Mullet Over #505

California’s conspicuous HOLLYWOOD sign on the famous hillside weighs approximately 450,000 pounds. That is an average of 50,000 pounds per letter.

Are you always on the alert for a bargain? A wealthy person in Florida had completed about half of a 90,000 sq. ft. home when he significantly slowed progress on the project (after spending some $50 million on the dream house/estate). So far, the construction has included 22 bathrooms, 10 kitchens and a bowling alley. I should also mention the 20 car garage (completely underground) and 2 movie theaters. Word on the street is that the owner might sell at a reduced price to the “proper” buyer.

I thought something was missing! A computer model of our solar system indicates that we lost a giant planet many years ago. An astro-scientist named Nesvorny has offered this explanation: “The gravitational effects of our largest planet seem to have been the cause of the missing planet’s disappearance. Jupiter so altered the unknown planet’s orbit that it broke loose from the gravitational hold of our sun and sped off to somewhere in space.” Other scientists do confirm that there are millions of rogue planet-sized objects hurtling through space that are not part of any solar system.

In the 1920’s and 1930’s, artist Norman Rockwell completed six paintings for the Coca Cola Company. The whereabouts of three of the paintings are unknown, but are generally thought to exist somewhere. Coke executives would very much like to possess the missing three and it is estimated that each of the artworks could fetch $500,000 to $1,000,000 if discovered and offered for sale.

Some botanists in Russia have reportedly regenerated a plant whose seeds were frozen and buried about 30,000 years ago. The narrow-leafed campion has been identified as Silene stenophylla and has produced several small flowers featuring five white petals.

From the “Lots of Ways to Make a Living” file, I submit a group from France who investigate the best ways to fully enjoy champagne. By employing microgas chromatography and infra-red imaging, it has been determined that the sipper enjoys more “bubbly action” and sharper “champagne fragrance” when the beverage is sipped from a moderately tall glass that has a narrow flute. I am so unsophisticated that I honestly had no idea that some glasses owned musical instruments.

Well, keep a sharp lookout for Coca Cola paintings in your dwelling – and have a splendid week.