# Tell us an interesting random fact you stumbled across (Part 1) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [April 13, 2020, 3:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674 "2020-04-13T03:19:22Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 109
**Author:** ![Folacin](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/folacin/32/3195_2.png) [@Folacin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Folacin)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2021, 8:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/2165 "2021-06-22T20:09:24Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > There’s a Sam Forty Fruits My wife thinks she wants an apple/cherry/peach tree - it looks like [apple/cherry/plum](https://homeguides.sfgate.com/compatible-fruit-tree-grafting-62200.html) is actually a possibility. ---
**Author:** ![Kimble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kimble/32/19185_2.png) [@Kimble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kimble)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2021, 8:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/2166 "2021-06-22T20:16:44Z")
I had assumed that the Philadelphia Freedoms, one of the original World Team Tennis teams, was named after Elton John’s song “Philadelphia Freedom.” I had it backwards – the song was named after the team. ---
**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:** [June 22, 2021, 8:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/2167 "2021-06-22T20:32:10Z")
Normally you wouldn’t use a random seedling as rootstock, as the rootstock controls a lot about the growth of the plant, including size, vigour, resistance to some diseases- there are specific varieties that are basically grown from cuttings for use as rootstock (for example M25 is a medium-vigour rootstock used for apples in the UK, Gisella 5 is a dwarfing cherry rootstock). The advantage to growing as rootstock/scionwood is the ability to control the growth by selecting the rootstock separately from the fruiting wood, which wouldn’t work with a random seedling- you’d have no idea what you’d get. Really old varieties were often grown on their own roots rather than grafted, by cutting an appropriate size dormant branch off an existing tree and just sticking it straight in the ground, because they were selected for both aspects (some are still grown in Cornwall in England, as it’s wetter than the rest of the UK, so the typical rootstocks often don’t do as well there, but the old varieties can cope). Incidentally, pear trees are often not grown on pear roots at all- they’re widely grown on [quince](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Quince) rootstock. ---
**Author:** ![lobotomyboy63](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lobotomyboy63/32/2900_2.png) [@lobotomyboy63](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lobotomyboy63)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2021, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/2168 "2021-06-22T20:34:18Z")
> [@BippityBoppityBoo](#): > > Seriously interesting! Thank you. Surely. One thing that article didn’t mention was that he’s preserving certain varieties. It’s weird how we can rattle off varieties of apples—Granny Smith, yellow delicious, honey crisp, etc.—but how about plums or peaches? > I realized that for various reasons, including industrialization and the creation of enormous monocultures, we are losing diversity in food production and that heirloom, antique, and native varieties that were less commercially viable were disappearing. I saw this as an opportunity to, in some way, preserve these varieties. In addition to maintaining these varieties in my nursery, I graft them to the Tree of 40 Fruit. Additionally, when I place a Tree of 40 Fruit, I go to local farmers and growers to collect stone fruit varieties and graft them to the trees. In this way they become an archive of the agricultural history of where they are located as well as a means to preserve antique and native varieties. [https://www.epicurious.com/archive/chefsexperts/interviews/sam-van-aken-interview](https://www.epicurious.com/archive/chefsexperts/interviews/sam-van-aken-interview) (Check out the illustration of the tree in the article…I think it’s a painting, but wow!) ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2021, 8:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/2169 "2021-06-22T20:48:14Z")
And from the Alcazar palace in Seville, photographed by myself: [![Google Photos](https://lh3.googleusercontent.com/ZgyveicRnTXrH4-ezvQGKoLWgK_nYzLDMSYZdpUqdl5sDCdVwzSNTHw8DfvFMv8O0H0SAo8QxmEetRl36WGS1AQQPopBEfUW8MnXRyDFjP0CsHtY6372UmCDYYoj17CdVvXv2vPk=w600-h315-p-k "New item by j") ](https://photos.app.goo.gl/WtUzDXNuh2pghB9d9) You’ll have to click on the image to fully open it. It is, indeed, a half-orange-half-lemon tree. (I’m still working on my best way to upload photos - bear with me). j ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2021, 9:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/2170 "2021-06-22T21:03:34Z")
Speaking of chimeras, there are a couple species of anglerfish where the (parasitic) male _permanently fuses_ with the female as a normal part of the reproductive cycle. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2021, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/2171 "2021-06-22T22:13:59Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > And from the Alcazar palace in Seville, photographed by myself: I’ve been there, and somewhere I have a photo of that exact tree. ---
**Author:** ![Mark\_Finn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/34f0e0/32.png) [@Mark\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mark_Finn)\ **Post date:** [June 22, 2021, 11:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/2172 "2021-06-22T23:45:28Z")
The “Mission Impossible” theme “beat” is actually the Morse Code for “MI” (dash-dash, dot-dot) - two long beats followed by two short ones… ---
