Apple #162: Some Updates

I'm brewing up another topic for you, but in the meantime, I have a few updates to share.

FISHFISH

My Betta fish, Fishfish, has revealed himself to be a bubble-maker. By that I mean he makes bubbles every day. After I change all the water in his tank, he makes a slightly larger amount. I learned in a book I read that Bettas tend to make the most bubbles after a 100% water change. According to this book, Bettas aren't really ready to mate until the bubbles are bigger than the size the fish normally makes. But you know, I'm starting to think that these fish-book-writing people don't have that much better of an idea about what the fish want than I do after only staring at my fish for a chunk of time each day. All I know is, my fish is a bubble-making Fishfish.

I also suspect he can see his reflection in the side of his bowl. He swims up to the side of the bowl, looks at it very intently, and flares his fins. He also likes a certain tight spot behind the fake plant in the bottom of his bowl. If he hasn't been back there in a while, he swims over to it very cautiously, and then flares his fins like mad, just to make sure no one's snuck back there when he wasn't looking.

For more about betta fish, see basic betta fish care and bubble nests and water care and betta fish food.

FORMULA ONE

In case anybody is interested, here are the major events in this year's Formula One season so far. In the second race of the year, young major threat Kimi Raikkonen had an accident in the very first lap, making his car look like it had been stomped on, and though he was unhurt he was out of the race. In the third race, seasoned 7-time champion Michael Schumacher bounced his Ferrari off one wall and then another in the 32nd lap, totaling his car. Your Apple Lady's favorite and last year's champion, Fernando Alonso, won the first and third races, and he came in second in the second race.

So Alonso has an early lead in the drivers points race with 28 points. At 14 points, Alonso's teammate Giancarlo Fisichella is tied for second with Raikonnen, the formidable Finn. Schumacher is not far behind, tied for fourth, with 11 points.

The next race is coming up on April 23, in Europe's third smallest state, San Marino, in central Italy. The racetrack and town are called Imola, and both are near the birthplace of the Ferrari, the Lamborghini, and the Maserati. Tickets for the race -- if you can still get them -- are going for a mere $128 for one seat in general admission to about $875 for a seat in a prime location. If you'd rather wait, you could go to the fifth race in Cologne, and pay only $113 for a 3-day pass to general admission. A bargain!

Sources
Formula One official website
CIA World Factbook, San Marino
Wikipedia, San Marino Grand Prix
Ticket Finders, San Marino Grand Prix 2006