TIDBITS® INVESTIGATES THE FASTEST & SLOWEST
By Kathy Wolfe
This week, Tidbits invites you to either pick up the pace or slow down as you view facts on the fastest and slowest of various categories.
• In 2023, a 21-year-old Californian set a world record for the fastest solving of a 3x3x3 Rubik’s cube, accomplishing the feat in just 3.13 seconds, smashing the previous record of 3.47 seconds. As a youth, Max Park, diagnosed at an early age with autism, lacked motor skills and struggled even to unscrew the cap of a water bottle. There are several sizes of Rubik’s cubes – 4x4x4, 5x5x5, 6x6x6, and 7x7x7 – and Max holds the world’s record for each and every one. The 3D puzzle was invented in 1974 by Hungarian sculptor and architecture professor Erno Rubik.
• The longest officially-released song goes on for 138 hrs., 41 minutes, and 20 seconds, and required more than four years to record, edit, and mix. The feat was achieved by Dr. Jagadeesh Pillai of India in 2023 when he sang the entire book of a 16thcentury Indian poetic work consisting of more than 15,000 verses that tell of the deeds of Prince Rama, the seventh avatar of Vishnu. The longest classic rock song was recorded by Jethro Tull in 1972. “Thick as a Brick” was 43 minutes, 50 seconds long, and was a continuous piece of music divided onto two sides of an LP. turn the page for more!
Of The Mid-Ohio Valley
is Published & Distributed Weekly By: CindAl Publishing Company 812 55th St. Vienna, WV 26105 e-mail: alan@tidbitsmov.com
Advertising: 304.210.3812
We reserve the absolute right to accept, reject, discontinue or refuse any advertisement personal or commercial that we deem may not be conducive for our publication or Tidbits®. The publisher does not assume any responsibility for the claims of its advertisers. Tidbits® is committed to remain a family oriented publication. www.tidbitsmov.com
FASTEST & SLOWEST
(continued):
• The word “tempo” has its origins in the Latin word “tempus,” meaning “time.” In the world of music, tempo is the rate of speed of a musical piece or passage, often designated by a metronome marking. The tick of a metronome (the creation of German inventor Johann Maelzel in 1815), denotes a quarter note, with a metronome marking of 60 meaning 60 quarter notes, or beats, per minute. Tempo speeds are often written in Italian, beginning with “larghissimo,” meaning “very, very slow,” a metronome speed of 20 beats per minute or slower. “Lento” music is to be played slowly at 40 to 60 bpm. The fast tempo of “allegro” is 120 to 168 bpm, with tempos increasing to “presto” (168 to 200 bpm) and “prestissimo,” with 200+ bpm.
• In 1954, British athlete and Oxford medical student Roger Bannister became the first runner to break the four-minute mile with the time of 3 minutes, 59.4 seconds. His record lasted just 46 days until his rival, Finnish runner John Landy crossed the finish line with a time of 3 minutes, 57.9 seconds. Today, the record for the mile run is held by Moroccan runner Hicham El Guerrouj, who clocked the mile at 3:43.13 in 1999. In 2009, Jamaican runner Usain Bolt became the fastest man on Earth running the 100-meter sprint in 9.58 seconds, which translates to 23.35 mph (37.58 km/hr). Since Bolt left the starting line from zero speed then accelerated, his top speed was actually faster, clocked at 27.8 mph (44.72 km/hr). Some argue that American Justin Gatlin is the fastest man and broke Bolt’s record in 2011, running the 100 meters in 9.45 seconds, 0.13 seconds faster than Bolt. Gatlin’s record failed to stand, however, due to a 20 meter/second tail wind pushing him along, as well as the fact that he had been banned twice from competing for drug-related offenses.
