The Pantagraph from Bloomington, Illinois • Page 34

www.pantagraph.com D2 The Pantagraph Sunday, January 20, 2013 It's called Super Gras this year in New Orleans K- j'jy i AW ZIP vnr- 'J FIX FROM Dl Ross' fizzling lamp, whose two bulbs wouldn't stay lit at once. Lynch and Paul Dingels removed the base, but the problem wasn't there. Then, to the sockets, which stymied them at first. Finally, they reached the innards. "Looks like someone did a good job of splicing at one time," Dingels said.

They tested the charge with a meter, then rewound the wiring, re -sembling surgeons bent over a patient. Dingels placed a probe on one socket, unexpectedly sending a small arc of sparks across the table. "Science!" Lynch declared, before he and Dingels agreed to better communicate when the lamp was plugged in. Within a few minutes, they'd achieved success. Around the room, other resuscitation proj -ects were under way.

Anita Urvina-Davis gave Kelly Wilder a lesson in mending a rip in a pair of sturdy arhartt jeans. It's a skill she'd learned years ago when her father brought home an old sewing machine from the Salvation Army evidence that parents modeling good behavior actually works. Not everything proved salvageable. A toaster with a disobedient lever was eventually decreed, well, toast. Associated Press file photoGERALD HERBERT Rex, the King of Carnival rides in the Krewe of Rex in 2011 as he arrives at Canal Street on Mardi Gras day in New Orleans.

With the Super Bowl in New Orleans on Feb. 3 and Mardi Gras falling just nine days later, the city is gearing up for a massive celebration and influx of tourists that locals are calling "Super Gras." largest float in city history for its Feb. 9 parade, led by pop singer Kelly Clarkson. The Bacchus parade and its yet-to-be-named celebrity rider rolls on Feb. 10, and the Orpheus parade rolls on Feb.

11 the eve of Fat Tuesday known as Lundi Gras with actor Gary Sinise, Emmy- and Golden Globe-winning actress Mariska Hargitay and New Orleans musicians Troy "Trombone Shorty" Andrews and Harry Connick Jr. Some sports fans are extending their stays to take in the masked riders tossing beads, costumed marching groups and make-believe royalty. Parades normally held in the suburbs will take place as scheduled on game weekend. "There will be so much energy in the street," Perry said. "It's a very unique situation to have Super Bowl, which is truly an experience of a lifetime, coinciding with a unique cultural event like Mardi Gras." This will be New Orleans' 10th Super Bowl, tying Miami for the city that's hosted the most Super Bowls.

It's also the seventh Super Bowl taking place in the Superdome, By Stacey Plaisance ASSOCIATED PRESS NEW ORLEANS New Orleans is bracing for record crowds as the biggest sporting event of the year, the NFL Super Bowl, collides with Mardi Gras season in what many locals are calling "Super Gras." Mardi Gras floats are getting finishing touches, including one float being touted as the biggest the city's Carnival has ever seen. Bakeries are hiring extra hands to decorate the thousands of king cakes, a traditional Mardi Gras treat, being pre-ordered for the Super Bowl on Feb. 3. Mardi Gras falls nine days later on Feb. 12.

The city's hotels are more than 90 percent occupied for the weeks before and after the big game, according to Stephen Perry, president of the New Orleans Metropolitan Convention and Visitors Bureau. "We are ready to give the world a said Perry. Carnival season, with parades, parties and masked revelry in the weeks before Mardi Gras, is always one of the most expensive times of year to visit New Orleans. But Super Bowl weekend has driven prices higher than usual. Smaller boutique-style hotels that usually go for $300 to $500 a night during Carnival are as high as $800 during Super Bowl.

Rooms at some major hotels are up to $2,000 a night, according to online listings. Carnival parades will not be held downtown during Super Bowl weekend, but dozens will roll in the city on the weekends before and after the game. JUNK FROM Dl donations that will get you on so-called "sucker lists," said Sich. "If you participate in a sweepstakes, a lot of that information will get you onto what they call a 'mooch list' or lists that are traded," she said. Similarly, consumer product sales or solicitations also can multiply.

Shopping catalogs can share lists. Sich wasn't sure whether manufacturers share lists of customers from product warranty cards, but offered a good suggestion. "Just know that your name is going on a list. If you sent it, the trick to do here is to drop a letter out of your name. For example, if your name is Sandy, to try to know who is selling what names, put Sndy.

If you see solicitations are coming in, you can narrow it," she said. Sich also suggests that as you go through the junk mm now named for its sponsor Mercedes-Benz. But more importantly, it will be the Superdome's first Super Bowl since Hurricane Kat-rina ripped off its roof and flooded surrounding streets when levees gave way in 2005. Thousands of evacuees were housed in filthy conditions in the damaged arena for days after the storm with no air conditioning or working bathrooms. The dome has since undergone more than $336 million in renovations, including new suites, concession stands, and bathrooms, and new electrical, video and audio systems.

All seats were cleaned or replaced, and club lounges got new windows with views of downtown. catalogs is an order form, often with your account number or other information that would be good to shred, Sich said. The Fields noticed that the charities contacted by the consumer office have stopped sending mailings, The dome's outer shell faded a dull gray by more than three decades of Louisiana sun and dented by flying storm debris has also been replaced. The new siding restores the stadium to the champagne color it had in 1978 when it hosted its first Super Bowl. As Super Bowl fans leave town, a new wave of revelers will arrive for Mardi Gras weekend.

That's when some of the city's largest parade organizations, known as su-perkrewes, hold their glitzy balls and parades. Parade groups have been working for months to make this year bigger and better than ever. The Krewe of Endymion is boasting it will have the Akron Beacon JournalKAREN SCHIELY cards and stickers in junk mail. but still the volume is high. Sich suggested if the Fields want to continue donations to certain causes, they should write "do not sell or share my name or address with others" on the donation slip.

"A i If Lr 411' v. A'l i Eileen and Frank Field have received money and several holiday mail, make sure you are opening the mail, even if you are not interested in the product. You want to make sure there isn't a counterfeit check or something that you might want to shred. Also, inside many mail if 3 ft 1 A Lutheran Life Community with 120 years of experience in service to seniors Vibrant senior living with a full range of services including assisted living and memory support AH inclusive, customized, financial packages to meet your needs 100 resident and family satisfaction a Luther Oaks A Lutheran Life Community Call today to learn more! (309) 557-8000 empowering vibrant, grace-filled senior across all generations living a 601 Lutz Rd. Bloomington, IL www.LutheiOaks.org.