HARDminute Factoid #61 Failing with Dignity

The HARDminute # 61

A Series of “Top Tens”

That Took Forever to Compile

But Requires Only Sixty Seconds

for You to Read.

The TOP TEN

Ways to Fail a Test with Dignity







My own classes will be done by month end and I don’t teach any more till Spring Semester. These sorts of answers indicate that we can find humor almost anywhere, even in a classroom of adults. Thanks to my friend Patrick Moore in Tucson for sending these.



HOWEVER, he only provided me with 9 ways.



If you have another dignified way to fail with dignity, please send to me and I may be able to “top up” the list to give a true TOP TEN.

HARDminute factoid #60 Olympic conversion chart

The HARDminute # 60
A Series of “Top Tens”
That Took Forever to Compile
But Requires Only Sixty Seconds
for You to Read.
The TOP TEN
Official Olympic
Temperature Conversion Chart

In preparation for the 2010 Winter Olympics in Vancouver, American visitors…and TV viewers…should start now to become familiar with Canadian temperatures, which are measured in degrees Centigrade (or Celsius.)

You can reduce this quick reference guide to a business card size by using the appropriate Avery application.

Canadian officials recommend keeping one copy in your wallet, one near your TV remote, and one in your car when tuning in to CBC Satellite Radio, Sirius 137.


1. 75˚ Fahrenheit (24˚ C)
Phoenicians sing John Lennon’s “So this is Christmas”
Canadians sing Elvis Costello’s “This is Hell”

2. 50° Fahrenheit (10° C)

Californians shiver uncontrollably.

Canadians plant gardens.

3. 35° Fahrenheit (1.6° C)

Italian Cars won't start

Canadians drive with the windows down

4. 32° Fahrenheit (0° C)

American water freezes

Canadian water gets thicker.

5. 0° Fahrenheit (-17.9° C)

New York City landlords finally turn on the heat.

Canadians have the last cookout of the season.

6. Minus 60° Fahrenheit (-51° C)

Santa Claus abandons the North Pole.

Canadian Girl Guides sell cookies door-to-door.

7. Minus 109.9° Fahrenheit (-78.5° C)

Carbon dioxide freezes makes dry ice.

Canadians pull down their earflaps.

8. Minus 173° Fahrenheit (-114° C)

Ethyl alcohol freezes.

Canadians get frustrated when they can't thaw the keg

9. Minus 459.67° Fahrenheit (-273.15° C)

Absolute zero; all atomic motion stops.

Canadians start saying "Cold, eh?"

10. Minus 500° Fahrenheit (-295° C)

Hell freezes over.

Toronto Maple Leafs win the Stanley Cup

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HARDminute factoid 59 BEER

The HARDminute # 55
A Series of “Top Tens”
That Took Forever to Compile
But Requires Only Sixty Seconds
for You to Read.
TOP TEN
PRODUCERS / CONSUMERS
OF BEER



Country
Millions of hectoliters
1 China
393
2 USA
234
3 Russia
116
4 Germany
105
5 Brazil
96
6 Mexico
81
7 Japan
63
8 United Kingdom
51
9 Poland
36
10 Spain
34

Top ten countries per capita consumption
Country
liters per capita
1 Czech Republic
159
2 Germany
111
3 Austria
108
4 Venezuela
101
5 Poland
93
6 Romania
92
7 United Kingdom
88
8 Belgium
86
9 Australia
85
10 Spain
84

The USA is number 11 at 83 liter per capita
The top 5 largest “brewing groups” in the world (end 2008) make half of the world’s beer!
The World's Top 5 Brewing Groups

Brewing Group
Corporate HQ
Millions Hectoliter
% World Production
1 AB Inbev (1)
Belgium
388.1
21.4%
2 SAB Miller
United Kingdom
174.4
9.6%
3 Heineken
Netherlands
161.5
8.9%
4 Carlsberg
Denmark
109.3
6.0%
5 China Resource Brewery
China
73
4.0%
(1) Anheuser-Busch Inbev(2) South African Breweries Miller (does not include joint venture data with Molson-Coors)

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HARDminute factoid # 58 BANANAS

The HARDminute # 58
A Series of “Top Tens”
That Took Forever to Compile
But Requires Only Sixty Seconds
for You to Read.
TOP TEN
BANANA PRODUCERS & EXPORTERS

Top Banana Producing Nations

India ... 16.8 million metric tonnes
Brazil ... 6.7
China ... 6.4
Ecuador ... 5.9
Philippines ... 5.8
Indonesia ... 4.5
Costa Rica ... 2
Mexico & Thailand ... 2.0 each
10 Colombia & Burundi ... 1.6 each

From 10% to 15% of global banana crops are exported.

