Mullet Over
BY JAMES K. WHITE | NOVEMBER 2, 2011
Rare and endangered (and smelly)
The oldest metallic swords ever found were excavated at Arslantepe, Turkey. Some of the weapons were inlaid with silver and are thought to be 5,300 years old. The age is an estimate as thus far reporters have been unable to question the original owners.
For you baseball enthusiasts: Jim Palmer (Baltimore Orioles) is the only pitcher to have won at least one World Series game during three different decades. He won in the 1960s, the 1970s and the 1980s.
The largest lion ever recorded in the wild was a reputed man-eater from near Hectorspruit, South Africa. The huge male, weighing 689 pounds, was killed in 1936. In 1959 a lion later named Simba was captured on the Serengeti Plain. He was taken to a zoo in Northshire, England. His daily meal portion included one gallon of milk and 20 pounds of meat. Simba died in 1973 and posthumously tipped the scales at 826 pounds. Simba had been “tamed” and was featured in several movies including “Cleopatra” (1963) starring Elizabeth Taylor.
You likely have grown some type of large flower, but it is very unlikely that your efforts could ever match the size (3 ft. in diameter) or heft (24 lbs.) of the Rafflesia Arnoldii. This Rafflesia is also dubbed the “corpse plant” because of its “fragrance” which simulates rotting flesh enabling it to attract insects. The plant is a parasite growing in Asian rain forests and is classified as both rare and endangered (and smelly).
The Mongolian leader Genghis Kahn (13th century) established an empire that once extended over an area that was approximately the size of the recently disbanded Soviet Union. The Kahn’s cause of death (1227) and burial site are both unknown.
Medical researchers at the University of Strathclyde (Scotland) have developed a decontamination technique effective against some “superbugs.” A microbiologist team has discovered a very narrow spectrum of visible light that appears to destroy certain strains of bacteria that had exhibited immunity to orthodox disinfecting techniques.
The world’s largest passenger liner is the Oasis of the Seas launched in 2009. The ship is approximately the size of Nimitz-Class aircraft carriers and is equipped to carry 6,660 people per voyage. The craft cruises on the Caribbean Sea and is owned by Royal Caribbean International. I was “looking into” purchasing the vessel but opted to pay my electric bill instead.
Well, I suggest that you not display any Rafflesia Arnoldii whenever houseguests are expected – and I wish you a pleasant week.
James White is a retired mathematics teacher who enjoys sharing fascinating trivia. He can be reached at [email protected].
Ten Things to Consider
Prayer is not a "spare wheel" that you pull out when in trouble, but it is a "steering wheel" that directs the right path throughout.
Why is car's windshield so large and the rear view mirror so small? Because our past is not as important as our future. So, look ahead and move on.
Friendship is like a book. It takes years to write, but only a few seconds to burn.
All things in life are temporary. If going well, enjoy it; they will not last forever. If going wrong, don't worry; they can't last long either.
Old friends are gold! New friends are diamond! If you get a diamond, don't forget the gold! Because to hold a diamond, you always need a base of gold!
Often when we lose hope and think this is the end, God smiles from above and says, "Relax, sweetheart, it's just a bend, not the end!"
When God solves your problems, you have faith in His abilities; when God doesn't solve your problems He has faith in your abilities.
A blind person asked St. Anthony: "Can there be anything worse than losing eye sight?" He replied: "Yes, losing your vision!"
When you pray for others, God listens to you and blesses them, and sometimes, when you are safe and happy, remember that someone has prayed for you.
Worrying does not take away tomorrow's troubles, it takes away today's peace.
Puzzle Solutions
For All Signs: For the first two weeks of November, it is generally unwise to take initiatives. Your intentions may be misunderstood or you may be dealing with deceptive people. People in general will be fatigued and oversensitive. Avoid pointing fingers at yourself or anyone else. World news may be thoroughly confusing and some of it will be flatly in error. Chemical or radioactive explosions are possible. Be extremely careful if you must deal with anything related.