# Tell me something I don't know **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 6, 2009, 3:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-i-dont-know/502084 "2009-07-06T15:10:01Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 6
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 3:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-i-dont-know/502084/101 "2009-07-10T15:31:07Z")
> [@billfish678](#): > > Your right, I misremembered it as Jacksonville because its near St Augustine (just another one of those big east coast florida cities in my mind 🙂 St. Augustine and Jacksonville are almost totally conurbated- like, say, the Twin Cities- so it’s not a difficult mistake to make. ---
**Author:** ![AppallingGael](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9bd4f/32.png) [@AppallingGael](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AppallingGael)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-i-dont-know/502084/102 "2009-07-10T17:08:22Z")
Jesse Root Grant (father of Ulysses) was raised in the same household as John Brown. While Robert E. Lee of Virginia declined command of the Union army, Samuel Cooper of New Jersey accepted command of the Confederate army (he had become a Southerner by marriage, the usual determinant of loyalty). Fra Filippo Lippi was kidnapped by Barbary Pirates, and Benvenuto Cellini narrowly escaped so being. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2009, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-i-dont-know/502084/103 "2009-07-10T17:13:29Z")
> [@AppallingGael](#): > > While Robert E. Lee of Virginia declined command of the Union army, Samuel Cooper of New Jersey accepted command of the Confederate army (he had become a Southerner by marriage, the usual determinant of loyalty). I consider myself fairly knowledgeable about the American Civil War and I had no memory of this guy. So I wiki-ed him and my mind was put to ease - “Although **little-known today** , Cooper was also the highest ranking Confederate general during the American Civil War. After the conflict he remained in Virginia as a farmer.” His talents were more administrative then field-ready. ---
**Author:** ![AK84](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/85e7bf/32.png) [@AK84](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AK84)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2014, 2:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-i-dont-know/502084/104 "2014-02-22T14:02:48Z")
Oh cool…zombies Who was the first Asian born space traveller? Bill Anders, Apollo 8. Born in Hong Kong. Which is the largest Asian Country? Russia ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2014, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-i-dont-know/502084/105 "2014-02-22T16:06:57Z")
No peeking. How many stars on the U.S. Presidential flag? 63. There are 50 in a ring around the eagle, and 13 (for the original 13 colonies) in an arc over the eagle’s head. How many on the Vice Presidential flag? 17. One in each corner, and 13 over the eagle’s head. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2014, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-i-dont-know/502084/106 "2014-02-22T17:07:19Z")
Band name: **Metal Church** Name of first album by Metal Church: **Metal Church** Name of second song on Metal Church, by Metal Church: **Metal Church** And in the song Metal Church, on Metal Church, by Metal Church, they say, > [@](#): > > Metal church, unholy, who’ll be the sacrifice? > Metal church, the only, don’t you know the time is right > Metal church will find you, can’t run very far > The metal church inside you, > It knows just who you are, who you are. What do I win? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2014, 5:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-i-dont-know/502084/107 "2014-02-22T17:12:08Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > Band name: **Metal Church** > > Name of first album by Metal Church: **Metal Church** > > Name of second song on Metal Church, by Metal Church: **Metal Church** > > And in the song Metal Church, on Metal Church, by Metal Church, they say, > > What do I win? 😃 Oops, sorry. Wrong thread. :smack: ---
**Author:** ![mascaroni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/dc4da7/32.png) [@mascaroni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mascaroni)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2014, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-i-dont-know/502084/108 "2014-02-22T23:22:52Z")
Both Osama bin Laden and Fidel Castro were (armchair, obviously) supporters of Arsenal F.C. ---
**Author:** ![PaulParkhead](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/7ea924/32.png) [@PaulParkhead](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PaulParkhead)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2014, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-i-dont-know/502084/109 "2014-02-23T00:15:06Z")
> [@mascaroni](#): > > Both Osama bin Laden and Fidel Castro were (armchair, obviously) supporters of Arsenal F.C. I knew there was _something_ dodgy about those guys. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2014, 4:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-i-dont-know/502084/110 "2014-02-23T04:22:59Z")
Mario Cuomo and Fidel Castro were both scouted for Major League Baseball but not hired. ---
**Author:** ![Peaton\_of\_peat](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ecae2f/32.png) [@Peaton\_of\_peat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Peaton_of_peat)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2014, 6:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-i-dont-know/502084/111 "2014-02-23T06:42:18Z")
> [@Alive\_At\_Both\_Ends](#): > > Indeed - etymologically, jetsam is related to “jettison” and flotsam to “float”, so it’s easy to remember which is which. > > Everyone’s heard of plankton, but few know it’s just one of three categories into which all sea animals are divided. \*\*Plankton \*\*float in the sea but cannot control their movements - they just go wherever the currents take them. \*\*Nekton \*\*swim in the sea under their own power - fish and whales are nekton. And then there’s **benthos** , which refers to creatures which are fixed to the sea bed or to some other object. Sea anemones, barnacles etc. First, a little correction: benthos are any animal on the sea bed or other surface, fixed or not. Lobsters are benthic even though they’re not attached in any way. Anyway to expand on this, there are some fish that are plankton! The [ocean sunfish](http://www.greenretreat.org/wp-content/uploads/2012/08/Mola-Mola.jpg) may be huge, but it can’t swim very well. On the other hand, squid are the only known invertebrates that are also nekton. ---
