During times of famine – say around the 15th century – Britons resorted to eating their candles made of pig tallow.
During a February 2026 snowstorm, the winner of a Chicago snowplow-naming contest was a humorous pun: “Abolish ICE.”
In Danish author Hans Christian Andersen’s original fairy tale, “The Little Mermaid” – spoiler alert – she dies at the end by jumping into the sea and dissolving into sea foam and her spirit ascends to heaven.
A 2013 Wall Street Journal study found that a typical three-hour baseball game contains only about 18 minutes of actual “action.”
According to Ancestry.com, by the mid-1920s the popularity of Valentine’s Day in Australia was fading fast and gave way to the “age of realism.” The cultural shift prioritized progress and productivity rather than poetry and passion.
The above is information that Mr. Smarty Pants read in a book, magazine, or newspaper; heard on the radio; saw on television; or overheard at a party. Got facts? Write to Mr. Smarty Pants. Why not visit mrsmartypants.com?
This article appears in March 13 • 2026.