Trivia

Australia is sorely lacking in finches. Has none, in fact.

One who hates money is called a “chrematophobiac.” Ever meet such a person? I did once. A Seattle skid road pensioner. He gave his monthly check to his landlady. Told her to keep him in food, clothes and root beer, and make sure he never had any cash.

When the German chemistry student Othmar Zeidler concocted DDT in 1873, he shrugged, and made due note. All now know it turned out to be important. More important certainly than what sea captain James E. Palmer did that year. He introduced Pekin duck to upper-class Long Islanders. That was a big year, too, in Hungary. Buda joined Pest.

There are those who believe that the most significant profundity ever uttered by Albert Einstein was this: “Only a life lived for others is worth living.”

Millions of people in this country grew up in houses with tin matchholders mounted head-high - out of the reach of toddlers - on walls near kitchen ranges. Yet even more millions have never seen such wall-mounted matchholders.