MULLET OVER BY JAMES K. WHITE | JUNE 18, 2014
The most popular fruit in the world
Not all magnets have two poles – north & south. This discovery contradicts what I was taught in physics classes, but it was mathematically predicted by Nobel Prize winner Paul Dirac. No monopole magnets have been discovered to exist in nature, but physicists at Amherst College have constructed a magnet with only one pole.
More on my level: Each of the six distinct shapes of Gummi Bears has names. Those names are Cubbi, Grammi, Gruffi, Sunni, Tammi and Zummi.
The popular Muppet, Miss Piggy, was originally named Miss Piggy Lee to “honor” singer Peggy Lee. Peggy Lee did not consider the name to be at all flattering. When Miss Lee let it be known that she considered that Muppet name to be insulting, the appellation was promptly changed.
Singer Jon Bon Jovi sometimes checks into hotels using the name Stanley Kowalski. Stanley Kowalski is a character in the play A Streetcar named Desire.
Alexander the Great often ordered that all in his army were to shave their heads and faces prior to battles because he deemed the hair to be an “advantageous handle” to be grabbed during combat.
The most popular fruit in the world is the mango, by a wide margin. Mangos are consumed at a ratio of almost 2:1 over bananas.
Adolph Hitler was Time Magazine’s Man of the Year for 1938. Egad.
A San Francisco dentist, Dr. Ursula Dietrich, has marketed toothpaste formulated especially for dogs. The product features beef flavoring and costs about $8 per tube. I assume that the teeth-brushing canines require assistance from humans, but this is speculation. One might wonder if flossing is recommended. Let us move on.
Water molecules attract each other. This attraction creates surface tension wherein a thin film is formed across the surfaces of water. Surface tension allows water-striders to glide (when they would otherwise sink and drown), water droplets to form and for objects that are actually denser than water to float. Another water-related property resulting from this molecular attraction is capillary action. Without capillary action, most plants on terra firma would die.
Pope John Paul II was an honorary member of the world famous basketball team known as The Harlem Globetrotters. Well, if you happen to notice a monopole magnet while taking a nature hike, you might want to call the Amherst Physics Department. Have a great week.
James White is a retired mathematics teacher who enjoys sharing fascinating trivia. He can be reached at [email protected].
