Here are some interesting facts about Italy and Poland:
*The money of Italy used to be the Italian Lira, but now they use the Euro Dollar.
*The Leaning Tower of Pisa is leaning because the foundation is sinking on one side. The tower was built 800 years ago and started sinking almost right after it was built!
*The first battery was invented in Italy in 1800 by Alessandro Volta.
*The Italian inventor Galileo Galilei made the world's first thermometer.
*Pasta is NOT from Italy. It was invented in China!
*The money used in Poland is the Zloty.
*In Poland a wedding celebration can last from a weekend to a whole week!
* The Wawel Cathedral in Krakow, Poland is where Poland buried the kings.
*Perogies are a food that came from Poland.
*The famous Polish scientist, Nicolaus Copernicus discovered that the earth actually moved around the sun.
*Frederich Chopin was born in Poland. He was a famous musician and wrote classical music.
In Poland the money they use is called Zloty. It is different than U.S. Dollars.
Right now, 100 Zloty = $24.00.
If a coat in Poland costs 250 Zloty, how much does it cost in U.S. Dollars?
(The answer will appear in next months newsletter update)
This problem is from our vacation to Chicago. Our drive home from Chicago to Quakertown took 13 hours and 42 minutes. Part of that time was spent at rest stops. We spent 35 minutes at the first stop in the morning, 27 minutes for lunch and one quick stop for 13 minutes. We also stopped for 52 minutes for dinner. How much time did we actually spend in the truck driving?
(See bottom of this web page for the answer.)
A: It is a virus (germ) that can make people sick. It can also be in horses, birds and mosquitoes.
Q? Where did it come from?
A: It came from Africa, West Asia and the Middle East.
Q? How do you get it?
A: You get it if you get bitten by a mosquito that has it.
Q? How many people have it?
A: In 2001, there were 66 people who had the severe disease and 9 people died. So far in 2002, there have been 954 cases of people with the disease. 43 people have died so far this year.
Q? How would I know if I have it?
A: First, you would have to be bitten by a mosquito that had the disease. Some people who get infected with the virus never get sick at all! Some people will get sick with West Nile Fever which has a mild fever, aches and sometimes a rash on your body. Only a few people will get the severe disease which is a high fever, a stiff neck, and bad headache. These people can also go into a coma, have convulsions or become paralyzed. The only way you can tell if you really have it is to go to your doctor. The doctor can do a blood test to tell if you have gotten West Nile Virus.
Q: How can I prevent myself from getting West Nile Virus?
A: You have to try and protect yourself from mosquito bites. You can do that by using an insect repellant on your skin and clothes. The best ones have DEET(it says that on the label.)You can also wear long sleeve shirts and pants in light colors so that the mosquitos are not attracted to your skin. Mosquitoes like to come out around sunset and early night and also in the early morning as the sun is coming up. If you are out then, use the protective ideas. Also, don't give mosquitoes a place to live at your house. Mosquitoes need old, standing water to grow in. Make sure you empty buckets, pools of standing water that don't have chemicals or filters, birdbaths and any places with puddles. That way there will be less mosquitoes!
We drove for 11 hours and 35 minutes.