Here are some facts about the world we live in:

» Thirty gallons, or 135 litres, of water is used for the average shower in the United States.

» The ancient Greeks believed ivy to be the sign of everlasting love.

» Three hundred and fourteen acres of trees are used to make the newsprint for the average Sunday edition of the New York Times. There are nearly 63,000 trees in the 314 acres.

» Throughout history, more ships have been sunk by hurricanes than by war.

» The average American uses eight times as much fuel energy as an average person anywhere else in the world.

» On November 12, 1970, the deadliest tornado of the twentieth century swept through Bangladesh. Afterwards, 200,000 people were dead and 100,000 people were missing. The country was hit by the second deadliest tornado in 1991, when 131,000 people were killed. Two more cyclones were suffered in 1963 (22,000 dead) and 1965 (47,000 dead).

» A bolt of lightning can strike Earth with a force as great as 100 million volts.

-- courtesy of Betty Lynch