– For centuries society was often biased against left-handed people. For instance, in 1870 famed Italian psychiatrist Cesare Lombroso asserted that left-handed men were more likely to be “psychological degenerates” and prone to violence. Lombroso is not held in high esteem amongst modern-day psychiatrists.
– Meanwhile, Florida contains the only regions in the world where both alligators and crocodiles live together in the wild. Both roaches and silverfish live together in my Texas region.
– You might want to show some respect the next time you see a greyhound. The greyhound is featured on several Egyptian tombs and is mentioned in the Bible (Proverbs 30:31).
– Do you know anyone who owns a Stradivarius violin? It is unlikely. The instruments are worth millions. Records indicate that it took Antonio Stradivari about one week to make each instrument. In spite of what one may have heard, it is asserted by experts to be impossible for even the finest trained human ears to accurately distinguish the difference between the tones of a Strad and an exceptional-quality violin made recently.
– The bust called Plautilla is in the Louvre and is almost two thousand years old. I mention this particular statue because its “hair” is removable and alterable. The sculptor included this feature so that the hair could be changed as hair styles changed. My hair has slowly become removable, but that is not the result of hair style variations.
– A lucrative industry developed around turquoise has burgeoned recently, especially in the American Southwest. The stone has also long been popular in Turkey. In fact “turquoise” is a language aberration of “Turkey.”
– Few are aware that our U.S. Coast Guard is a division of the Department of Transportation. The Army, Navy and Air Force are branches in the Department of Defense.
– Fads involving the human race are often downright weird. In the 1500s, it became fashionable (especially among women) to dye some front teeth. Italian women preferred red and green while Russian women preferred black. Rumor has it that Dracula preferred red.
– Natives in Alaska have reputations for pulling pranks on non-natives. If you are ever near the Alaskan village of Yup’ik, pause to inquire about the traditional local dish known as stinkheads. Visitors will likely be shown where natives have dumped and buried salmon heads and guts. Natives never eat these discards, but claim they are delicious.
– Robert E. Lee’s father was once governor of Virginia. My father once ran a gas station, when the regular boss was away. Well, never order stinkhead casserole when in Yup’ik and have magnificent day.
James White is a retired mathematics teacher who enjoys sharing fascinating trivia. He can be reached at [email protected].
