Mullet Over

I do not know what a Gotthard is

By James K. White | September 16, 2009

james k white, mullet overDuring the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, thousands of people from Ireland immigrated to Jamaica. Many language experts believe the characteristic “lilt” of Jamaican English is a result of Irish influence.

While you are in Alabama, it is considered a felony to train a bear to wrestle – also, your bear will be confiscated.

Obviously some folks enjoy working with orchids. There are at least 100,000 distinct hybrid orchids all existing as a result of human assisted cross-pollination.

In 1187 word reached Europe that Saladin had recaptured the Holy Lands. Barbarossa (Red Beard) of Germany assembled an army of approximately 150,000 and began the Third Crusade to recapture the region. His army won two major battles, but on June 10, 1190 Barbarossa drowned as he attempted to cross a river while wearing heavy armor. His death effectively ended the Third Crusade.

In 1959 Volvo (of Sweden) became the first manufactured car to feature a three point seat belt.

Lithium is the world’s lightest metal. The atomic #3 element is also used in numerous battery applications. Currently Chile leads all nations in lithium production, but a desert area in Bolivia has the largest known lithium deposits. Developer$ are negotiating.

Plants using photosynthesis emit tons of oxygen on this planet. Fungi such as mushrooms and toadstools emit carbon dioxide.

There are exactly 1,320 feet in a quarter mile. As you read this column, there exists a building in Dubai that is measured to stand 2,320 feet tall. The building is not finished. When the top tower is added, the final height should be 2,684 feet. 2,640 feet is equivalent to one-half mile.

Vatican City boasts a total of 824 citizens and is recognized as the least populous sovereign state on earth.

I saw on TV (so I know it is true) that each gold brick stored at Fort Knox weighs almost exactly 40 pounds.

The Himalaya Mountains in Asia make up this planet’s highest mountain range, but the range with the greatest length would be the one containing the Andes Mountains of South America. Not terribly far from the Andes flows the magnificent Amazon River. The Amazon has seven tributaries that exceed 1,000 miles in length.

In Switzerland workers are busy constructing the Alp Transit Gotthard railway. I do not know what a Gotthard is, but I am told that the railway will include the world’s single longest tunnel (35.4 miles).

Well, be careful crossing rivers if you happen to be wearing armor and do have a pleasant week.

James White is a retired mathematics teacher who enjoys sharing fascinating trivia. He can be reached at jkwhite46 @gmail.com.

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