Did you Know? Some quick answers to some curious questions

Don Coble

Have you ever wondered about things, like why does printer ink cost nearly as much as a new printer, or that horror genius Alfred Hitchcock was deadly afraid of eggs and that more than 25% of your bones are in your feet?

Well, to save time, we uncovered some unusual facts – all so you can be better informed.

Like:

• Did you know there’s a luggage company called Amelia Earhart? That begs the question: why would you buy suitcases from somebody who got lost and was never found? When I get to my destination, I’d like to have some clean underwear and my toothbrush.

• Did you know handicap tags are assigned to a person, not the vehicle? It’s amazing how many healthy people think a blue rearview mirror placard or a handicap logo on the tag allows them to park in a handicapped spot. Handicapped designations are assigned to a person, not the car – and the designated person must be in the car to utilize the restricted parking space.

• Don’t you just love those wonderful breakfast commercials for Jimmy Dean Sausage? Hearing Jimmy Dean’s voice not only assures everyone they’re about to have a tasty meal, but he gives instant credibility to the product. The only problem is, that Jimmy Dean died on June 13, 2012. Talk about subliminal advertising.

• Which brings us to this little nugget of insanity: Oregon Gov. Kate Brown, a Democrat, signed the “Menstrual Dignity Act” last week which requires all schools to offer free feminine products in both boys’ and girls’ restrooms from kindergarten through 12th grade, starting with the 2022-23 schoolyear. Some things you just can’t make up.

• Can you imagine trying to run one of the most popular commercials of the 1960s featuring Armour HOT DOGS today? The song goes: “Hot dogs, Armour HOT DOGS. What kind of kids eat Armour HOT DOGS? Fat kids, skinny kids, kids who climb on rocks. Tough kids, sissy kids, even kids with chickenpox love hot dogs, Armour HOT DOGS. The dogs kids love to bite!”

• If lawmakers decide to forgive college student loan debt, it doesn’t mean the outstanding balance will go away. It will be paid by taxpayers. And since most people didn’t go to college, the bulk of student loan debt will be paid by people who didn’t even go to college.

• Track workers generally find the cremated remains of several stock car fans in the infield following a racing weekend at the Talladega Superspeedway in Alabama.

• Bet you didn’t know it’s against the law to have doors on public buildings that open inward. Now you do.

• Did you know the man who invented the Pringles can in 1966 is buried in one of his cans? Fredric Baur was 89 when he died and he asked that his ashes be placed in a can of original Pringles that was purchased by his children at a Walgreens while they were on their way to the funeral home.

• Believe it or not, somebody offered to sell New Zealand on eBay in 2006. Even more amazing, the highest bid was up to $3,000 before the offer was removed from the site.

• Look in the sky! It’s a bird! It’s a plane! No, it’s the official bird of Redondo Beach, California – the Goodyear Blimp.

• Psst! In the small town of Oakland, Florida, about 20 miles west of Orlando, it’s illegal to gossip. Just don’t tell anyone where you heard that.

• Two sisters in Virginia noticed one of their corn flakes was shaped like the state of Illinois. They sold it online for $1,350 to the owner of a trivia website from Austin, Texas.

• Before it was closed for renovation, did you know you couldn’t get a Waldorf salad at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in New York City?

• And sadly, Guinness said nearly 163,000 pints of its famed stout is lost on facial hair.