**Author:** ![Senegoid](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/senegoid/32/6606_2.png) [@Senegoid](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Senegoid)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2014, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-i-dont-know/502084/112 "2014-02-23T20:25:22Z")
> [@MadTheSwine](#): > > Parts of Virginia are farther west than parts of Michigan. And I was surprised to learn, very recently with all the scandal about the George Washington Bridge, that it’s a east-west bridge, with the WEST end in New Jersey and the EAST end in New York. Shows how much geography I know. ---
**Author:** ![Filbert](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/filbert/32/3433_2.png) [@Filbert](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Filbert)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2014, 8:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-i-dont-know/502084/113 "2014-02-23T20:53:00Z")
> [@The\_Hamster\_King](#): > > In early drafts of _The Lord of The Rings_, Aragorn’s character was a hobbit on stilts named “Trotter”. I know this was years ago, but… someone was Wrong on the Internet. I’ve also read some of the drafts, and ‘Trotter’ wasn’t on stilts- he had wooden feet. I know that doesn’t improve it much. ---
**Author:** ![septimus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/septimus/32/410_2.png) [@septimus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/septimus)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2014, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-i-dont-know/502084/114 "2014-02-23T22:33:09Z")
Bohemia _did_ have a seacoast during the 16th century! In 1490, political chaos led Hungary (which already owned part of the Croatian seacoast) to invite Vladislaus King of Bohemia to rule Hungary as well. Although this all soon became part of the Habsburg domains, the united Kingdom of Bohemia and Hungary remained a distinct polity – deliberately so, in part due to religious differences – and did retain a seacoast. The playwright of _Winter’s Tale_ mentions “the sea-coast of Bohemia;” this is often cited as evidence the playwright was unfamiliar with European geography. In fact, it’s as likely he was _very_ familiar, and making a elided or sophisticated reference to the still-united Bohemian-Hungarian polity, which had indeed bordered on the Adriatic Sea for at least a century when _Winter’s Tale_ was written. ---
**Author:** ![Lunar\_Eclipse](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/858c86/32.png) [@Lunar\_Eclipse](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lunar_Eclipse)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2014, 11:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-i-dont-know/502084/115 "2014-02-23T23:03:56Z")
Grenadine is pomegranate flavored, not cherry. You can make your own with unsweetened pomegranate juice and sugar. ---
**Author:** ![Fear\_Itself](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fear_itself/32/19637_2.png) [@Fear\_Itself](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fear_Itself)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2014, 11:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-i-dont-know/502084/116 "2014-02-23T23:34:07Z")
At the age of six, Teddy Roosevelt was photographed as he witnessed the funeral procession of assassinated president Abraham Lincoln from the second floor window of his father’s home on Broadway & Union Square in New York City. ---
**Author:** ![Steken](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e274bd/32.png) [@Steken](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Steken)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2014, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-i-dont-know/502084/117 "2014-02-24T00:18:33Z")
Before Greenwich got the honour, the tiny island of El Hierro - one of the seven Canary Islands, off the coast of Morocco - was commonly used on European maps to mark the prime meridian. ---
**Author:** ![Ulfreida](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ulfreida/32/8014_2.png) [@Ulfreida](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulfreida)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2014, 2:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-i-dont-know/502084/118 "2014-02-24T02:56:41Z")
One of the three indicators that a girl will likely enter puberty early is if she is living in the same house with an adult male who is not genetically related to her. (The others are obesity and if I remember correctly, consuming a lot of dairy products from cows injected with hormones to make them lactate more). ---
**Author:** ![Kent\_Clark](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kent_clark/32/105_2.png) [@Kent\_Clark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kent_Clark)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2014, 3:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-i-dont-know/502084/119 "2014-02-24T03:27:42Z")
George Washington Carver created more than 100 uses for peanuts, and even more recipes that used peanuts, but he had nothing to do with the invention of [peanut butter.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marcellus_Gilmore_Edson) ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2014, 5:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-i-dont-know/502084/120 "2014-02-24T05:32:19Z")
George Washington was the only U.S. President never to live in the White House (it wasn’t complete until after he left office). [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-i-dont-know/502084.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-me-something-i-dont-know/502084.md?page=7)