here's your irregularly scheduled installment:
- eucalyptus oil is highly flammable and trees (aka "gasoline trees") have been known to explode.
- there have been plenty of successful water landings of commercial aircraft. in fact, in all documented ditchings, some or all passengers have survived. contrast the controlled (responsive and intact control surfaces) water landing of a ditching with an uncontrolled (lack of responsive and intact control surfaces) water landing of a crash. that being said, there has never been a 100% survival rate with a ditching in an aircraft as large as the airbus 380 or with as many occupants (155) as flown in US Airways flight 1549. until now. survival rates of documented ditchings range between 50% and 100%. i'm fascinated.
- the national museum of the united states air force is in dayton, ohio. it is the world's largest and oldest military aviation museum with more the 400 aircraft and missiles on display. admission is free and the drive from murfreesboro is, according to google maps, around five hours. you hear that, cory? i'm talking road trip.
- meat broth is thickened by gelatin, which is created by hydrolysis of collagen from connective tissue in the bones as well as the organs and intestines.
- paracetamol, more commonly known as acetaminophen, is an effective pain reliever for dogs; however, it is extremely toxic to cats, who lack the necessary enzymes to safely break it down. even a very small portion of a tablet of tylenol can and will kill them. acetaminophen is also extremely lethal to snakes.
- there is a species of frog, the arctic or wood frog, that freezes over in the winter during its hibernation. it accumulates urea and sugar inside of its body and can tolerate its blood and tissues freezing solid several times during the winter and survive, providing not more than around 65% of its total body water freezes. it is very common throughout canada and alaska as well as the northeastern us states down to the southern appalachians.
- driving left of center and driving off the right side of the road both outrank speeding as major causes of traffic accidents in the united states. in fact, in virgina, "speed too fast" (which also takes into account road conditions -- ie, 10mph on an icy road where the limit is 45mph counts as "speed too fast"), was not a cause in as many accidents as was falling asleep or becoming ill behind the wheel. in my opinion, these studies (performed by the DOT) confirm that PAYING ATTENTION is more important than your speed.
'till next time, if i see you on your cellphone, i'm staying as FAR to the other side of the road as i safely can.