When you find him, to enter the weekly contest, please send us a message including your name, POSTAL MAIL address, the issue number you are referring to and which AD is hosting Tommy for the week! Visit www.tidbitsmov.com or send the answer with the above information to alan@tidbitsmov.com OR you may send us a private message to our Facebook page - @Tidbits MOV. PLEASE do not post the answer directly to the page - that ruins the fun for everyone. All winners will be drawn randomly from correct responses and will be posted weekly. As with all our contests, though you are welcome to play every week, you are only eligible for one winner per household per month.
FASTEST & SLOWEST
(continued):
• The first vehicle in production to break the 200 mph (322 km/hr) mark was the Ferrari F40 in 1987. Since then, the 300 mph (483 km/hr) target has been surpassed. The Bugatti Chiron Super Sport has a speed exceeding 305 mph (490.8 km/hr) and the Swedish Koenigsegg Jesko Absolut has reached 330 mph (531 km/hr), breaking the 0 to 250 mph (402 km/hr) record in June, 2024 in 19.2 seconds. But the Devel Sixteen sports car, designed in United Arab Emirates by Devel Motors with a 5,007horsepower, V16 engine, claims the title of fastest, with the manufacturer maintaining that the car can reach 347 mph (550 km/hr), with a 0 to 60 time of 1.8 seconds. In 1908, when Ford introduced its Model T, the top speed was 40-45 mph (65-70 km/hr), a spectacular speed for its time. The luxury cars of the 1920s really picked up the pace when the Rolls-Royce Phantom I exceeded speeds of 90 mph (145 km/hr) and the Duesenberg Model J topped 100 mph (161 km/hr).
• When we think of roller coasters, a highspeed, exhilarating ride comes to mind. But there is such a thing as an ultra-slow coaster, which has a maximum speed of about 10 mph (16.1 km/hr) or less. These unusual rides keep a leisurely pace with gentle movements, giving riders the chance to appreciate the surrounding scenery in a relaxed experience. The slowest roller coaster in the world can be found at Australia’s Dreamworld Park, where the Magic Carpet Ride coasts along at a top speed of just 5 mph (8 km/hr). If a thrilling, adrenalinepumping ride is more your style, the Formula Rossa, a hydraulic launch coaster located in Ferrari World, United Arab Emirates, reaches a speed of 149 mph (240 km/hr) at its fastest point. North America’s fastest coaster is in New Jersey’s Six Flags Great Adventure Park. The Kingda Ka Coaster sends riders to a 456-foot (139-m) peak at a rate of 128 mph (206 km/hr).
FASTEST & SLOWEST
(continued):
• The peregrine falcon is the fastest member of the animal kingdom, but only when diving. In its hunting dive, the peregrine hits speeds of over 200 mph (322 km/hr), but when soaring horizontally, its cruising speed is about 56 mph (90 km/hr). The cheetah is the fastest land animal, accelerating from 0 to 60 mph (96.6 km/hr) in less than three seconds. However, it can only keep that up for about 60 seconds. The pronghorn antelope can hold a speed of 55 mph (88 km/hr) for half a mile and can run 3.7 miles (5.95 km) at 35 mph (56 km/hr). In the slow lane, sloths barely move throughout the day, and when they do, it’s about a foot per minute, so slowly that algae grows on their coats. A garden snail, which only has one foot, has a top speed of ½ inch (1.3 cm) per second, but might crawl as slowly as 1/10 inch (.28 cm) per second.
• Which Americans talk the fastest? The average rate of speech is 5.09 syllables per second, but Minnesotans speak 5.34 SPS and Oregonians have a rate of 5.33. The city with the fastest rate is Portland, Oregon, at 5.38 SPS. Folks in the South just seem to take things slower. Louisiana has the slowest average speech rate, 4.78 SPS, followed by South Carolina, Mississippi, Alabama, and Georgia. Peoria, Illinois residents are the slowest talkers at 4.71 SPS.
