Pork was once the national dish of Spain because it discouraged Muslims and Jews from living there; both religions discourage eating pork.
Ernest Hemingway found Toronto, Canada, boring.
The red poppy pins common in the UK were first sold in 1921 to help ex-servicemen from World War I and surviving families. In the battlefields of France and Belgium, poppies started to flower, which inspired a 1915 poem published in Punch magazine.
Prince Harry was late for his first date with Meghan Markle because he was stuck in traffic.
Exploding pineapples are a thing. The official name is bacterial heart and fruit rot disease and it involves a buildup of liquid and bubbles caused by fermentation, producing rotten-smelling liquid, infecting nearby plants, and, in some cases when the liquid and gas cannot escape, causing pineapples to explode.
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 November 6 • 2026.