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Ask Mr. Know-It-All By Gary Lee Clothier
http://www.JewishWorldReview.com |
Q: In mid-February, I heard a story about an athlete who competed wearing a multi-thousand dollar wristwatch. If the story is correct, who was it? -- G.L., Santa Rosa, Calif.
A: The story is correct. Spanish tennis star Rafael Nadal has worn a Richard Mille watch since 2010. The first one was worth $525,000. Around this February, Nadal started sporting a new timepiece worth a whopping $690,000! The watch is a recent innovation, designed to survive the torture of less-than-ideal situations. The new system incorporates suspension cables that hold the watch mechanism in the case without being mounted with screws, as is traditionally done.
Richard Mille is a French businessman and owner of a Swiss luxury watchmaking company. The company was founded in 2001 and is based in Les Breuleux, Switzerland.
• Q: When someone dies, it might be said that he "kicked the bucket." How did this saying come about? -- H.M.L., Fort Smith, Ark. A: There are several explanations, but only one stands out as a real possibility. When someone commits suicide by hanging, he needs to stand on something, possibly a bucket, with the rope around his neck. When ready, he "kicks the bucket" and finishes his final act. • DID YOU KNOW? Black Jack, Mo., is a suburb of St. Louis with a population of less than 7,000. It got its name from a grove of blackjack oak trees that grew by the riverbank where the town is now located. • Q: I like the TV series "Castle," and I am especially impressed with Stana Katic. I was wondering what her background is. Can you help me? -- P.W., Torrance, Calif. A: Stana Katic was born in Hamilton, Ontario, on April 26, 1978. Eventually, her family moved to Aurora, Ill., where she graduated from high school. She then studied acting at Goodman School of Drama in Chicago. Katic is proficient in many languages; she speaks French, Italian, Croatian, Serbian and Slovene. She is best known for her portrayal of Detective Kate Beckett on ABC's "Castle." In 2008, she created her production company, Sine Timore Productions, which, in Latin, means "without fear." She lives in Los Angeles. • DID YOU KNOW? Perry Mason's office phone number was Madison 5-1190 (625-1190). •
A: Signal Hill is a small city in Los Angeles County, Calif., that is completely surrounded by the city of Long Beach. On June 23, 1921, Shell Oil Company's Alamitos No. 1 well erupted, causing an oil rush. Before long, Signal Hill's population of oil derricks exploded to more than 100, giving the landscape a prickly appearance and the nickname "Porcupine Hill." Signal Hill became one of the most productive fields per acre the world has ever known. If you are in the area, Alamitos No. 1 remains on display today. Signal Hill has a population of approximately 11,465 people.
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© 2011, Gary Clothier DISTRIBUTED BY UNIVERSAL UCLICK |
Mitch Albom | |||||||||||||
