Geography Reference
In-Depth Information
In reality, the Bermuda Triangle is much ado about nothing. The vast majority of the supposedly ab-
normal disappearances have very normal explanations, and some of the most famous incidents oc-
curred well outside the Triangle. Several years ago, a researcher compiled an extensive list of sink-
ingsandcrashes,basedonLloydsofLondonaccident reportsandsimilar reliable sources,andplotted
them on a map. If anything, the data show that the Triangle is remarkable for its lack of mishaps and
is practically the safest part of the western Atlantic Ocean.
Cold Canadian Air
It happens several times each winter. I'm watching a weather report on TV and the map indicates fri-
gidtemperatures upinparts ofCanada, suchasAlberta, Saskatchewan, andManitoba. With squinting
eyes and stern gaze, the usually smiling weather-person glumly warns that “cold Canadian air” is on
the way. Cold Canadian air — have you ever heard that term? If you live in the U.S., pay extra special
attention to weather forecasts between November and March. Sooner or later you're going to be told
that cold Canadian air is on the way. I guarantee it.
Given the imminent arrival of cold “Canadian air,” it seems to me that you have every right to say
“Darn those Canadians! Why don't they keep their cold air to themselves?” Of course, “Canadian
air” does not exist. Neither does German air, Pakistani air, Ethiopian air, etc. Air is air. It doesn't be-
long to anybody. “Air space,” the atmospheric area that is vertically overhead a country, is another
matter. That belongs to Canada, according to international law. Thus, aircraft of foreign countries are
not supposed to fly over Canada without the Canadians' permission. But Canada owns the physical
space, not the air itself.
If the air over Canada is very, very cold, rest assured the Canadian people had nothing to do with it.
And if that same cold air is coming your way, again rest assured that there is no nefarious neighbor to
your north who is responsible. If you feel like blaming someone, or something, then consult Chapter
9, wherein you will come across a couple of environmental factors. Cold “Canadian Air?” Forget
about it.
“The Rain in Spain Stays Mainly on the Plain”
I hate to be the one to tell you this, but “Wrong! Wrong! Wrong!” The plain (or
meseta
) that occupies
central Spain is among the driest parts of the country. Madrid gets about 17 inches of rainfall on av-
erage per year. Valladolid, a city in another part of the plain, averages a little less than 15 inches. But
it's another story in Galicia, the mountainous area in extreme northwestern Spain. Santiago de Com-
postela, the world-famous Galician center of pilgrimage, averages about 56 inches of rain per year.
