dense alignment of stalks so the walls are thick. When the corn is about a foot high, a tractor equipped with a global positioning system is used to precisely cut the maze design through the field. Once the path has been cut, weed killer is spread over the path to prevent the corn from growing in the maze. Once the corn reaches approximately 10 feet tall, the fields open to the maze wanderers. Some farmers have all the right

Find your way through the TITANIC for a great time. See coupon on page 9 for a great deal!

Who cut the mazes?

Kernel Coopers Corn Maze

The theme for 2012 is Fun on the Farm 2. A GREAT day of family fun! * New corn maze design every year * Apples, Cider, and Fall Items

Suter Farms Pandora, Ohio

*Hayrides and Pick-your-Own pumpkins * Awesome Corn Cannons - Win free cider and other prizes! * Free Mini mazes for you to conquer * See the biggest ear of corn ever! * Play in our Supersized Corn Box Maze hours:: Saturday 1 pm - 8 pm. Sunday 1 pm - 8 pm; **Last admission 7 pm**

When the corn is about a foot high, a tractor equipped with a global positioning system is used to precisely cut the maze design through the field.

Kernel Coopers Corn Maze on Mendon Road, in Van Wert.

6 GOOD TIMES September/October 2012

Adventure Acres celebrated the Grand Opening of the Be a Hero Donate maze season with a fall festival event Saturday, Sept. 15 . Adventure Acres is located at 784 South Alpha Bellbrook Road in Bellbrook, Ohio.

DELPHOS TRADING POST

ANNIVERSARY!

Celebrating our second year

WE BUY GOLD & SILVER

MAN CAVE ITEMS WOMENS JEWELRY NAME BRAND TOOLS

(Napoleon) 5-Acre Corn Maze Our 5-Acre Corn Maze features a 15foot look-out tower to get a birds-eye view of the maze and orchard. Throughout the maze, youll find 10 stops that offer a fall farm fact, as well as a you are here map of the maze to see where youre at. See if you can find all 10 stops. Simply wandering through the maze could take you 20 30 minutes, but challenge yourself to find all 10 stops and you may be in for an hour-long adventure

Leaders Family Farm Corn Maze

PRICES HAR D TO BEAT!

At Leaders corn maze you can take a break and plot your course at these field outlooks.

4677 Germantown-Liberty Road, Germantown, OH 45327 September 14th through Nov. 4, 2012 Proud To Be An American The 2012 Maze is ready! Tom doesnt quite sing it like Lee Greenwood, but his American Flag design rivals even Betsy Ross version. Anyway, the paths have been cut and the corn is tall enough to provide the maximum amount of fun a corn maze can provide. Of course you can talk about the maze all you want, but it isnt the same as visiting the maze, so get your puzzle solving thinking caps on and try your luck at this years puzzle.

Toms Corn Maze

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On the corner of 5th St. and Washington St. just look for the sign!

September/October 2012 GOOD TIMES 7

THEME:
ACROSS 1. *Some statements on "To Tell the Truth" 6. Bread roll to a Brit 9. Type of cabinetry joint 13. Like Tower of Pisa 14. AV manufacturer 15. CCR's "Born on the _____" 16. Read from in a synagogue 17. Poetic "even" 18. Radio sign 19. *"Parks and Recreation" location and native American people 21. *Beet farmer on "The Office" 23. Greed or sloth, e.g. 24. *Karma chaser in recent hit comedy 25. Sheepish sound 28. It comes before a storm? 30. *Color of "The Simpsons" 35. They're seen but not identified 37. Like most universities 39. "Superman" Christopher 40. *Betty White on "The Golden Girls" 41. Lowest molding on a column 43. A fit of shivering 44. Ax mark, e.g. 46. *Vicki Lawrence's classic comedic character 47. Buddies 48. Type of electricity 50. *It was artificial in "The Brady Bunch" 52. Beatles' "____ It Be" 53. Urge or prod 55. Long time 57. *Stewie Griffin's hometown 60. *This family lived on Cemetery Lane 63. European blackbird

