Do Fish Drink Water?

by Bill McLain

  In 1876 the Republican Rutherford B. Hayes was elected president by a single electoral vote.

  DID YOU KNOW?

  One of the most unusual political parties is the Progressive Conservative Party of the Kingdom of Talossa, a constitutional monarchy.

  The day after Christmas in 1979, a 13-year-old high school student in Milwaukee, Wisconsin, declared his bedroom to be an independent sovereign state, the Kingdom of Talossa. The kingdom has grown considerably since then and now consists of a 13-square-kilometer portion of East Milwaukee. So far, the U.S. government has not disputed Talossa’s claim to this land. In 1985 the country’s founder was elected king, abdicated in 1987, and became king again in 1988. The head of the Progressive Conservative Party is Michael Pope and Chris Gruber is prime minister.

  Talossans claim to be descended from North African Berbers and have their own language as well as “Talossan English.” The Talossan government has a foreign affairs policy and in 1980 defeated the Glib Room Empire, which surrendered and signed a peace treaty.

  The Kingdom of Talossa has claimed a chunk of Antarctica (which they call Pengopats) as a colony because no other nation has ever claimed it. Part of their colony off the coast of Brittany was occupied by French troops and placed under barbed wire. Because of deficiencies in French barbed-wire technology, the Talossan prime minister at the time liberated part of the French-occupied zone and had a picnic.

  If you’re really interested in the Kingdom of Talossa, it offers dual citizenship. You can become a Talossan and still retain your U.S. citizenship.

  It might be more fun than belonging to some of the other political parties in this country.

  More questions? Try these websites.

  GOVERNMENT INFORMATION

  http://lib-www.ucr.edu/govinfo.html

  This site has a wealth of information about the U.S. government as well as other information. You can look through the table of contents, a list of subjects, or a list of keywords. You can also search on keywords.

  AREA CODES

  http://decoder.Americom.com/

  If you want to know the area code for a city or if you have an area code and want to find out where it is, this is the site for you.

  ZIP CODES

  http://www.usps.gov/ncse/

  If you know the address of a business or residence, this site will give you the proper zip code. You can also list any city in the United States and find the zip codes for that city.

  SWITCHBOARD

  http://www.switchborad.com/

  Use this site to find businesses, people, addresses, websites, and e-mail addresses. For example, if you know a person’s name but don’t know where they live, you can probably find their address here.

  FBI

  http://www.fbi.gov/

  Whether you want to know who are the 10 most-wanted criminals in the country or you want to apply for a job as an FBI agent, you’ll find the information here, plus a lot more.

  CIA

  http://www.odci.gov/cia/

  This is the official page of the Central Intelligence Agency. It even has a site for kids, facts about the little-known CIA Canine Corps, and a page that lets you try on different disguises.

  KINGDOM OF TALOSSA

  http://www.execpc.com/~talossa/index.html

  If you read the answer to the question “How many political parties can be represented in a presidential election?” you have some idea about the Kingdom of Talossa. This is the official website of the kingdom. If you want to become a citizen, just click on Acquiring Talossan Citizenship. Remember, Talossa recognizes dual citizenship so you don’t have to give up your present citizenship.

  ANECDOTE: A 14-YEAR SEARCH FOR A COWBOY SONG

  Sometimes people have come to me as a last resort. One such desperate message was from a Jackie Whitehouse, who had been looking for a piece of music off and on for 14 years. Jackie said she had tried most conventional methods of research but hadn’t come up with a clue.

  Jackie explained that her 63-year-old father remembered a song that he and his family had listened to over half a century ago. Fortunately for me, Jackie did remember a few of the lyrics.

  It didn’t take long to find the song and the composer. It was Ain’t We Crazy, written by Tex Fletcher, a singing cowboy who had died some years ago.

  I found a gentleman in Japan who had a bluegrass songbook with all of the words to the song. I also managed to find Tex Fletcher’s son, George Fletcher, who now publishes a rhythm and news magazine.

  The next day, I sent the answer to the question along with the e-mail address of Tex Fletcher’s son.

  Jackie responded quickly, saying, “It’s amazing. I’ve been searching for this song for 14 years and when I wrote to you, I received the answer in 24 hours!”

  A year later I again wrote to Jackie. It turned out that although she had the title, lyrics, and composer, she had been unable to find the actual music. She and George Fletcher had joined forces to continue the search for the music.

  I’m seriously considering joining them in the search. It could be fascinating. Even if we don’t find the music, I’ll certainly enjoy working with my new friends.

  Weather

  What is the difference between a hurricane and a typhoon? (It depends which way the wind blows.)

  Actually, they’re the same thing except for the name. They’re both tropical storms or “cyclones.” By convention, the cyclone is a hurricane if it occurs in the Atlantic Ocean or a typhoon if it occurs in the western Pacific or Indian oceans.

  There is one slight difference, however, depending on which way the wind blows. Tropical storms or cyclones rotate counterclockwise in the Northern Hemisphere and clockwise in the Southern Hemisphere. This is because of the Coriolis effect.

  Early in this century, an Australian weather forecaster, Clement Wragge, saw an opportunity to insult politicians he didn’t like. He simply started naming devastating tropical storms after the politicians.