**Author:** ![F.U.Shakespeare](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/aca169/32.png) [@F.U.Shakespeare](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/F.U.Shakespeare)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2021, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/2173 "2021-06-23T00:42:57Z")
In the mid-1960s, the “High IQ” organization Mensa suggested that members put a yellow ping-pong ball on their car’s radio antenna. And that they should signal to each other on the highway, with two long horn blasts “M” for Mensa. I know this because my mother was chairman of the West Virginia chapter of Mensa. (Which I think should be in Guinness as one of the easiest jobs in history). ---
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2021, 1:21am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/2174 "2021-06-23T01:21:43Z")
Iron Eyes Cody was perhaps best known for playing a crying Native American in a series of PSA’s about keeping America beautiful. He had a long career playing Native Americans in movies and on TV. IRL, he claimed to be a member of several Native American tribes. In fact, his real name was Espera Oscar de Corti and he was Italian. [Iron Eyes Cody - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Iron_Eyes_Cody) ---
**Author:** ![Hook](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/ecae2f/32.png) [@Hook](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hook)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2021, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/2175 "2021-06-23T13:56:07Z")
In the same vein as **Mark\_Finn** , the theme music to the detective series Morse is in Morse code. ---
**Author:** ![74westy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/74westy/32/3950_2.png) [@74westy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/74westy)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2021, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/2176 "2021-06-23T13:59:23Z")
And the Rush song YYZ, the code for Pierson International airport, contains YYZ in Morse code ---
**Author:** ![hogarth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hogarth/32/1773_2.png) [@hogarth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hogarth)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2021, 2:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/2177 "2021-06-23T14:22:45Z")
Likewise, **Some Mothers Do Ave Em** has the theme in Morse code. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/vE3ZWFadjgs/hqdefault.jpg "Some Mothers Do 'Ave 'Em - Theme") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=vE3ZWFadjgs) ---
**Author:** ![elbows](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b3f665/32.png) [@elbows](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elbows)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2021, 4:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/2178 "2021-06-23T16:25:08Z")
The Cannonball Run speed record, driving New York/California, was broken three times during quarantine! Because a clever few figured out the roads would have little traffic! HaHaHa! ---
**Author:** ![Max\_S](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/46a35a/32.png) [@Max\_S](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_S)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2021, 5:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/2179 "2021-06-23T17:49:04Z")
> [@Dropo](#): > > IRL, he claimed to be a member of several Native American tribes. He did marry a bona fide Native American. ~Max ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2021, 6:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/2180 "2021-06-23T18:51:19Z")
I had always wondered why so many Mid-Western recipes contained bizarre uses of mangoes. I figured they must have been the en vogue fruit of the 1950’s in the same way the hostesses of the 1600 had to use pineapple in everything. It turns out that it’s the word they use for green bell pepper. This etymologist further opines that for a stretch of the 1700’s any fruit or vegetable that could be canned was a “mango.” > **[The Midwest Mango-Green Pepper Mystery](https://dannwoellertthefoodetymologist.wordpress.com/2016/01/18/the-midwest-mango-green-pepper-mystery/?fbclid=IwAR2SBO58e5SBUqIkBvHi0dzoEW2vk_qGnwqQxd0JNwPNdfayNwc76BbcOuA)** > >   If you grew up in the Midwest, you are familiar with the weird phenom of green bell peppers being called ‘mangoes’.    Finely chopped mango was that special addition to my mother’s holiday cheese… ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2021, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/2181 "2021-06-23T20:12:43Z")
Wow. I had no idea. Didn’t grow up in the Midwest, but lived there from ~1995 - 2015. Color me flabbergasted. Although I know Midwesterners love to butcher them some terminology, culinary or otherwise. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2021, 8:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/2182 "2021-06-23T20:41:45Z")
The only time I’ve encountered mangoes as green peppers has been (occasionally) on pizza. ---
**Author:** ![jaycat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jaycat/32/3015_2.png) [@jaycat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jaycat)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2021, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/2183 "2021-06-23T21:59:42Z")
> [@74westy](#): > > And the Rush song YYZ, the code for Pierson International airport, contains YYZ in Morse code And then there’s [this one.](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=MXJIVQQgVPA) ---
**Author:** ![Treppenwitz](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/treppenwitz/32/3445_2.png) [@Treppenwitz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Treppenwitz)\ **Post date:** [June 23, 2021, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/2184 "2021-06-23T22:08:33Z")
> [@panache45](#): > > > [@Treppenwitz](#): > > > > And from the Alcazar palace in Seville, photographed by myself: > > I’ve been there, and somewhere I have a photo of that exact tree. It would be cool if you could find and post your photo too. (What possibilities - a poll - “Your favorite Spanish palace mixed citrus tree photo”? Hey, if I can have a thread on medlars, we can do this!) j [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=108) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=110)