The Austin Chronicle

https://www.austinchronicle.com/columns/2023-01-13/mr-smarty-pants-knows/

Mr. Smarty Pants Knows

By Mr. Smarty Pants, January 13, 2023, Columns

During the 16th century, ventriloquism was considered witchcraft with voices emanating from holes in the ventriloquist's body including the vagina and nostrils.

In Alberta, Canada, the metal bar cattle guard used on a road's surface is called a "Texas gate." In France, it's called a "passage Canadien."

Despite Hollywood's depiction of voodoo dolls being part of the dark arts, those who use them these days say they're more often used to help people heal and communicate with deceased loved ones.

During its 14,000-mile, 10-month migration, the common swift spends at least 99.5% of its time in the air without landing. Researchers still don't know how they manage to do this and sleep.

The words "pork," "beef," "mutton," "veal," and "venison" are of French origin; "pig," "cow," "sheep," "calf," and "deer" come from Old English. That's because, after the Norman Conquest of 1066, lower-class Anglo-Saxons tended to work with the animals, while upper-class French knew them mostly as meats.

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