TV LAND

64. Make a mistake 66. Rival of Carthage 68. A sprite 69. Catch a wink 70. *Khloe Kardashian's other half 71. Novice or beginner 72. *David Duchovny's spouse 73. Top class DOWN 1. *What the biggest loser tries to shed 2. At the top 3. Italian money 4. Shredded cabbage dish, pl. 5. Like Thai cuisine, e.g. 6. *The perfectionist housewife on Wisteria Lane 7. Card with one pip 8. Bamboo-eating bear 9. Euphemism for 'darn' 10. Indian nursemaid 11. "Just _ __" 12. Opposite of their 15. Water-heating apparatus 20. Decree, as in a law 22. Dry, as in humor 24. The _______ City of Oz 25. *He and Gracie had their own show 26. Where there's trouble 27. Popular perennial garden plant 29. Rumpelstiltskin's weaver 31. *Scott Bakula made a quantum one 32. *"Boston _____," which aired through 2008 33. Immature ovum 34. Most wee 36. Dissenting clique 38. Russian governmental agency 42. Sliced, as in wood 45. Extremely 49. Pigeon call 51. A small node 54. *A "CSI" worker, e.g. 56. Relating to birth 57. Wharf built parallel to shoreline 58. Substance abuser 59. Airy prefix 60. River in Armenia 61. *Drew Carey's nemesis 62. Type of jazz singing 63. Short for oftentimes 65. *Charlotte of "Facts of Life" fame 67. *British classic "___ You Being Served?" Answers on page 9

8 GOOD TIMES September/October 2012

WITH GARAGE SALE PRICES! 65 Donations Accepted Consignees OPEN ALL YEAR
Thur.-Sat. 9:00 a.m.-5:30pm 419-905-6110

The Hodge Podge Store

211 S. Greenlawn Ave. Elida, OH 45807

BOOMERS BUMPER STICKER:

Were not old people, were recycled teenagers!

ARE YOU BUILDING, REMODELING, OR ADDING A ROOM??

HOME IMPROVEMENT

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2750 Harding Hwy (Rt. 309) Lima, OH 45804 Directions: From Rt. 75 exit 125, east on St. Rt. 309 to auction site.

YOUVE GOT TO CHECK OUT OUR WEBSITE FOR TONS OF INVENTORY AND PHOTOS FOR EACH DAY!!

Before you enter the maze, know where you will be exiting. Take note of any tall objects such as trees, buildings, or roads, which will produce noise. If you are provided with a map, take a quick glance at it before you walk in. Even if you do not want to use it while trying to navigate the maze, if you have a rough idea where you need to go, you will not end up wandering in the wrong direction. While you walk through, be sure to carefully note where you are. Remember intersections, turns, and checkpoints in the maze so you do not walk down the same path twice. If you get completely lost, follow the little kids. They seem to have a strange inborn sense of which way to go. CROSSWORD ANSWER FROM PAGE 8

MAZE TIPS

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TERMS: Inventroy subject to change. Drivers license to register. Cash, check or cc. 7% buyers premium. Sale conducted by Paranzino Brothers Auctioneers, Inc.

September/October 2012 GOOD TIMES 9

Balancing the desire for diversification with retirement security

Two severe bear markets during the past decade have made many investors wary about how much of their portfolio should be devoted to stocks. This is particularly true of retirees who need to depend on their savings for income. Caution is understandable, but most investors are likely unable to generate sufficient income for retirement without including stocks in their portfolio. The long-term growth potential of stocks remains an important ingredient to long-term financial security, even in retirement. How can one balance the need for stocks while protecting against the risk of down markets? Understanding Sequence Risk An important but little talked about issue that retirees should consider is sequence risk. This concept relates to the timing of stock market returns and how it can affect By JoAn Smith, CFP a portfolio. The sequence of returns has little effect on a portfolio that is held over an extended period of time with the goal of accumulating wealth rather than generating income. For example, consider what happens with Bill and Betty, two individual investors, who experience exactly the opposite returns in a portfolio over two hypothetical five year periods. Bills returns for five consecutive years were: +20% in year one, +6% in year two, 0% in year three, -6% in year four and -20% in year five. Bettys investment experience was exactly the opposite: -20% in year one, -6% in year two, 0% in year three, +6% in year four and 20% in year five. If both invested $100,000 at the outset of this five-year period and let the money continue to grow throughout the period without additional investments or any withdrawals, both would end up with $95,654 at the end of five years. While this isnt likely the return theyd hoped for, the sequence of returns had no impact on their end result. Unfortunate Timing Can Take a Toll The concern is magnified for those taking withdrawals from an equity portfolio. Weak market returns occurring at the wrong time could more quickly deplete their nest egg. When withdrawals are made at the same time investments are losing value, the decline in portfolio value can be dramatic, which could jeopardize long-term financial security. Lets consider what happens to Bill and Betty, two investors who retire during two completely different market cycles and experience returns exactly the opposite of each other. For Bill, returns were strong early on, but in later years, performance declined. For Betty, returns were poor in the early years, but improved over time. In this case, each withdrew $5,000 per year in income from their $100,000 portfolio. Here is how their portfolios performed combining the different sequence of returns with steady withdrawals: Bills Portfolio Year Returned: 1 +20% 2 + 6% 3 0% 4 - 6% 5 -20% Value At Year End: $114,000 $115,540 $110,540 $ 99,208 $ 75,366 Bettys Portfolio Returned -20% - 6% 0% + 6% +20% Value At Year End: $ 76,000 $ 66,740 $ 61,740 $ 60,144 $ 66,173