  Naming tropical storms avoids confusion during news bulletins and warnings, especially if there is more than one storm at the same time.

  During World War II, military personnel started assigning names to tropical storms to avoid confusion. They used the radio code names that were standard at the time such as Able, Baker, Charlie, and so on. Later, U.S. Air Force and Navy meteorologists monitoring and forecasting tropical storms over the Pacific named them after their wives and girlfriends.

  In 1953, female names were used for tropical storms. Men were left out once again. Contrary to popular belief at the time, female names were not used because women were supposedly unpredictable! In 1979, male names were added to the annual lists and alternating male and female names have been used ever since. The use of French and Spanish names also dates from 1979.

  FACTOIDS

  The first three male names used (Bob, David, and Frederick) were retired because these storms did such great damage.

  The letters Q and U are not used for naming hurricanes.

  The most costly hurricanes in U.S. history were also caused by men:

  Mitch, 1998: Central America ($5 billion)

  Andrew, 1992: Florida and Louisiana ($46.5 million)

  Hugo, 1989: Georgia to Virginia ($8 million)

  The hurricane that caused the greatest loss of life was hurricane Mitch in 1998. Over 11,000 people died, an estimated 11,000 to 18,000 were missing, and over 3 million people were either made homeless or severely affected by the storm.

  The fastest recorded wind was in 1969 during hurricane Camille along the Mississippi-Alabama coast. Winds averaged 200 mph with gusts of 210 mph.

  What is the difference between partly cloudy and partly sunny? (It probably depends on your disposition.)

  There are official government rules for weather forecasting. If 40 to 70 percent of the sky is expected to be cloudy, the forecast is “partly cloudy.” If the clouds are less then 40 percent, the forecast is “partly sunny.” When there are no clouds in the forecast, it is
called “clear,” while if more than 70 percent cloud cover is expected, it is called “cloudy.” Some forecasters do not use the word “partly” at all but prefer to use “mostly” because they feel it is a more accurate description.

  Unfortunately, not all weather forecasters stick to the rules. Meteorologists tend to be somewhat opinionated and they all believe they can forecast the weather better than their fellow meteorologists. It has been said that if you give five weather forecasters the same data, you will get five completely different forecasts.

  In actuality, there is a slim difference between “partly sunny” and “partly cloudy” so the forecast quite often depends on the disposition of the forecaster. For example, suppose the weather forecaster is in a good mood, runs into very little traffic on the way to work, and finds a good parking spot. Even though the clouds might cover half of the sky, the forecaster would issue a “partly sunny” forecast.

  On the other hand, if the weather forecaster is running late for work, is in a bad mood, gets stuck in traffic, and can’t find a place to park, it’s more than likely that the forecast will be “partly cloudy” even if identical conditions produced a “partly sunny” forecast the day before.

  FACTOIDS

  If you count the chirps of a tree cricket for 15 seconds and then add 37, it will be almost exactly the true temperature in degrees Fahrenheit.

  The highest wind speed recorded in the United States was 231 mph on Mount Washington in New Hampshire. The highest wind speed in a tornado was 286 mph in Wichita Falls, Texas.

  Have you ever believed you could smell rain coming? It might very well be true. Many scientists believe that the moisture in impending rain makes your nose more sensitive.

  In 1921 a snowstorm dropped over six feet of snow on Silver Lake, Colorado—the largest recorded snowfall in a single day. However, in 1959 a single storm that lasted 7 days dumped almost 16 feet of snow on Mount Shasta, California.

  Poplar trees and both red and silver maple trees are good rain predictors. During a low pressure system before an impending rainstorm, the leaves flip up.

  An average lightning bolt is only half an inch wide, has a temperature almost five times hotter than the sun, and would take only one second to travel around the equator.

  DID YOU KNOW?

  Of all weather systems, tornadoes can be the most fascinating, the most destructive, and the most difficult to predict. One of the most amazing tornadoes occurred in 1925 and became known as the “Tri-State Tornado” because it cut a swath through Missouri, Illinois, and Indiana.

  The tornado was classified as F-5, the most violent tornado type, with winds over 261 mph. The funnel was three quarters of a mile to a mile wide moving at a speed of about 60 mph. During its 3½-hour life, the Tri-State Tornado traveled well over 200 miles.

  Many witnesses said they saw no funnel but rather a black boiling cloud. Some saw an inky black sky, while others saw a strange orange color. When people finally realized it was a tornado, it was too late to find shelter.

  When it was over, the entire town of Murphysboro, Illinois, was destroyed, 698 people were dead, and over 2,000 people were injured.

  The Tri-State Tornado entered the record books for causing the greatest area of destruction, lasting the longest period of time, and having the longest track on the ground.

  Unfortunately, it also holds the record for causing the most deaths.

  What part of the world gets the most rain? (Ark building might be a good skill to have.)

  The greatest average annual rainfall occurs on Mount Waialeale on the island of Kauai in the Hawaiian Islands, which receives an average of 472 inches of rain per year. Another way to look at it is that Mount Waialeale is drenched with over 40 feet of rain every year, or the equivalent in height of a 4-story building.

