– During part of the eighteenth century, legislative entities in New York laid claim to much of Vermont. Details of the New York “entitlement” were said to be “byzantine, disputed and complicated.” To settle the issues, some residents of Vermont collectively paid New York $30,000 for a quit claim in 1791. This transaction opened the path for Vermont to later enter the union as its 14th state. “Verd Mont” is French for Green Mountain and the area had been referred to as The Green Mountain Colony by 1647. Over several decades, “Verd Mont” was Anglicized into “Vermont.”
– A worldwide phenomenon is occurring: Algae have emerged as aggressive aquatic invaders. Enter the mighty limpets. Limpets are marine mollusks that devour algae. Limpets have been introduced by biologists into numerous intertidal ecosystems. The Patella vulgata have shown to be an effective algae control in various situations. An added bonus is that the diminutive limpets are thought by many folks to be both nutritious and tasty.
– In the 19th century, a bird called the Carolina parakeet was fairly common in North America. Habitats of the only parrot native to the N.A. continent included the Lake Erie region, areas in Nebraska and expanses along our continent’s southern coastlines. The last verified live sighting of the now-extinct creature was in 1918. However, a group of skilled and hopeful geneticists have targeted the once-plentiful parrot for “de-extinction.” Be alert for “parrotic” (I made up that word) updates.
– Just when he thought he was in the clear: In 1983, a man named William Howard Hughes, Jr. seemed to disappear from this planet. Reportedly there were no “whereabouts, traces or trails” known to friends, co-workers, officials or acquaintances … until 2018. On June 6 of this year, authorities located William Howard in California under a different name. He was arrested and is being held for charges of desertion from the U.S. Air Force.
– In case you might have missed this year’s big event — The United Nations has declared that each May 2 (from now on!) shall officially be World Tuna Day. Be prepared for next year’s festivities and merriment.
– Ancient Greeks designated the number 7 as the perfect number. Apparently the reason for the designation was obvious during the 800 B.C. through 500 B.C. stretch. However, I shall explain just in case the obviousness (really a word) is not evident today. Seven is the sum of the number of sides in a triangle and a square. Well, be grateful for limpets and have a wonderful day.