As the numbers show, even though Bill was taking money out of the account each year, the value of his savings grew in the first two years. As returns deteriorated, the value of the account declined more significantly. Still, he ended the five years with considerably more money in the account than Betty. The negative returns Betty experienced in the first two years, combined with her taking money out of the account for income, greatly reduced the value of her account. A Solution Split Your Nest Egg One way to overcome sequence risk is to split retirement savings into different buckets: Bucket #1 put enough money aside in cash-equivalent investments where principal is secure to pay one to two years of current expenses. Bucket #2 set aside enough money in investments subject to little or no volatility to meet income needs for the subsequent two to three years. Bucket #3 allocate remaining money in a diversified portfolio that can include stocks (as well as bonds and other types of assets). This money can be allowed to grow with no immediate withdrawals required. Growing portfolio value is important to help a retiree maintain an income level over time that can keep pace with increases in the cost of living. There is no easy fix for unpredictable market volatility, but an individual with savings split in this way may be better protected from the potential impact of sequence risk. Consider working with a financial advisor who can help you determine how to balance your portfolio in the most effective way that works for you whether youre already retired or still accumulating savings.
### JoAn M. Smith, CFP, is a Financial Advisor and CERTIFIED FINANCIAL PLANNER practitioner with Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. in Delphos, Ohio. She specializes in fee-based financial planning and asset management strategies and has been in practice for 26 years. To contact her, you may call (419) 695-7010 or visit 227 N. Main Street in Delphos, Ohio 45833. Advisor is licensed/registered to do business with U.S. residents only in the states of Ohio, North Carolina, South Carolina, Florida and Maryland. This illustration is hypothetical and is not meant to represent any specific investment. This communication is provided for information purposes only and is not intended to provide investment advice or account for individual investor circumstances. Investment decisions should always be made based on an investor's specific financial needs, objectives, goals, time horizon and risk tolerance. Brokerage, investment and financial advisory services are made available through Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC. Some products and services may not be available in all jurisdictions or to all clients. 2012 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rights reserved. File # 143292

Jobs may change. Retirement dreams dont have to.

If youve left a job and have a 401(k) or other retirement accounts, dont forget about them. Rolling over assets you have with former employers or other institutions to an Ameriprise IRA can be important in making your retirement dreams a reality.

Our Advisors. Your Dreams. MORE WITHIN REACH Call me today at (419) 695.7010
Jo An M M. Smith Financial Advisor 227 N Main St Delphos, OH 45833 419-695-7010 joan.m.smith@ampf.com www.ameripriseadvisors.com/ joan.m.smith

Brokerage, investment and financial advisory services are made available through Ameriprise Financial Services, Inc. Member FINRA and SIPC. Some products and services may not be available in all jurisdictions or to all clients. Ameriprise Financial cannot guarantee future financial results. 2012 Ameriprise Financial, Inc. All rightsreserved.