Top Banana Exporting Nations
Ecuador ... 4.7 million metric tonnes (+2.6% from 2004)
Philippines ... 1.9 (+6.0%)
Costa Rica ... 1.6 (-11.1%)
Colombia ... 1.5 (+7.4%)
Guatemala ... 1.1 (+6.7%)
Honduras ... 0.51 (-3.8%)
Panama ... 0.36 (-10%)
Cameroon ... 0.26 (-12.7%)
Brazil ... 0.21 (+12.7%)
Cote d'Ivoire ... 0.21 (-7.9%)

Four countries (Ecuador, Philippines, Costa Rica and Colombia) generate almost three-quarters of world banana exports.
According to the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations, Ecuador alone exports more than one-third of international banana exports.
The dominant banana importers are European countries (29.2%), U.S. (27.5%), Japan (8.2%), Russia (7.9%) and Canada (3.5%).
Read more: http://internationaltrade.suite101.com/article.cfm/top_ten_banana_countries#ixzz0SSX3TH2D

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HARDminute factoid #57 COAL

The HARDminute # 57
A Series of “Top Tens”
That Took Forever to Compile
But Requires Only Sixty Seconds
for You to Read.
TOP TEN
PROVEN COAL RESERVES

If we can just get to more clean coal uses!!




Country
Bituminous & anthracite
SubBituminous & lignite
TOTAL
Share
USA
111,338
135,305
246,643
27.1
Russia
49,088
107,922
157,010
17.3
China
62,200
52,300
114,500
12.6
India
90,085
2,360
92,445
10.2
Australia
38,600
39,900
78,500
8.6
South Africa
48,750
0
48,750
5.4
Ukraine
16,274
17,879
34,153
3.8
Kazakhstan
28,151
3,128
31,279
3.4
Poland
14,000
0
14,000
1.5
Brazil
0
10,113
10,113
1.1
Germany
183
6,556
6,739
0.7
Colombia
6,230
381
6,611
0.7
Canada
3,471
3,107
6,578
0.7



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HARD

HARDminute factoid #56 Newspapers

The HARDminute # 56
A Series of “Top Tens”
That Took Forever to Compile
But Requires Only Sixty Seconds
for You to Read.
TOP TEN
US Newspapers by Circulation*


USA Today Circulation: 2,281,831
Wall Street Journal Circulation: 2,070,498
New York Times Circulation: 1,121,623
Los Angeles Times Circulation: 907,997
Washington Post Circulation: 740,947
New York Daily News Circulation: 708,773
Chicago Tribune Circulation: 643,086
New York Post Circulation: 565,679
Long Island Newsday Circulation: 527,744
Houston Chronicle Circulation: 477,493

*Source: Newspapers.com

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HARDminute factoid 55 ELectricity

The HARDminute # 55
A Series of “Top Tens”
That Took Forever to Compile
But Requires Only Sixty Seconds
for You to Read.
TOP TEN
PRODUCERS / CONSUMERS

OF ELECTRICITY



PRODUCTION

Rank
Country
Electricity – production kWh
Date of Information
1
World
18,960,000,000,000
2007 est.
2
United States
4,167,000,000,000
2007 est.
3
China
3,256,000,000,000
2007
4
European Union
3,056,000,000,000
2007 est.
5
Japan
1,082,000,000,000
2007 est.
6
Russia
964,200,000,000
2007 est.
7
India
665,300,000,000
2007 est.
8
Canada
612,600,000,000
2007 est.
9
Germany
594,700,000,000
2007 est.
10
France
537,900,000,000
2007 est.



DOMESTIC CONSUMPTION

Rank
Country
Electricity - consumption(kWh)
Date of Information
1
World
16,880,000,000,000
2007 est.
2
United States
3,892,000,000,000
2007 est.
3
China
2,859,000,000,000
2006
4
European Union
2,858,000,000,000
2007 est.
5
Japan
982,500,000,000
2006 est.
6
Russia
819,600,000,000
2006 est.
7
Germany
549,100,000,000
2006 est.
8
Canada
530,000,000,000
2006 est.
9
India
517,200,000,000
2006 est.
10
France
447,300,000,000
2006 est.


Of the top ten countries/regions, only India must be a net importer of power.

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