Wednesday, April 01, 2009

Trivial pursuits

Every so often I read the funniest trivia on my commute to work. Here's one example I've yet to share.

The Corkscrew was the oldest rollercoaster ride at Alton Towers, the UK’s largest theme park. After 28 years of service it was finally decommissioned in 2008. While dismantling it workers discovered all manner of centrifugally discarded items. Aside from the expected pile of mobile phones and shoes, ten pair of underwear was also located, along with a prosthetic leg. The mind boggles.

On a more serious trivia note, today’s paper says we could be in for stunning sunsets over the next few weeks. On March 22, Mount Redoubt, an Alaskan volcano erupted, sending plumes of ash 15kms into the atmosphere. This plume is progressively being swept across North America and the Atlantic by jetstream winds. The dust and ash reflects sunlight long after sunset, scattering its rays into a brilliant display of yellow, orange and red. Watch for my photos, assuming we have clear skies in the days ahead.

No comments: