– A group of peculiar arthropods occupies habitats in much of North and South America. This arachnid can be more than 3 inches in length and sports 3 eyes down the left side of its body. It has 3 more eyes on its right side and 2 more on its head. Yep — eight legs, eight eyes. The creature is called a whip scorpion or a vinegaroon. Vinegaroons eat insects, slugs and real scorpions. It is rare for a vinegaroon to harm humans – other than occasionally scaring the behookus out of a few. Vinegaroons have huge claws, smell awful and it is said that they never smile.
– The size of the known universe is stupefying. One may venture out on a clear night and observe stars numbering in the tens of thousands. Each star is potentially a sun to some planets. It is knowledgeably estimated that one can see less than 1 % of the stars in our galaxy (the Milky Way) using only the naked eye. Astronomers claim there are hundreds of billions of galaxies. And I read today that a renowned astrophysicist estimates that we are aware of far less than half of the universe. Thusly, fret not if your yard “needs” mowing. In the larger picture, does that really matter? My wife says yes. So much for perspective and philosophy.
– Beginning with George Washington, every U.S. president has worn eyeglasses.
– In 1979, those in charge of the New York Mets fired their old mascot and purchased a live mule (named “Mettle”) to be the new cheer solicitor. The animal was not particularly well behaved, especially when he was not fed what Mettle considered to be generous portions. A grounds-keeping problem quickly emerged as Mettle did what any well-fed mule might do. He left several odoriferous piles on and near the playing field. The mule lasted less than one full season as the new mascot.
– The “medical” practice of drilling a hole in a living person’s skull is called “trepanation” and was somewhat common during the lifetime of famous Greek physician Hippocrates. It is not clear whether Hippocrates approved of trepanation. Some physicians of old believe that the procedure relieve stress, cured headaches and effectively treated depression.
– It was in 1991 that enterprising polka lovers created, bottled and sold a special soda pop. Celo Polka Cola was intended to promote polka music and polka dancing. The drink was a modest financial success. However, one report indicates that the beverage is currently available online. This situation allows readers to personally judge CPC. Oom-Pah, Oom-Pah (Burp). Well, employ caution when playing with vinegaroons (smelly) – and have a great week.
James White is a retired mathematics teacher who enjoys sharing fascinating trivia. He can be reached at [email protected].
