The United States was a distant fourth in vinum marketing

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From atop Lookout Mountain (near Chattanooga, Tenn.) visitors can sometimes see parts of seven states.

Pop star Mariah Carey is very fond of purple and purplish foods. She eats little else and avers that such nourishments reduce inflammation and eliminate face wrinkles.

The leaves of the qat plant (also “khat” and pronounced “cot”) provide a comestible stimulant very popular in some regions of Africa. The plant is classified as a drug and it is illegal to chew or possess qat in the United States. To most people the leaves seem sour and bitter. Qat is said to taste similar to the foliage from cedar trees and is an “acquired” taste. Well, yuk.

As early as 1699 French explorers noted that a certain red cypress tree had lost all of its bark. This particular tree was recognized as the boundary between the hunting territories of two Native American tribes (the Houma and the Bayou Goula). Baton Rouge was established near the historic site. Baton Rouge means “Red Stick” in French. There remains no vestige of the old red cypress, but locals claim they can closely approximate the original location.

According to numismatic dealers, the most valuable U.S. coin is the 1913 “V” nickel, valued at $4.4 million. Check your change.

This question is likely haunting maybe a dozen people in the world: How does one determine the gender of a parakeet? Check the cere. The cere is the fleshy covering just above the bird’s beak. Blue or purple indicates male while brown or tan signifies female. Bright yellow implies the observer is color blind.

The eastern regions of our earth are called the Orient. Would you happen to know that the western regions are collectively called the Occident?

The continent that is home to the most Christians is South America.

China is the nation that is the world’s top potato (“potatoe” for a certain ex-V.P.) producer. India is a close second. The United States ranks number five.

Only three U.S. cities have hosted the Summer Olympics: St. Louis (1904), Los Angeles (1932 & 1984) and Atlanta (1996).

In 2015 Italy was the world’s top wine producing nation, barely surpassing France as a vino maker. The United States was a distant fourth in vinum marketing. A bit of trivia concerning wine: Most people realize that red wine is made from red, purple or black grapes while white wine is made entirely from white (green) grapes. Neither statement is completely true. The major difference in production is that white wine is made from grape pulps while shades of red wines are created using various grape skins and pulps. Have a great week. ([email protected])