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THE COMMERCE (GA) NEWS, WEDNESDAY, NOVEMBER 7, 2007 -- PAGE 5B Wacky Facts The formal or medical name for a hiccup is singultus (SIN-gul-tas). The lighter half-moon shape at the base of your fingernails is called a lunula (LOON-yuh-luh) — World Almanac for Kids Chatter Box I was 11 (when I started). And I’m not going to look back on it and say I’m not proud of it, ’cause I am. But it’s like seeing baby photos of ^ yourself. It’s always a bit embarrassing.’ — Daniel Radcliffe, on watching himself in the Harry Potter films, on EW.com. o/nez WIZARD IN TRAINING By Janis Campbell Detroit Free Press Wizards are hot. Just ask the 8 million-plus fans who rushed out to get J.K. Rowling’s “Harry Potter and the Deathly Hallows” on the very day it went on sale in July. So for everyone who is hooked on magic, the folks at the Disney Channel have conjured up a new wizard world in the magical series “Wizards of Waverly Place.” The show is about three siblings growing up in New York City. The kids — Max, Justin and Alex — are pretty normal except for the tiny fact that their dad is a wizard, and he’s tutoring them in the wizarding ways. Their mom on the show is a mere mortal. We recently chatted on the phone with Selena Gomez, who plays Alex Russo on the show. She was in Texas vis iting her dad and other family members while tak ing a two-week break from work. (Gomez lives in Los Angeles with her mom and stepdad.) Gomez had a pretty magical start to her show business career. When she was 7 — actually on her 7th birthday — she tried out for a spot on the popular kids show “Barney & Friends.” It was her first audition and the competition was fierce. “I stood in line with 1,400 kids and I ended up booking it,” Gomez says. “I found out the next day that I got a callback, and then I got the part.” Gomez says it was a great opportunity because the show was filmed about 20 minutes from her home near Dallas. She was on the show for two years. After leaving the big purple dinosaur, she continued to get acting jobs, including a part in “Spy Kids 3-D” and a guest spot on “The Suite Life of Zack & Cody.” This year — on her 15th birthday — she got another acting gift. She was already working on “Waverly Place,” but got a guest spot on the superpopular Disney show “Hannah Montana.” She was working on “Hannah” on her birthday so her “Waverly Place” castmates came over to wish her a happy birthday. Gomez counts her young Disney co stars as some of her best pals. She says she’s friends with Miley Cyrus and Emily Osment, who she reports are “some of the sweetest girls ever.” “I have their number and I text or call them all the time,” she says. Gomez let us in on a little bit of show business magic: Although the show is set in New York City, it's actually filmed on a big set in Los Angeles. “I’ve actually never been to New York City,” Gomez says, “but I would really like to go.” So is she a fan of a certain boy wizard? “I’ve never actually gotten into Harry Potter, but I love the special effects of the movies. They are so cool and I love magic,” Gomez says. “All of my friends are into 1 it and magic is big right now R so I’m happy that I’m working A on a magic show.” FAST FACTS Birthday: July 22, 1992. Would love this magical talent: To zap food when I'm hungry so I could have a snack anytime. Family life: Lives in L.A. with mom and stepdad and four dogs. School life: Selena is in 10th grade and has school on the set with her castmates. What’s next: Selena is film ing a movie and would love to record a CD. (She sings in the opening credits of the show!) In The News A gold medal for a man of peace TJME For nearly half a century, the Dalai Lama, the spir itual leader of Tibet, has not lived in his homeland. Yet he is hugely popular in the Himalayan region and around the world. This fall, the U.S. Congress awarded the Dalai Lama the Congressional Gold Medal in recognition of his work for human rights and peace. The medal is this country’s highest civilian award. “I believe that this award sends a powerful message to those many individuals who are dedicated toward promoting peace, understanding and harmony,” the 72-year-old Buddhist monk told an audience of congressional leaders and dignitaries. President Bush also attended the ceremony, held in the Capitol Rotunda. It was the first time a current