The Old Farmer's Almanac 2015 (35 page)

5.    b.
Beavers have hard orange enamel on the front of their four front teeth. The inner side of each tooth is soft dentin, which wears down faster, keeping the ever-growing teeth sharp.

6.    c.
Yellow cards indicate unsportsmanlike conduct to soccer players—but only two times per player per game. A second yellow card is immediately followed by a red card, which ejects the player from the match.

7.    d.
A green ground wire is a safety feature to protect against electrical shock; it provides a path for electricity, if a neutral wire fails.

A sampling from the hundreds of letters, clippings, articles, and emails sent to us by Almanac readers from all over the United States and Canada during the past year.

What Moles Mean

DOES ANYBODY BELIEVE THIS?

–
courtesy of P.B.M., Dublin, New Hampshire

• A mole on the right side of the forehead foretells sudden wealth or honor.
  
• A mole on the nose indicates good luck.
  
• A mole on a lip is a sign that the person will be successful in affairs of the heart.
  
• A mole on a leg indicates indolence.
  
• A mole on an arm is a sign of courage.
  
• A mole on the right knee signifies good fortune in the choice of a partner.
  
• A mole on the left knee suggests an honest character.
  
• A hairy mole portends misfortune.
  
• A mole with few hairs denotes prosperity.
  

The Most Difficult Tongue Twister

EXPERTS AGREE.

–
courtesy of F. J., St. Louis, Missouri

Theophilus Thistle, the thistle-sifter, sifted a sieve of unsifted thistles. If Theophilus Thistle, the thistle-sifter, sifted a sieve of unsifted thistles, where is the sieve of unsifted thistles Theophilus Thistle, the thistle sifter, sifted?

A Little Something That You May Not Know About Cows

...AND MAYBE IT’S BEST THAT YOU DON’T KNOW.

–
courtesy of C.J.B., Montreal, Quebec

Some months ago, methane gas from 90 flatulent cows exploded at a farm in Rasdorf, Germany, damaging the roof of the barn and injuring one of the cows (that, apparently, was particularly flatulent). High levels of gas had built up, and then a static electric charge caused the gas to explode. The lesson learned is that it’s probably best to keep a few windows open in your cow barn.

Solar Strokes

YET ANOTHER REASON TO WORRY.

–
courtesy of P. R., Charlottetown, Prince Edward Island, who credits Reuters

In a review of more than 11,000 people who suffered a stroke between 1981 and 2004, researchers in New Zealand found that strokes are 19 percent more likely to occur on days with a geomagnetic storm. (These are disruptions to Earth’s magnetic field caused by solar winds and coronal mass ejections—effects of the sunspot cycle.) The storms had more effect on people under the age of 65. The good news is that solar activity is generally the lowest that it has been in more than 100 years.

Check Your Change

U.S. paper money is printed in sheets of 32 notes. Sometimes, the sheets are misfed into the high-speed presses, resulting in misplaced or upside-down serial numbers. In 1976, a shopper in a Dallas supermarket checkout line was handed a note mistakenly printed with $20 on one side, $10 on the other. At least three currency sheets with the error were printed in 1974, so there may be as many as 96 double-denomination notes in existence. About 20 have been found. Depending on its condition, one of these bills could be worth much more than either face value.

Ten Odd Questions to Contemplate

WHO THINKS THIS STUFF UP?

–
courtesy of P. N., Davenport, Florida

If man evolved from monkeys and apes, why do we still have monkeys and apes?

Is there another word for synonym?

If a turtle doesn’t have a shell, is it homeless or naked?

Would a fly without wings be called a walk?

What was the best thing before sliced bread?

What if there were no hypothetical questions?

How do they get deer to cross only at those yellow signs?

If you try to fail and succeed, which have you done?

Can vegetarians eat animal crackers?

Proof That Teamwork Gets the Job Done

EVEN IF IT’S A TEAM OF ONE.

–
courtesy of J. B., Safford, Arizona

During the worst blizzard of the century, Mike the mailman was making his deliveries. Unfortunately, his mail truck skidded off the road into a snow bank. After struggling out of it, he walked to the nearest farmhouse seeking help.

The farmer agreed to help Mike and led him into the barn where he introduced him to Tiny, a huge draft horse that he harnessed up. As the farmer grabbed a heavy towrope, the trio set out.

At the scene of the accident, the farmer hooked the rope to both Tiny and the mail truck, and then yelled, “Pull, Sam! Pull, Blaze! Pull, Jack! Pull, Tiny!”

To the mailman’s great relief, the truck was back on the road and undamaged. He thanked the farmer and then asked, “Did you forget your horse’s name? You said, ‘Pull, Sam! Pull, Blaze! Pull, Jack!’ before you said, ‘Pull, Tiny!’”

“No, I didn’t forget his name,” said the farmer. “Tiny is blind, and if he thought he was the only one pulling, he wouldn’t have done a darned thing!”

And Finally...

–
courtesy of F. P., West Caldwell, New Jersey

An old tombstone in a Thurmont, Maryland, cemetery reads: “Here lies an atheist, all dressed up and no place to go.”

Send your contribution for
The 2016 Old Farmer’s Almanac
by January 30, 2015, to “A & P” The Old Farmer’s Almanac, P.O. Box 520, Dublin, NH 03444, or email it to
[email protected]
(subject: A & P).