10 GOOD TIMES September/October 2012

Dare to Scare with Frightful Fare

(StatePoint) For most Americans, politics can feel like a spectator sport, especially in an election year when so much news is devoted to the horse race. But there are many ways average citizens can take active and engaged roles in local, state and national politics. We cant just watch from the sidelines, says Loren J. Enns, author of, The Sword of Liberty, a new novel which tells the story of an America where the government has been compromised by a cabal of debt-addicted politicians who must be stopped by regular citizens relying on the power of the Constitution. Our founders gave us the emergency authority to reign-in the federal government. Here are some ways you can make your political voice heard: Vote: According to Census statistics, only 63 percent of citizens ages 18 years or older voted in the last presidential election. Every election you should go to the polls and take your children with you, so they learn an important civics lesson. Learn: Read history books to gain perspective and insight. Study the Constitution thoroughly and know your rights. Use Internet search engines to read up on everything from our founding fathers to current issues. In fact, a long forgotten clause in the U.S. Constitution, Article 5, can be used to reconvene the Constitutional Convention of 1787 in order to bypass our government and ratify amendments, says Enns, who is advocating for a new Constitutional Amendment to establish a national initiative process by which citizens could vote on federal legislation and a national recall process by which they could remove congressmen, senators and even the president

How to get your political opinion heard

from office. Meet Your Politicians: Did you know many politicians host open office hours when citizens can visit and have questions and concerns addressed? Find out when visiting hours are and make an appointment. Prepare by writing out what you plan to say. If meeting in person is not possible, write, call or email. Stay Informed: Be an educated activist by keeping up with current events. Get news about the economy, health care, taxes and other issues that affect you from a variety of unbiased sources. For example, today our national debt is skyrocketing toward $16 trillion, says Enns. And every taxpayers share is $139,000, with many therefore believing the government is driving America towards bankruptcy. And regular citizens actually can help change this. Organize: There is strength in numbers. Get your friends together and start an organization. From the Occupy Wall Street movement to the Tea Party, recent years have seen grassroots organizations rise to national prominence. You can use online resources like Facebook and Twitter to quickly and inexpensively disseminate information about your events and issues you care about. Years from now, when history books are written, what will they say about you? asks Enns, whose new novel The Sword of Liberty is being published in paperback and as an eBook, available as a free download through November 6th from Amazon, Apple, Barnes & Noble and www.theswordofliberty.com/purchasebook.htm. If you dont like the status quo, dont be a passive complainer. Get involved and make a difference!

(Family Features) From little monsters to grown-up goblins, Halloween is when sweets truly take center stage. Make this October 31 a day to remember with these spine-tingling celebration tips. Host a Spooky Story Night. Have family and friends dress up in their costumes and come over to tell haunting tales. Make a story chain by having each person tell a portion of a story and take turns adding embellishments and silly twists. Practice Safe Trick-or-Treating. Contact your neighbors and suggest meeting as a large group to trick-or-treat together. Create a map of trusted houses for the group to visit, with each family hosting for a half-hour of games, snacks and refreshments. Rotate until everyone gets to play host. Enjoy a Family Bake-tivity. On the night before Halloween, gather the kids to bake these simple but eye-catching cupcakes adorned with "cobwebs." Enjoy them the next night when it's your turn to host the neighborhood trick-or-treaters,

Cobweb Cupcakes

(24 servings) 1 package (18.25 ounces) devils food or yellow cake mix 2 (2.1 ounces each) Nestl Butterfinger Candy Bars, chopped 1 container (16 ounces) prepared vanilla frosting 1 cup (6 ounces) Nestl Toll House Semi-Sweet Chocolate Morsels 1 small tube white decorator icing or gel 1 package (1.38 ounces) Nestl Goobers Milk Chocolate-Covered Peanuts

PREPARE cake mix batter according to package directions; add chopped Butterfinger to batter. Bake according to directions for 24 cupcakes. Cool completely. Frost cupcakes. PLACE morsels in small, heavy-duty plastic bag. Microwave on HIGH (100%) power for 45 seconds; knead. Microwave at additional 10- to 15-second intervals, kneading until smooth. Cut small corner from bag; squeeze to pipe concentric circles on top of frosting. Using wooden pick or tip of knife, pull tip through chocolate from center to last circle to create a cobweb effect. MAKE 2 dots using decorator icing on each of 24 Goobers to resemble spider eyes. Place in center of each cobweb.

September/October 2012 GOOD TIMES 11

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12 GOOD TIMES September/October 2012