  However, when it comes to the most rain in a single year, the record is held by Cherrapunki, India. In 1861 Cherrapunki’s rainfall was 905 inches, or slightly more than 75 feet.

  But neither Mount Waialeale nor Cherrapunki hold the record for the most rain in a single day. In one 24-hour period in 1911, 46 inches of rain (just under 4 feet) fell on Bauio in the Philippines.

  Rain can be beneficial—in fact we couldn’t live without it. It brings us water to drink, creates lakes, river, and streams, and provides needed water for trees and plants. Unfortunately, rain is not always benevolent. At times rainstorms can cause disastrous floods.

  During a torrential rainstorm or continual days of steady rain, the earth cannot absorb all of the moisture and the water builds up on top of the ground. This water eventually runs off into streams and rivers. The excess water pouring into the rivers causes them to overflow their banks, flooding the surrounding area.

  The most disastrous floods occur when the surrounding land is below the level of the riverbanks or when the land is flat, such as in the midwestern portion of the United States. Floodwaters in areas such as these can sweep cars and other large objects along for long distances and can rip up any object not firmly anchored to the ground. As floodwaters flow into freshwater reservoirs, the freshwater becomes polluted and unsafe for drinking. Because of this, disease can spread quickly throughout the area.

  We all know the benefits of rain and its importance in growing food crops. On the other hand, in the last 15 years flood damage has cost the United States an average of more than $3 billion a year.

  FACTOIDS

  Arica, Chile, holds the record for the least amount of annual rainfall. It receives an average of only two one-hundredths (0.02) of an inch per year.

  Devil’s Lake near Minnewaukan, North Dakota, is often called “the lake that comes and goes.” In periods of drought, it almost disappears, but in rainy periods it has been known to nearly double its size in two years. In 1993, after praying for rain because of a drought, residents of Minnewaukan had their prayers answered, and soon waters of the lake were lapping at the town’s doorstep.

  You could call 1991 the “year of the floods.” The worst floods of the century in China left 10 million people homeless along the Yangtze River, the worst floods in over half a century devastated Burma, the worst floods in a century hit Iran, floods from the monsoons in southeast Asia were the worst on record, 100,000 people were left homeless after the worst June flood in history inundated Bombay, and a freak storm dumped snow and rain onto Chile’s deserts, turning them into floodplains. Devastating floods also occurred in nine states along the Mississippi River.

  In 1926 the Saint Francis Dam was built in Saugus, California, to hold water from Northern California before it was sent to the drier part of the state in the south. In 1928 the dam broke and waters swept through 65 miles of valley before flowing into the Pacific Ocean. The raging water destroyed everything in its path, including buildings, bridges, railroads, orchards, farms, and livestock. At its peak, the wall of water was 78 feet high. When the flood was over, 500 people were dead and part of Ventura County was lying under 70 feet of mud and debris.

  DID YOU KNOW?

  The South Fork Fishing and Hunting Club sounds like a quiet and exclusive vacation retreat for tired businessmen. It was that, but in 1889 it was also responsible for one of the most famous floods in U.S. history.

  The club had purchased an abandoned reservoir about 14 miles from Johnstown, Pennsylvania. Its members then had the old South Fork Dam repaired and the lake level raised. They built a clubhouse and cottages along the lake’s edge as a secret retreat for the rich and famous, including Andrew Carnegie and Andrew Mellon.

  The city of Johnstown, Pennsylvania, and its 30,000 residents were 14 miles away from the dam and 450 feet below it.

  Repairs to the dam by the Fishing and Hunting Club had been shoddy at best and on June 1, 1889, disaster struck. Residents heard a low rumble in the distance that increased to a thunderous roar as 20 million tons of water came crashing down the narrow valley toward the town. The wall of water was 60 feet high and half a mile wide, moving at 40 mph, tossing around huge chunks of debris, a
nd destroying everything in its path.

  Unsuspecting citizens were swept away to be drowned or crushed by the boiling debris. Some residents used the debris as rafts, but when the debris hit the town’s Stone Bridge it started piling up until it was 40 feet high and covered 30 acres. Then it caught fire. Those who survived the flood perished in the fire.

  The flood lasted only 10 minutes, but it left over 2,200 people dead.

  Can it really rain frogs? (Ever hear of it raining soda cans?)

  It’s rare but it does happen. However, it doesn’t rain just a few frogs but hundreds if not thousands of them. It has also rained fish and even soda cans in one rare event.

  Scientists believe that certain types of winds, such as tornadoes or violent thunderstorms, suck up the entire contents of a small pond, carry the moisture and its frog contents some distance away, and then let them fall to earth again. Because the tiny frogs (or soda cans) all weigh about the same, they tend to drop together.

  Reports of raining frogs date back to biblical times. A more recent example is described in an 1883 edition of the Decatur Daily Republican about an event that occurred in Cairo, Illinois: “Early yesterday morning the decks of the steamers Success and Elliot were literally covered with small green frogs about an inch in length, which came down with a drenching rain which prevailed during the night. Spars, lines, trees and fences were literally alive with the slimy things.”