You can’t touch me at Trivial Pursuit

Published 12:00 am Monday, October 13, 2003

By LEONARD GRAY-Staff Reporter

Several years ago, there was a board game designed for four players called “Trivial Pursuit.” As an avid reader and collector of trivia, I was great at the game, except for the sports questions, which is a whole other topic for a column. Here then are a few of my favorite bits of trivia. See what you know or didn’t realize.

It is impossible to lick your elbow.

The first couple to be shown sharing a bed on prime-time television was Fred and Wilma Flintstone.

Every day, more Monopoly money is printed than legal tender.

Men can read smaller print than women, while women can hear better.

Intelligent people have more zinc and copper in their hair.

The first novel written on a typewriter was “The Adventures of Tom Sawyer.”

Honey is the only food that doesn’t spoil.

If you multiply 111,111,111 by itself, you get 12,345,678 987,654,321.

Half of all Americans live within 50 miles of their birthplace.

On the local scene,

Two past owners of Ormond Plantation died mysteriously, Pierre Trepagnier and Basile Laplace Jr.

President Franklin D. Roosevelt dedicated the Bonnet Carre Spillway.

 Garyville was once the largest town between Baton Rouge and New Orleans.

The now-vanished Ellington Plantation in Luling was once the home of silent-film actress Cora Witherspoon.

Col. Thomas Sellers, founder of the towns of Sellers and of Ama, was a lifelong friend of Mark Twain.

And finally,

75 percent of readers of this column will have already tried to lick their elbow.

LEONARD GRAY is assistant managing editor of L’Observateur, and may be reached by calling (905) 652-9545.