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A fan of the bizarre

Country Roads

Before the Internet and search engines like Google, I spent a lot of time with reference books. I’m one of those nerds who enjoys reading encyclopedias and almanacs and love learning new (and sometimes weird) things.

Here are a few of the things I have learned lately while looking for something else on the Internet ̶

You should take good care of your feet. Did you know that you have 26 bones in each of your feet ̶ 52 bones in both feet? Your entire body has 206 bones so more than a quarter of your bones are in your feet. Like I said, take good care of your tootsies.

Back in American literature class we read Nathaniel Hawthorne’s The Scarlet Letter in which Hester Prynne is publicly shamed for her out-of-wedlock pregnancy. While the book may not have motivated the law, in Ohio if you have multiple DUIs (driving while under the influence) or drive with a blood alcohol level twice the legal limit, you will be wearing a “scarlet letter.” Actually, you will be displaying a yellow license plate with red characters telling other drivers ̶ and police ̶ that you’re a problem drunk driver. If the Iowa Legislature ever gets done ruining our public education system I recommend they pass this law in our state.

While we’re on the subject of automotive laws it may surprise you that the first person charged with speeding was going four times the speed limit. You should also know that the speeder, Walter Arnold, a resident of a village in the County of Kent in England, was clocked at eight miles per hour in a two miles per hour zone in a Benz automobile on January 28, 1896. The constable chased him down on his bicycle and Arnold was fined £4 7s (four pounds, seven shillings.) This is according to Guinness World Records.

Years ago I had a female friend, now deceased, who would say things just to watch me blush. A group of business people had gathered at our city hall to car pool to a meeting in Des Moines which required an overnight stay. My friend, a woman a few years my senior, told everyone gathered that she was rooming with me that night. I don’t play those kinds of games, of course, nor did she but watching me blush seemed to bring her joy.

That little anecdote leads to the next strange fact: humans are the only creatures who blush or feel embarrassment. While the fact has been confirmed by scientists, Mark Twain said it best: “Man is the only animal that blushes. Or needs to.”

My cousin, Jon, lives in Southern California where he is a member of the San Diego House Rabbit Society. The society’s mission “is to rescue abandoned domestic rabbits within our community and find them new homes, support our local shelters in the care of their rabbits, and educate the community on the proper and responsible care of domestic rabbit companions.” Members have pet rabbits just like you might have a pet dog or cat.

Cousin Jon maintains rabbits make excellent pets. I learned from a Google search that unlike other pets, rabbit can’t puke. According to Google, rabbits’ “digestive system only goes one way, so the furry critters swallow plenty of roughage, which keeps things moving in the right direction.” While a pet rabbit probably won’t chase away burglars, a non-hurling pet would be a welcome thing.

When I worked for the Iowa Newspaper Association one of my duties was to travel the state of Iowa and visit with newspaper editors and publishers. I lived in Ankeny at that time and learned that I was less than four hours from any corner of Iowa. This meant I lived less than four hours from the six states that border the Hawkeye State.

Citizens of the State of Maine are not so fortunate. Maine is the only state in the U.S. that borders just one other state. To the south, Maine is bordered by the Atlantic Ocean. To the east and north Maine is bordered by Canada. It is only to the west that Maine has a U.S. neighbor – New Hampshire. Odd but true.

Leonard Lauder said, “If I don’t learn something every single day, it’s a wasted day.” Your day has not been wasted. You’re welcome.

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