What Caught My Eye Today

Colombia - The Colombian government has announced that it is partnering with China to build a railway that will link the Atlantic and Pacific oceans as a "dry canal" to rival the Panama Canal. The railway would facilitate both Colombia's exports of raw materials and China's imports to Latin America. It could also provide an alternative route for Chinese companies that ship through the Panama Canal or transport goods overland from California ports to the U.S. East Coast. Sounds like a pretty ambitious project, doesn't it? Just one question. How big are they planning to make those flat cars? I mean, really, have you seen how big some of those next generation cargo ships are? They are so big, that the Panamanian government is spending billions of dollars to widen the existing canal, just so these new ships can squeeze through. Can you imagine trying to fit one of these bad boys onto a flat car? And don't even get me started on how big those tunnels are going to have to be.

Armageddon - I'm know it is not the most cheerful topic on the face of the planet, but it fascinates me nonetheless.. Russian scientists are warning that a 25 million ton asteroid, called Apophis might crash into the Earth on April13, 2036, causing giant tsunamis, global chaos, and the deaths of tens of millions of people. Other than the tens of millions of people, those sorts of things are kind of happening all time. Just as those poor slobs who live anywhere near the Ring of Fire. NASA scientists say their calculations indicate that Apophis's path will be a near miss, with its chances of of hitting the Earth at 250,000 to 1. Well now, this does create quite the little quandary for me. I just got dinner reservations for that new restaurant on that very same night. It took me forever to get into that joint. I'd hate to think that I might have to cancel over a little thing like the end of civilizations. Too heck with it. I'm putting my faith in NASA and keeping my 6:30 reservation.

Potpourri - More submissions for the"I did not know that" file

• Farming - Farming is more dangerous than fighting fires. According to recently released statistics from the U.S. Labor Department of every 100,000 farm and ranch workers, 38.5 suffer fatal work injuries annually, compared with 4.4 fatalities per 100,000 firefighters.
  I keep reading about how there are fewer people in farming than there used to be. I had assumed that they had found more appealing job opportunities. I never gave much thought to the notion that farmers might literally be a dying breed.
• Cars - According to a USA Today poll, 60% of consumers say they will consider purchasing a gas-electric hybrid vehicle. Yet only 4.3% of cars sold in the U.S. last year were hybrids.
  And I will consider becoming a billionaire next year. See, it's easy to "consider" doing something as opposed to, oh, I don't know... actually DOING it.
• Air Travel - The number of consumer complaints against airlines rose 25% in 2010 to nearly 11,000. Consumer activists attribute the increase to frustration over proliferating airline fees.
  11,000 complaints? Really, that's it? Frankly, I'm stunned the number is so low. That said, if consumers want to direct their anger at the real culprit behind all these fees, they would be well served to search out the closest mirror. As shocking of a revelation as this might be to some people, it turns out that airplanes don't operate on magic pixie dust, but jet fuel made out of $90 a barrel crude oil. And let's not forget about those unreasonable airline employees who have the temerity to demand to get paid for the work that they do.
• Scientology - Despite claiming to have 8 million members, only about 25,000 Americans say they belong to the Church of Scientology.
  25,000 members? Really, that many?

Motor Sports - I appreciate that many people do not share the same view of stock car racing that I do, so I will try to be a succinct as possible. NASCAR is friggin' AWESOME!!! Yesterday's running of the season opening Daytona 500 was unbelievable. And I'm not just saying that because Martina McBride got all the words to the national anthem right (yes, another reference to the Christina Aguilera fiasco at the Super Bowl...I can't help myself). Dude, who just turned 20 and was driving in just his second Cup race ever, goes out and wins the whole damn race. He was so excited he drove right past Victory Lane.

Secret Formulas - Full disclosure: I am an avid listener and supporter of National Public Radio, but have never tuned into this particular program...I may have to re-think that. It might be one of the most closely guarded secrets in the soft drink industry. On a recent broadcast of "This American Life", Ira Glass broadcast what he believes to be the original recipe to "merchandise 7X," the super secret ingredient in Coca-Cola. One of the world's most closely guarded trade secrets, many myths surround the ingredient, including the idea that only two people at any given time actually know the formula. Glass claims that "This American Live" found the recipe published in a newspaper in Coke's very own hometown -- on page 2B of the February 18, 1979, Atlanta-Journal Constitution. Apparently, a local columnist had stumbled across it in an old book of recipes, which was handwritten by a pharmacist decades earlier. Coca-Cola was invented by a pharmacist, and was initially sold at pharmacies and soda fountains. Okay, boys and girls, here it is:

The recipe: Fluid extract of Coca: 3 drams USP, Citric acid: 3 oz, Caffeine: 1 oz, Sugar: 30 (unclear quantity), Water: 2.5 gal, Lime juice: 2 pints, 1 quart, Vanilla: 1 oz, Caramel: 1.5 oz or more for color.

The secret 7X flavor (use 2 oz of flavor to 5 gals syrup):
Alcohol: 8 oz
Orange oil: 20 drops
Lemon oil: 30 drops
Nutmeg oil: 10 drops
Coriander: 5 drops
Neroli: 10 drops
Cinnamon: 10 drops