Once my reading skills advanced beyond the Alice and Jerry primers I became a newspaper reader. My parents’ nerdy first born devoured newspapers, often not understanding everything I read.

More than 50 years ago I discovered a nationally syndicated newspaper columnist, L.M. Boyd, who wrote a daily column of trivia and amusing facts. Since my mind processes trivia better than more complex matters, I became a quick fan of Boyd’s work.

Louis Malcolm Boyd retired in 2004 and passed away in January 2007. I still miss reading his collections of minutiae.

In memory of L.M. Boyd, I present a column reminiscent of his style and content:

• Animals that lay eggs don’t have belly buttons.

• Rabbits cannot vomit.

• Boanthropy is the psychological disorder in which patients believe they are a cow. I imagine they milk that for all it’s worth.

• The first stall in a public bathroom is least often occupied and is the cleanest.

• You share your birthday with at least nine million other people in the world.

• The fear of long words is called hippopotomonstrosesquippedaliophobia. That word scares me.

• Wearing a tie can reduce blood flow to the brain by 7.5%. This may explain Congressional decisions.

• The “ZIP” in Zip Code stands for “Zone Improvement Plan.”

• Elephants are the only animal that can’t jump. I jump like an elephant.

• “Bluetooth” technology was named after a 10th-century king, King Harald “Bluetooth” Gormsson. He united Denmark and Norway, just like the technology united computers and cell phones.

• A “jiffy” is an actual unit of time for 1/100th of a second.

• Allodoxaphobia is the fear of other people’s opinions.

• Banks have therapists known as “wealth psychologists” who help clients who are unable to mentally cope with their immense wealth. I have never met one.

• It’s impossible to hum while holding your nose.

• In 2013, a 28-year-old woman from India went 45 days without a bowel movement. Surgery was required.

• If you sneeze traveling 60 mph, your eyes are closed for an average of 50 feet.

• German chocolate cake is named after an American baker named Samuel German.

• The world’s three most addictive drugs in order: 1. Heroin 2. Nicotine 3. Caffeine.

• A tiger’s roar can be heard up to two miles away.

• Our brain systems are wired to enable us to have spiritual experiences. The brain circuits that are used in prayer or worship are also involved in developing compassion for others.

• Laughing burns calories. Just 10 to 15 minutes of laughing can burn up to 40 calories. Forty calories is an awfully small serving.

• A dime has 118 ridges around the edge.

• The Bible does not say there were three wise men; it only says there were three gifts.

• The winter of 1932 was so cold that Niagara Falls froze completely solid.

• Humans have been performing dentistry since 7000 B.C.

• Americans eat around 100 acres of pizza each day.

• More people live in New York City than in 40 of the 50 states.

• The word “Pennsylvania” is misspelled on the Liberty Bell.

• The Empire State building has its own zip code.

• There are around 5,000 commercial airplanes flying over the U.S. at any given time.

• The average human passes enough gas in a day to fill a party balloon.

• The first telephone book only contained 50 names in 1878.

Looking this over I realize L.M. Boyd did it better. Respect!

Arvid Huisman can be contacted at huismaniowa@gmail.com. ©2025 by Huisman Communications.