There are days when I am sick of reading and writing about Trump. There are days when some of my readers and friends will contact me and tell me how tired they are reading about Trump. Some even skip my Trump passages.
I came across some detailed Moby Dick information this morning. Quite frankly, more interesting that Trump. Sooooo, I have written all I am about Trump today. The main thrust of today’s blog involves Moby Dick and some other non-Trump items.
Read on my friends.
“Call me Ishmael.” The legendary first line of Moby Dick, Herman Melville’s 1851 novel. During my high school years, we all read it as part of an English class. Then spent a whole year of a college English class reading it again. This time in more detail.
Live and learn for me. Today, at 90 years of age, having read Moby Dick when I was 15 in high school and then again when 20 in college, I learned some Moby Dick things I was unaware of.
Moby Dick was inspired by a real whale named “Mocha Dick.”
Mocha was an albino sperm whale named after the Chikan Island near which his decade long reign of terror took place. Mocha devastated more than 20 whaling ships in addition to escaping 80 plus other ships.
Twenty plus harpoons were found in Mocha’s side at the time of his death.
Herman Melville’s Moby Dick sold 3,715 copies in its first year.
Moby Dick contains 206,052 words. I thought it was long!
A sperm whale can dive deeply. As much as 9,800 feet.
Finally, a surprise of surprises. Moby Dick inspired Starbuck’s name.
Moby Dick’s first mate was Starbuck. The coffee shop chain was named after Starbuck to evoke “the name of the high seas and the seafaring tradition of the early coffee traders.
Minor consequential items.
Two major movie stars died today. Michael Douglas and Oprah Winfrey. They did not come any bigger.
Melissa became a Category 5 hurricane today. Wow becomes Jamaica when it hits.
Twenty three year old Michael Brennan created PGA history. Won the Bank of Utah Championship by 4 strokes.
Syracuse played its first exhibition basketball game against Buffalo. Won 76-66. The win not impressive. Hope the basketball team this season will not be as bad as the football team.
Going back many years, New York City’s first subway train began operations this day in 1904.
Enjoy your day!