• The speed at which a planet rotates in its orbit is dependent on its distance from the sun due to the sun’s gravitational force. Mercury, the closest to the sun, is the fastest, at a rate of 107,082 mph. (172,332 km/hr). The next planet from the sun, Venus has an orbital speed of 78,337 mph (126,071 km/hr), while Earth’s rate is 66,615 mph (107,206 km/hr). Neptune has the slowest orbital velocity of any planet, traveling around the sun at 12,146 mph (19,547 km/hr).
HENSLER’S HENSLER’S
TOWN & COUNTRY TOWN & COUNTRY MARKET MARKET
TRUCKS
ATTENTION: Sleep Apnea Sufferers... A FREE Report Reveals That There Is Hope for Those Who Can't Use CPAP! A local doctor's new FREE report reveals a solution for those who suffer from claustrophobia, mask leaks, skin, and sinus irritation that can come from CPAP use.
If you've been told that you do not have options and you are stuck with a CPAP machine that you cannot tolerate, then you must find out the 6 simple steps you can take to get better sleep, and the new revolutionary alternative that is changing people's lives daily!
Reader's of the recent special report have discovered that they can now treat their sleep apnea effectively, and they are experiencing deeper sleep, less snoring, and a better quality of rest WITHOUT the frustrations that CPAP can cause. Many are reporting near-immediate relief from their sleep apnea symptoms and their bed partners are sleeping better, too.
Don't give up on treating your sleep apnea, because you don't have to!
To receive a copy of the FREE report entitled: "Six Steps for Starting Oral Appliance Therapy: How to Treat Your Sleep Apnea Without a CPAP" call our office at 740-205-6103 and we'll get you the report right away!
The call is free and so is the report!
Thanks,
'23 Hyundai Santa Fe AWD Loaded!
20,000 miles $24,999
'23 Toyota Tacoma Crew 4X4 SR5
Only 3,000 miles $36,500
'22 Toyota Tacoma Crew 4X4 SR5
30,000 miles $33,999
'22 Chevy Colorado Crew 4X4 Lifted Rocky Ridge Conversion 20,000 miles
'16 RAM 3500 4X4 Reg Cab Dump Truck
'14 Ram 1500 Short Bed Reg Cab 4X4 Hemi Low Miles $22,500 '07 Chevy 2500 Ext Cab 4X4 Duramax Diesel EXTRA CLEAN! $14,900
'99 Ford F-250 Crew 4X4 7.3 Powerstroke Diesel 100,000 miles EXTRA CLEAN! $21,999
'13 GMC 1500 Crew Cab 4X4 7 inch Lift Local Trade Low Miles $16,900
'11 Toyota Tacoma Reg Cab 4X4
130k Miles Clean $9,900
'13 Ford F-150 Crew 4X4 Platinum Edition Loaded Local Trade $7,900
'07 Ford E-350 Box Truck ONLY 20,000 Miles Local Trade $9,500 SUV
'23 Jeep Wagoneer 4X4 20,000 Miles 3rd Row Leather Local Trade SHARP! $53,900
'05 Jeep Wrangler Rubicon Hard Top Low miles Clean $14,900
'23 Subaru Ascent 4X4 Limited ONLY 7,000 miles Local Trade $36,900
'23 GMC Terrain AT4 AWD Loaded! 15,000 miles $27,900
'17 Hyundai Santa Fe AWD 3rd Row Local Trade $11,900
'18 Kia Sportage AWD Loades Local Trade 70,000 Miles $10,900
20 Jeep Gladiator Rubicon 4X4 Lifted 37s! MUST SEE $33,900 CARS
'03 Chevy Corvette Convertible SHARP! 29,000 miles $21,900
'99 Jaguar Convertible 39,000 Miles Sharp! $8,900
'14 Nissan Sentra SV 70,000 miles $7,900
DIRT
World Soil Day is commemorated every December 5th, so this week, Tidbits has all the dirt on…what else? Dirt! Dive in and get your hands dirty with these remarkable facts about dirt.
