MULLET OVER BY JAMES K. WHITE | FEBRUARY 25, 2015
A nutritious edible root that looks like a turnip
A company that grew out of an MIT project is reportedly set to launch floating wind turbines over selected regions of Alaska. The Buoyant Airborne Turbine (BAT) is a doughnut-shaped, very tough helium balloon that surrounds a large rotor. Alaska’s prevailing winds should spin the rotor blades, which are designed to generate enough electricity to power at least a dozen homes per BAT. Strong cables extending 1000 feet upward are to do double duty as tether and energy transport lines. Altaeros is the company.
The only uniform number retired by every major league baseball team is 42 (Jackie Robinson’s #). There are 42 Oreo Cookies in a one pound package. The natural vibration frequency of human DNA is 42.There were 42 generations from Abraham to Christ. Jimi Hendrix and Jerry Garcia were born in ’42. Elvis died at age 42. Total number of dots on a pair of dice is 42. The board game RISK has 42 territories. Mariano Rivera was the last major leaguer to wear #42 and perhaps most amazing of all – the atomic number of molybdenum is 42.
Most people who are allergic to cats are not allergic to cat fur.
In 1937, famous novelist John Steinbeck had his work Of Mice and Men published. It was a literary and commercial success during the depression era. What some may not know is that while Steinbeck was crafting the book’s title, he was inspired by the Roberts Burns work To a Mouse (actually, Tae a Moose) written in 1785.
Celeriac is a nutritious edible root that looks like a turnip. Celeriac supposedly tastes incredibly similar to celery. I would not know.
That very recognizable Cathedral of Cologne (Germany) had its cornerstone laid in August of 1248. Apparently, there was no rush for completion as the structure was not completed until 1880. During the interval of 632 years, many major changes were proposed, but those alterations were all rejected. The cathedral presented in 1880 was almost indistinguishable from the master design drawn in 1248. I had the privilege of ascending the cathedral’s South Tower in 1986. In a city pretty much leveled by Allied bombing during WWII, the cathedral sustained no catastrophic damage and has been fully restored.
By definition: The Dead Sea and the Caspian Sea are both lakes. Well, it is my sincere hope that you are allergic to neither cats nor cat fur – and that you experience an excellent week.
James White is a retired mathematics teacher who enjoys sharing fascinating trivia. He can be reached at [email protected].