U.S. president has appeared with the Dalai Lama at a public event. “Today we honor (the Dalai Lama) as a universal symbol of peace and tolerance,” Bush said. The day before the medal presentation, the presi dent and the Buddhist monk talked in the White House. It was the fourth time Bush and the Dalai Lama have met privately. “We know each other, and we have developed, I think, a very close friendship — something like a reunion of one family,” the Dalai Lama said after the meeting. ANDREW CO UN Cl LL/M CT First lady Laura Bush, House Speaker Nancy Pelosi, Sen. Robert Byrd and President George W. Bush look on as the Dalai Lama receives the Congressional Gold Medal. CHINA S ANGRY RESPONSE In 1951, China invaded Tibet. Eight years later, after the Chinese refused to accept his authority, die Dalai Lama fled across the Himalayas to India. Today, he lives in Dharamsala, India, but travels the world speaking on behalf of nonviolence and human rights. The monk received the Nobel Peace Prize in 1989. In his remarks dining the award ceremony, Bush urged China to accept the Dalai Lama as a “man of peace and reconciliation.” China has protested die Congressional award, claiming that the Dalai Lama is promoting a freer Tibet. “The Chinese government strongly opposes die U.S. Congress giving the Dalai Lama a so-called award,” said Chinese Foreign Ministry spokesperson Liu Jianchao. AN EXPRESSION OF GRATITUDE Congress has awarded die Gold Medal since 1776. It is used to express “public gratitude for distinguished contributions.” Initially, the medal was awarded to mil itary leaders. George Washington was the first recipi ent. Since dien, inventors, poets, comedians and world leaders have been recognized for their work. Last March, the Tuskegee Airmen, a group of black pilots who served die United States during World War II, were saluted for their bravery. — Nellie Gonzalez Cutler O 2007 Time Inc AH Rights Reserved TIME FOR KIDS and Timeforkjds com are registered trademarks ol Time Inc Help! Rips fc Rayes I’m embarrassed at sleepovers! DEAR AMERICAN GIRL: I'm the most modest girl in my class. At slumber parties and after sports, I go into a bathroom stall or a closet to change. I really don't like changing in front of people. What should I do or say? — Too Modest ■ Remember, it’s your body, and you don’t have to do anydiing diat makes you feel uncomfortable — ever. There’s nodiing wrong with wanting some privacy, even when everyone else feels OK about changing in front of one another. When you step out to change, simply say, “Excuse me, I’ll be right back.” Don’t make a big deal about it. If someone mentions it, just laugh it off. Say, “It’s nodiing personal! I'm just shy!” DEAR AMERICAN GIRL: My friends and I have a lot of sleepovers. I like that, but I snore. My friends always make fun of me. They laugh at me and imi tate my snores. I try to laugh with them, but deep down it really hurts my feelings. Should I just not go to sleepovers anymore? — Snore Snoozer ■ Keep going to sleepovers, but k. + ^ think about getting a American Girl checku P> too - Snoring may ~ seem harmless (odier dian being embarrassing), but it may not be healthy if it’s interfering with your sleep. So tell your parents, and consider a visit to your doctor. Visit americangirl.com to get or give advice. © 2007 American Girl. LLC All rights reserved Care Bears countdown They might be 25 years old, but they hardly look it. The Care Bears and their belly badges are back and bigger than ever with a new movie, a new toy line, a lim ited edition bear and a tele vision comeback. “Oopsy Does It!” an all- new animated movie, was just released on DVD ($19.98) and stars a new character — the clumsy Oopsy Bear, the only bear without a belly badge. In the movie Cheer and Grumpy Bear build an amusement park for their friends, but Oopsy Bear accidentally destroys it. The evil bear Grizzle uses Oopsy’s mis take to steal the bears' belly badges. Never fear, Oopsy comes to the rescue and proves you don’t need a badge to be a bear that cares. The Care Bear toys have a fiesh new look to bring out each bear’s special qualities. Toys include the musical sing-along friends and the 25th Anniversary Care Bear with crystal eyes. (Toys cost $3.99 to $19.99.) And now you can catch the Care Bears on a new television show on CBS. (Check your local listings for times.) — Wendy Zang