The Pieter Schelte at dock – Photo AllSeas

The world’s largest ship, Pieter Schelte, has been undergoing final trials just off the coast of South Korea. The craft is 407 feet wide and 1253 feet long. The Pieter Schelte includes an onboard heliport and requires a crew of 571 when fully manned. [For Photo gallery, click here.]

A Dutch corporation (Allseas) owns the vessel which is designed to efficiently remove oil-drilling rigs abandoned in our oceans and gulfs. Operations that had previously required months or years can now be completed in less than a week.
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The U.S. experienced fewer tornadoes in the past three years than any similar span since accurate records began in the 1950s. Yet meteorologists aren’t sure exactly why.

As this year comes to a close, about 150 fewer damaging tornadoes than average have hit the U.S., according to data from the Storm Prediction Center (SPC). Explanations for the decrease in twisters the past three years range from unusual cold to unusual heat, or just coincidence.

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A paper products study has revealed that in 2012, the average American used an equivalent of 100 rolls of toilet paper. Mr. Whipple must be smiling.

I might add that it was not until 1941 that the TP industry solved the common “splinters in the product” problem. I can see how random splinters could cause a “product desirability” glitch.

If you know who lives at 742 Evergreen Terrace, it is likely that you have watched a lot of television.
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Firefly’s Tom Markusic – Photo: arstechnica.com

CEDAR PARK, TEXAS—Former SpaceX engineer Tom Markusic has brought Firefly Space Systems to the outskirts of Austin to make rockets and chew bubblegum, and he’s all out of gum.

Standing in the vast field on the outskirts of the Texas state capital watching Markusic flitting between clusters of workers welding together test stand equipment, it’s easy to get caught up in the man’s vision of democratizing access to space—a vision of filling that vault of empty sky above our heads with countless twinkling lights writes arstechnica.com.
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AccuWeather reports cold air will be less intense and much less widespread across the nation during the week of Thanksgiving, but there will still be a few travel trouble spots including areas of winter-like conditions and rain-related issues.

Arctic cold will release its grip over much of the nation by the time millions hit the roads and the skies during the busiest week for travel of the year.

However, while the warmest weather will be in the traditional areas of Hawaii, South Florida and Southern California, early-week travelers may encounter some weather-related problems departing their location and a few may find some rain when they arrive.

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