I basically do not have what it takes to be an artist. A few years back, a real artist was painting in some woods north of Baker, California. He decided to save money by being his own model.

The man padlocked a chain around his ankles and began to create a work that portrayed a person bound by chains while in a forest. The painter lost the padlock key and had to hop and roll and wiggle for miles before he found help after some 12 hours of misery. The painting was retrieved and the artist survived.

Warning on a can of pepper spray: May Irritate Eyes.

I had heard of the box jellyfish, but I had no idea that there were more than 6,000 human deaths attributed to this rather diminutive creature.

Most of us recall reading bits of the classic literature known as Beowulf. There was even a recent movie depicting many of the struggles narrated in the story. No one alive today knows who wrote Beowulf.

Do you carry unnecessary weight in your personal vehicle? Experts declare that each additional 50 pounds causes an average of 1% decrease in gas mileage.

Theodore Roosevelt was the first U.S. president to drive an automobile. He was also the first American to win a Nobel Peace Prize.

Perhaps one mentally pictures Hawaii or Washington (Mt. St. Helens) when American volcanoes are mentioned, but it is in Alaska that the most volcanoes have been recorded. At least 80 Alaskan volcanic sites have been identified and more than 40 of those have been declared to be “active.”

A man of Native American lineage was once the leader of Great Britain. The mother of the famous Winston Churchill was one-eighth Iroquois.

One of the most popular and famous playwrights contemporary to William Shakespeare was Thomas Watson. Apparently not even one of Watson’s works exists today.

In Texas, windshields are not legally required on motor vehicles. However, there is a state law (Paragraph 547.603) that requires all motor vehicles to have a functioning windshield wiper. As my dad says, “Go Figure.”

I had never once suspected that I might have descended from royalty until I read about the guy who was king of the Franks early in the 10th century. He was officially Charles III, but was known as Charles the Simple (died 929).

Well, do not misplace any essential padlock keys and – have a pleasant week.

About the author: Dr. James White has retired after teaching mathematics for 36 years in various high school and junior college classrooms. He resides in South Texas with his very patient wife Anna. His trivia column appears weekly and he can be reached at jkwhite46@gmail.com