APOTHECARIES’

1 scruple = 20 grains

1 dram = 3 scruples

1 ounce = 8 drams

1 pound = 12 ounces

AVOIRDUPOIS

1 ounce = 16 drams

1 pound = 16 ounces

1 hundredweight = 100 pounds

1 ton = 2,000 pounds

1 long ton = 2,240 pounds

LIQUID

4 gills = 1 pint

63 gallons = 1 hogshead

2 hogsheads = 1 pipe or butt

2 pipes = 1 tun

DRY

2 pints = 1 quart

4 quarts = 1 gallon

2 gallons = 1 peck

4 pecks = 1 bushel

LINEAR

1 hand = 4 inches

1 link = 7.92 inches

1 span = 9 inches

1 foot = 12 inches

1 yard = 3 feet

1 rod = 5 1/2 yards

1 mile = 320 rods = 1,760 yards = 5,280 feet

1 international nautical mile = 6,076.1155 feet

1 knot = 1 nautical mile per hour

1 fathom = 2 yards = 6 feet

1 furlong = 1/8 mile = 660 feet = 220 yards

1 league = 3 miles = 24 furlongs1 chain = 100 links = 22 yards

SQUARE

1 square foot = 144 square inches

1 square yard = 9 square feet

1 square rod = 30 1/4 square yards = 272 1/4 square feet

1 acre = 160 square rods = 43,560 square feet

1 square mile = 640 acres = 102,400 square rods

1 square rod = 625 square links

1 square chain = 16 square rods

1 acre = 10 square chains

CUBIC

1 cubic foot = 1,728 cubic inches

1 cubic yard = 27 cubic feet

1 cord = 128 cubic feet

1 U.S. liquid gallon = 4 quarts = 231 cubic inches

1 imperial gallon = 1.20 U.S. gallons = 0.16 cubic foot

1 board foot = 144 cubic inches

KITCHEN

3 teaspoons = 1 tablespoon

16 tablespoons = 1 cup

1 cup = 8 ounces

2 cups = 1 pint

2 pints = 1 quart

4 quarts = 1 gallon

Metric Conversions

LINEAR

1 inch = 2.54 centimeters

1 centimeter = 0.39 inch

1 meter = 39.37 inches

1 yard = 0.914 meter

1 mile = 1.61 kilometers

1 kilometer = 0.62 mile

SQUARE

1 square inch = 6.45 square centimeters

1 square yard = 0.84 square meter

1 square mile = 2.59 square kilometers

1 square kilometer = 0.386 square mile

1 acre = 0.40 hectare

1 hectare = 2.47 acres

CUBIC

1 cubic yard = 0.76 cubic meter

1 cubic meter = 1.31 cubic yards

HOUSEHOLD

1/2 teaspoon = 2 mL

1 teaspoon = 5 mL

1 tablespoon = 15 mL

1/4 cup = 60 mL

1/3 cup = 75 mL

1/2 cup = 125 mL

2/3 cup = 150 mL

3/4 cup = 175 mL

1 cup = 250 mL

1 liter = 1.057 U.S. liquid quarts

1 U.S. liquid quart = 0.946 liter

1 U.S. liquid gallon = 3.78 liters

1 gram = 0.035 ounce

1 ounce = 28.349 grams

1 kilogram = 2.2 pounds

1 pound = 0.45 kilogram

Calendar

The Origin of Full Moon Names

Historically, the Native Americans who lived in the area that is now the northern and eastern United States kept track of the seasons by giving a distinctive name to each recurring full Moon. This name was applied to the entire month in which it occurred. These names, and some variations, were used by the Algonquin tribes from New England to Lake Superior.

Meanings of Full Moon Names

January’s
full Moon was called the
Wolf Moon
because it appeared when wolves howled in hunger outside the villages.

February’s
full Moon was called the
Snow Moon
because it was a time of heavy snow. It was also called the
Hunger Moon
because hunting was difficult and hunger often resulted.

March’s
full Moon was called the
Worm Moon
because, as the Sun increasingly warmed the soil, earthworms became active and their castings (excrement) began to appear.

April’s
full Moon was called the
Pink Moon
because it heralded the appearance of the moss pink, or wild ground phlox—one of the first spring flowers.

May’s
full Moon was called the
Flower Moon
because blossoms were abundant everywhere at this time.

June’s
full Moon was called the
Strawberry Moon
because it appeared when the strawberry harvest took place.

July’s
full Moon was called the
Buck Moon
because it arrived when male deer started growing new antlers.

August’s
full Moon was called the
Sturgeon Moon
because this large fish, which is found in the Great Lakes and Lake Champlain, was caught easily at this time.

September’s
full Moon was called the
Corn Moon
because this was the time to harvest corn.

The
Harvest Moon
is the full Moon that occurs closest to the autumnal equinox. It can occur in either September or October. At this time, crops such as corn, pumpkins, squash, and wild rice are ready for gathering.

October’s
full Moon was called the
Hunter’s Moon
because this was the time to hunt in preparation for winter.

November’s
full Moon was called the
Beaver Moon
because it was the time to set beaver traps, before the waters froze over.

December’s
full Moon was called the
Cold Moon
. It was also called the
Long Nights Moon
because nights at this time of year were the longest.

The Origin of Month Names

January.
For the Roman god Janus, protector of gates and doorways. Janus is depicted with two faces, one looking into the past, the other into the future.

February.
From the Latin
februa,
“to cleanse.” The Roman Februalia was a month of purification and atonement.

March.
For the Roman god of war, Mars. This was the time of year to resume military campaigns that had been interrupted by winter.