• Is there a difference between dirt and soil? Scientists say yes, that dirt is an inorganic mix of broken rocks, minerals like iron, calcium, and magnesium, and matter from living things that have died. Soil, the more scientific name, is dirt plus water, along with organic material, a living ecosystem of about 45% minerals, 25% water, 25% air, and 5% organic matter. Those percentages can vary widely based on different types of soil and the location.
• There are three main types of soil. Sandy soil has larger particles, but has fewer nutrients, and drains well. Clay soil’s smaller particles retain water, but it’s heavier as a result. Loamy soil is a mixture of sand, silt, and clay, and is the best for plant growth.
• Soil is so packed with organisms that just one tablespoon has more microorganisms in it than there are people on Earth, including bacteria, fungi, protozoa, and nematodes. Just a teaspoon of soil contains between 100 million to 1 billion bacteria, as many as 75,000 species. There can be 25,000 species of fungi, 1,000 species of protozoa and hundreds of nematodes species. The top six inches (15.2 cm) of one acre of soil contain as much as 20,000 lbs. (9071 kg) of living matter.
• Soil erosion occurs at a rate up to 40 times faster than the rate of soil formation. A minimum of 500 years of required to form an inch of topsoil, formed through the process of weathering, the process of breaking down rocks and minerals through physical, chemical, and biological processes.
DIRT (continued):
• In the U.S., the most extensive type of soil is prairie soil, covering 21% of America’s land mass. Prairie soil is officially known as Mollisol, characterized by a considerable amount of humus on its uppermost layer, formed under grass vegetation.
• Not all soil is brown! Mineral content, organic matter, and chemicals can give dirt a wide variety of colors from black to red to white and even pink and blue. Iron gives dirt a reddish hue. Blue soil found in New England is a silty soil from which iron has been leached. Pink soil is the result of different organic compounds interacting with clay.
• Earthworms love soil! There can be upwards of 1.4 million worms in just one acre of farmland. They love it because it’s packed with nutrients from decaying plants and animals. As they munch on the matter, they break it down even further, enriching the soil for better plant growth.
• The taste of wine can actually be influenced by the composition and characteristics of the soil where grapevines are grown. Fossilized creatures such as oysters whose cells have broken down in the soil give wine a unique taste, as do grapes grown in white clay soil with a layer of limestone. The soil affects the amount of water traveling to the roots, shaping the ripening process.
• Soil isn’t just for growing things – some cultures consider soil sacred and use it in rituals that symbolize fertility, purity, and the cycle of life.
* If you are serving hot rolls on a buffet, line the basket with aluminum foil before you line it with a towel. They lose heat less quickly that way.
* "I've loved this little trick since I saw it used at a party years ago. I serve iced tea (or punch) at most of my gettogethers, and instead of ice cubes, I freeze several pounds of cleaned, de-stemmed white grapes. They are a hit at every party." M.A. in New York
* Need almost-instant party snacks? Try a package of store-bought cheese tortellini. Cook according to package instructions (usually only a few minutes), toss with oil or salad dressing and stick each on a toothpick.
* "A great way to make things comfortable for guests is to print out a copy of the channel lineup for your cable service provider. You also can print out common remote control buttons or any remote-control or TV instructions for streaming movies, etc. This helps us older folks enjoy a few hours of TV time while the younger kids are out at work or school."
H.P. in Nebraska
* At holiday parties, try this tip to avoid overeating: Keep a drink in your dominant hand. You'll be less likely to graze on high-fat chips and other snack foods. Need a little something? Hope for a veggie platter. But whether it's veggies or chips, grab a couple then WALK AWAY from the table before you can hit the dip.
* Here's a great conversation piece: Get a big, shallow bowl or box, fill it with loose snapshots (preferably of holidays past) and set it on your coffee table. People can't resist photos.
Send your tips to Now Here's a Tip, 628 Virginia Drive, Orlando, FL 32803.
(c) 2024 King Features Synd., Inc.
