My friends who came to Conn. for a weekend picnic last week note that my family produces a limitless number of useless facts.

• Did you know that when a fire creates smoke, the smoke signifies incomplete combustion?
• Or that the dog toys that place treats inside balls resulted from dogs chewing on engine mounts?

I can keep going, but you get the point. Such points, which randomly come up at parties and during beach weekends, demonstrate why Seinfeld was so successful. Random.

Annmarie and Amy, with me, at the beach house (August 4, 2007).

Jen, Kim and Nikko (August 4, 2007).