Daniel David Palmer, the creator of chiropractic, once restored a man’s hearing by slapping him on the back after telling a joke.
Donn Beach, the founding father of tiki culture, was from Texas. In 1933, he opened his first tiki bar, Don’s Beachcomber in Hollywood.
While in a little hotel room in Kathmandu, Todd Rundgren composed a song in his head, but didn’t have a recorder. Instead, he imagined playing the piano part and when he finally got to a piano he played it. The song is “Lost Horizon.”
Among Australian tradesmen, the slang term for an office worker is “desk diver” or “shiny bum.”
About 5,000 long-tailed macaque monkeys have taken over Angaur, a remote island at the southern tip of Palau. The northern part of the island is littered with bombs from a 1944 World War II battle that has kept people out, but created a haven for the monkeys.
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 October 24 • 2025.