The things you learn from volcanos

I know the Icelandic volcano is wreaking havoc all over northern Europe because it has produced a dark cloud that has forced airlines to cancel most air traffic there, including just about all flights in and out of London and Paris. But if it wasn't for the volcano, I would have never known there was such an organization as The International Volcanic Health Hazard Network or even Volcanic Ash Advisory Center, which makes me wonder what these organizations do the rest of the year.

I also learned via this news story that the New York-to-London airplane route is the second busiest international route in the world after the Hong-Kong-to-Taipei,-Taiwan, route. Am I the only one who didn't know about the heavy traffic between Hong Kong and Taipei, a flight I may have actually made once or twice?

And I want to thank the New York Times for letting me know the name of the volcano: "Eyjafjallajokull (pronounced EYE-a-fyat-la-jo-kutl)." Huh?