Ask Mr. Know-it-all Yes, there is an opposite to Murphy’s Law

Q. I don’t suppose there is anyone who is not familiar with Murphy’s Law — anything that can go wrong will go wrong. Is there an opposite to this law?

F.R., Globe, Ariz.

A. There is! It’s Yhprum’s Law, which simply states, “Everything that can work, will work.”

By the way, “Yhprum” is “Murphy” spelled backward.

Q. Who is the voice of the GEICO Gecko?

V.J.L., Utica, N.Y.

A. The GEICO Gecko is voiced by Jake Dylan Wood, an English actor best known for playing Max Branning in the sitcom “EastEnders.”

The gecko first appeared in 1999 and was voiced by Kelsey Grammer, with what has been described as a stiff English accent. Later, Dave Kelly became the voice of the anthropomorphic day gecko. Jake Wood took over in 2010.

DID YOU KNOW? Shelley Winters and Marilyn Monroe were roommates in the late 1940s in Hollywood.

Q. At a dinner party, the host had an album of recent travel pictures. One picture intrigued me; it was a tower of humans, six people tall, as I recall. When and where did this tradition begin? What is the name of this human tower?

F.L., San Diego

A. I suppose you could say these towers are truly man-made. They are called castells (a Catalonian word that means “castles”), and they originated in the southern part of Catalonia at the end of the 18th century. Catalonia is located in western Spain, with Barcelona as its major city.

Each castell is made up of a team, called colles, of individuals, called castellers. Traditionally, castellers wear white trousers, a black sash, a bandanna and a colored team shirt. At the very top of the castell are the canallas (youngsters), who make up the crown of the castle because they are more agile and light-footed and weigh less.

Castells can be up to 10 stories tall, and, yes, they often do collapse and injuries do occur.

According to UNESCO, the castell is a “Masterpiece of the Oral and Intangible Heritage of Humanity.”

Q. I’m going through my father’s collection of stuff. I came across his pay stubs from the 1960s, when he worked for Motorola. I’m curious, when did Motorola go into operation, and what does the name mean?

Y.K., Aurora, Ill.

A. In 1928, Paul Galvin created what would be known as Motorola in Chicago, though the company was known as Galvin Manufacturing Corp. at the time. The company manufactured a battery eliminator, which made it possible to use an electrical source other than a battery, and eventually the car radio. The name Motorola was introduced in 1930, and it comes from “motor” and the popular audio suffix “-ola.”

Q. In my travels, especially in rural sections of Appalachia and in the South, I have seen trees with bottles inserted on branches. Is it for decoration, or is there a purpose?

D.K.L., Dover, Del.

A. Bottle trees can be plain or display an incredible amount of talent in the creator. Regardless of how simple or elaborate they are, I have always felt the need to slow down or even stop and gaze. If the sun is just right, the sight can be spectacular.

In his book “Bottle Trees,” Felder Rushing explains that the custom began in Africa and that the bottles were believed to trap bad spirits at night, which were destroyed by the next day’s sunlight. In time, the custom spread to Europe and was brought to North America by slaves.

Send your questions to Mr. Know-It-All at AskMrKIA@gmail.com or c/o Universal Uclick, 1130 Walnut St., Kansas City, MO 64106.