Ask Mr. Know-It-All: A smashing success
Q: The rock group The Who was famous for its guitar smashing at the end of performances. How did that come about? — M.S., Torrance, Calif. A: In late 1964, Pete Townshend threw a temper tantrum and smashed a guitar following an onstage accident. The audience loved it, and instrument destruction became a regular part of the live act.
Q: Was American novelist Upton Sinclair somehow related to British royalty? — K.L.N., Syracuse, N.Y. A: Sinclair’s cousin, Wallis Warfield Simpson, became the wife of England’s King Edward VIII. Edward abdicated his throne in 1936 in order to marry the commoner from Pennsylvania.
Q: What does the term “queen consort” mean? — J.L., Oxford, Pa. A: A queen consort is the wife of a reigning king. The husband of a reigning queen is generally not called a king consort but rather a prince. Consorts of monarchs have no constitutional status or power, but they, more than likely, have a great deal of influence.
Q: More than once, I have come across the term “infanticipating,” referring to a couple waiting for the birth of their baby. Do you have any idea who coined the word? — G.G., Minden, Nev. A: Very possibly, American newspaper writer and radio commentator Walter Winchell (1897-1972) coined the word. He is also credited with inventing the word “cinemaddict.”
Q: I have seen the quote, “Everyone thinks of changing the world, but no one thinks of changing himself.” Who wrote it? — L.V.B., Apache Junction, Ariz. A: Leo Tolstoy (1828-1910), the Russian novelist.
Q: I know the movie “The Music Man” was set in River City. Where is River City located? — G.N., Posen, Ill. A: Iowa.
Q: Who was the father of legendary British leader King Arthur? — J.H.C., Pulaski, Va. A: King Uther Pendragon.
Q: Who said, “Everything that can be invented has been invented”? — C.F., Fort Smith, Ark. A: Supposedly, these were the words of Charles H. Duell, who was the commissioner of the U.S. Patent and Trademark Office in 1899. It is said that he made the remark to President William McKinley.
Q: When were dog-guide schools first established? —B.L., Chicago, Ill. A: The first training schools were established in Germany after World War I to help returning soldiers. In this country, Seeing Eye Inc. was founded in Morristown, N.J., in 1929.
Q: I was shocked when I read in your column that Porter-Cable is owned by Black & Decker. Which company was started first? When did the acquisition take place? How did Porter-Cable get its name? — K.C., Middleborough, Mass. A: In 1910, Duncan Black and Alonzo Decker established their business in Baltimore, Md.; however, they didn’t develop their first portable electric tool, a drill, until 1914. In 1906, three investors, R.E. and G.G. Porter and F.E. Cable opened a machine and tool shop in a garage in Syracuse, N.Y. Some of their early products included an automobile tire pump, illuminating gas lighters, machine tools and an old-fashioned pencil sharpener. Their first portable power tool was made in 1920. The company was bought and sold several times before being acquired by Black & Decker in 2004.
Did you know ... C-SPAN stands for Cable Satellite Public Affairs Network?
Q: St. Augustine, Fla., is the oldest city in the United States founded by Europeans. What is the oldest state capital? — G.E.R., Lima, Ohio A: That distinction belongs to Santa Fe, N.M. Spanish settlers first inhabited Santa Fe, which means “holy faith” in Spanish, in 1607. The town was formerly founded in 1610.
Q: Who said, “What this country needs is a good five-cent cigar”? — K.L.V., Mount Aetna, Pa. A: Thomas Marshall (1854-1925), U.S. vice president under President Woodrow Wilson. He supposedly made the quip during a debate in 1917.
Send your questions to Mr. Know-It-All at AskMrKIA@gmail.com or c/o United Feature Syndicate, 200 Madison Ave., New York, NY 10016.