Lofty Matters

45 spellers advanced into semifinals of the Scripps National Spelling Bee Friday, thus earning a spot on national television. Ten year old Veronica Penny (right) looks like she is going to cry, but this is her method of thinking before spelling a word. She did this three times on stage and correctly spelled each word.

The 81st edition of the bee began with a record 288 spellers in the competition. ESPN will broadcast the semifinals and Friday’s two-hour finals will be aired live in prime time on ABC. Thursday began with the preliminary round and all the spellers who made it to Washington received their one guaranteed moment in the spotlight.

A New York town successfully repealed a ban on clotheslines this week. The ban had stood since 2002 and prevented homeowners from hanging clothes outside to dry (or they risked a possible $1,000 fine or six-month jail term). Obviously, hanging clothes outside instead of using a dryer will save electricity, which is a great way to cut down on expenses.

After the people and the pets were put out of harms way, approximately 6,000 tons of salmon were moved away from the threatening volcanic eruption in southern Chile. Approximately 600,000 salmon were being moved by boats from a fish farm eight miles from the Chaiten volcano. The volcano began erupting on May 2 and all 4,500 residents of the town of Chaiten have been evacuated. Then hundreds of pets were rescued eight days after the eruption and thousands of heads of livestock have been removed. Finally, the salmon were removed.