DID YOU KNOW …? Did a popular music group lose all the money they made from their best-selling album?

Everybody’s going ga-ga about AI (artificial intelligence) and what it can and can’t do. So, on a whim, I went online and asked an AI generator to write a two-paragraph introduction for this week’s column. Here it is:

“Think you know your world, your history, and the odd bits of trivia in between? Welcome to our weekly trivia column, where we dig into the delightful, the surprising, and the downright peculiar facts that make our world endlessly fascinating. Whether you’re a seasoned quiz fanatic or someone who simply enjoys a good ‘Huh—I never knew that,’ you’ll find plenty here to spark curiosity and maybe even win you a future bet or two.

“Each week, we’ll serve up a mix of brain-teasers, behind-the-scenes stories, and unexpected nuggets pulled from science, culture, politics, and everyday life. Some answers may astonish you, others may make you laugh, but all are guaranteed to give you a fresh appreciation for the extraordinary hiding in the ordinary. Ready to test your knowledge? Let’s dive in.”

Sheesh, that’s not bad. I might just find myself out of a job.  Let’s get into this week’s silly stuff, okay? I thought you’d agree.

Did you know …

… one country’s snow ski resorts only operate in summer? The city of La Paz, Bolivia, has an elevation of almost 12,000 feet above sea level. Nearby ski resorts, which can be found up to 17,000 feet above sea level, can only operate during the months of November to March, which in South America is summertime. The resorts are too cold to operate during winter in South America because of their elevation. (Too cold to ski? Nonsense!)

… the oldest recipient of an Academy Award™ was 82 when he received it? Actor Christopher Plummer (1929-2021) received the Oscar for Best Supporting Actor for his performance in the 2012 movie Beginners. The oldest actress to win an Oscar was Jessica Tandy (1909-1994), who took home the award for Driving Miss Daisy in 1989, when she was 80 years old. Additional trivia note: Tandy managed to beat out another Oscar winner for the title of oldest recipient by just a few months. George Burns (1896-1996) was also 80 when he won an Oscar for The Sunshine Boys in 1975. Tandy’s feat was eclipsed by that of Plummer.

… the longest average lifespan in the world can be found in a small European country? In the nation of Andorra, a tiny enclave between Spain and France, the average lifespan of the people is 83.5 years. (Ah, but what do they do with those years in Andorra? Hmmm?)

… a popular musical group lost all the money they made from their greatest album? In 1973, the British rock group Pink Floyd released Dark Side of the Moon, one of the most critically acclaimed rock music albums in history. The hit single, “Money,” came from the album. Sales rocketed into platinum territory, and the group earned well over $45,000,000 in sales. Members of the group invested their money in various ways – a floating restaurant, a hotel in which fudge was made, a computer game, a movie (which apparently nobody saw), a skateboard company, a car-for-hire business, and a shoe factory. All of the investment venues failed. The group eventually fled to France as tax exiles from Great Britain and recorded their next major hit album, The Wall, in 1979. Additional trivia note: Dark Side of the Moon holds the record for the longest time spent on Billboard’s Top 200 Albums chart. It spent 950 weeks – over 18 years – on the chart. (Well, the group had to make money somehow.)

… the decoration outside a popular restaurant chain was inspired by a movie? In-and-Out Burger locations feature a display of crossed palm trees outside the restaurant, and those were inspired by the 1963 movie It’s a Mad, Mad, Mad, Mad World. Co-founder Harry Snyder (1913-1976) said he liked the imagery from the film, in which the characters hunted for a buried treasure hidden beneath a pair of crossed palm trees. (Don’t go digging for treasure there, though.)

… lobsters have rubber bands around their claws in aquariums for a reason? It appears that in captivity, lobsters become cannibalistic. The bands keep the lobsters from eating each other. (And yes, I know they don’t eat through their claws. They’re banded so they can’t … oh, the heck with it.)

… a Tinder™ match was once made in Antarctica? In 2014, two lonely scientists stationed in Antarctica put in their profiles on the global dating app, only to find that they were a match – and the man was working at McMurdo Station, while the woman was on a scientific camping expedition about 45 minutes away by helicopter. Yes, they met each other. (And I sincerely hope they lived happily ever after.)

… a newspaper once ran an April Fool’s prank that wasn’t a prank? On April 1, 2015, the New Zealand Herald newspaper ran a front-page advertisement that offered a free BMW automobile to the first person who brought their old car in and asked for “Tom,” a salesman. Everybody who saw the ad thought it was a hoax – except for one person, Tianna Marsh (born 1985) of Auckland. Marsh showed up at the dealership with the ad coupon and her 15-year-old station wagon, asked for Tom, and was presented the keys to a brand-new BMW worth $37,000. Marsh’s old car was auctioned off for charity, and her new car – an April Fool’s joke that wasn’t a joke – had the license plate, “No Fool.” (She certainly wasn’t.)

… all websites containing “ahh” are owned by one company? The Coca-Cola™ Company went to the expense of purchasing all websites that contain “ahh,” up to 62 h’s. (What a relief!)

Now … you know!