# 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:** 190
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3789 "2022-02-22T22:50:53Z")
> [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](#): > > A [“Tank Diver”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MAtx4VQ52M) is the guy or gal who goes into airliner fuel tanks to inspect and repair them. I took a look, but had to bail. Not only am I too large, but no, no, no. ---
**Author:** ![Projammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/projammer/32/559_2.png) [@Projammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Projammer)\ **Post date:** [February 22, 2022, 11:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3790 "2022-02-22T23:01:43Z")
In the humans are amazing category, the record for voluntarily holding their breath is 24 minutes 37.36 seconds. [Croatian freediver holds breath underwater for almost 25 minutes; breaks previous record](https://indianexpress.com/article/lifestyle/fitness/croatian-freediver-guinness-world-record-holding-breath-underwater-7319721/) And I though I was doing good in school when I got to 2 minutes. I’d love to see a crime comedy spoof where someone tries to suffocate this guy with a pillow. ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2022, 12:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3791 "2022-02-23T00:41:57Z")
Bill Gates’ annual net worth in a world with a 3% wealth tax: [![Imgur](https://live.staticflickr.com/65535/51898540784_4957d97ac9_z.jpg "Bill Gates Wealth Tax") ](https://www.flickr.com/photos/68782016@N08/51898540784/) ---
**Author:** ![Drsunflower1](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/drsunflower1/32/12711_2.png) [@Drsunflower1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Drsunflower1)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2022, 2:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3792 "2022-02-23T14:04:47Z")
> [@Lumpy](#): > > Today I learned that out on the fringe zone where conspiracy theory meets outright paranoid schizophrenia is [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gang\_stalking:](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Gang_stalking:) I had a patient who suffered from this. She eventually took her own life. This is more a delusional disorder than fullblown schizophrenia, although that’s a bit of a nitpick. Delusional disorder is characterized by non-bizarre delusions (meaning they could theoretically be true but they aren’t) and a lack of negative symptomatology (apathy, cognitive deterioration and social withdrawal). Also, only the content of thinking is whacky, no loss of congruence. So very much like your average CT supporter, nothing unusual at first, until they open their mouths. Another interesting variant is the Capgras syndrome, where all or some of someone’s loved ones are replaced by body doubles. As an American woman who suffered from this explained to me: they’re similar, but not the same. Very distressing, because in her mind the “real” loved ones were missing… > **[Capgras delusion](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Capgras_delusion?wprov=sfla1)** > > Capgras delusion or Capgras syndrome is a psychiatric disorder in which a person holds a delusion that a friend, spouse, parent, another close family member, or pet has been replaced by an identical impostor. It is named after Joseph Capgras (1873–1950), the French psychiatrist who first described the disorder. > The Capgras delusion is classified as a delusional misidentification syndrome, a class of delusional beliefs that involves the misidentification of people, places, or objects. It can occu... ([Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki) ---
**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 23, 2022, 2:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3793 "2022-02-23T14:16:07Z")
Ferrets! What could go wrong? ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2022, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3794 "2022-02-23T15:36:16Z")
James MacPherson (1736-1796) claimed to have collected the poems of the forgotten “Homer of the North”, Ossian, and translated and published these between 1761 and 1765. The result was astonishing – people, especially the ones living in northern Europe, took to these at once. They proved that there was an ancient cultural life in northern Europe that was equal to that of classical Greece and Rome. There was a craze for things Ossian – plays, more poems, paintings, music. But the whole thing was revealed to be a massive fraud. MacPherson took a few snippets of authentic poetry and made the rest up. But not before it had left a big and indelible mark on European life and culture. What’s interesting – and the reason I bring all this up – is that there was a craze for naming children after characters in the poems. MacPherson made many of these up – they’re not ancient authentic names. Those he didn’t make up were minor names that were amplified by association. He made up the names **Fiona** and **Malvina**. That was my grandmother’s name. I’;m not sure if he made up **Oscar** or simply brought it to everyone’s attention (Wikipedia claims it’s an actual name from Gaelic myth). But once Napoleon bestowed the name on his nephew it was off and running. ---
**Author:** ![Saint\_Cad](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/saint_cad/32/18907_2.png) [@Saint\_Cad](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Saint_Cad)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2022, 3:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3795 "2022-02-23T15:38:44Z")
I did a google search on [Today Paraguay has declared unlimited war on all the grasshoppers in Finland.](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/you-read-it-here-first/959327/24) In reality, it was [St. Urho](https://bringmethenews.com/news/meet-st-urho-the-lesser-known-saint-who-drove-the-grasshoppers-out-of-finland). ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2022, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3796 "2022-02-23T16:04:58Z")
Oscar is an actual traditional name ([http://edil.qub.ac.uk/34061](http://edil.qub.ac.uk/34061)). “Fiona” is pretty close to one, as well (the Gaelic word for “white” is “fionn,” already a man’s name, and the Welsh cognate “Gwen” is a frequent element in women’s names). Malvina, on the other hand, I think is his invention. I wouldn’t be shocked to find he was anglicizing a Mael Bhionn or something, though. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2022, 5:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3797 "2022-02-23T17:17:40Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > Oscar is an actual traditional name ([eDIL - Irish Language Dictionary](http://edil.qub.ac.uk/34061)). “Fiona” is pretty close to one, as well (the Gaelic word for “white” is “fionn,” already a man’s name, and the Welsh cognate As I said, there’s evidence for “Oscar”. Some claim “Fiona”, but just because the root is plausible doesn’t mean it was really used. And, in any event, even the ones that were actual names weren’t anywhere near as popular until Macpherson’s books came out. ---
**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:** [February 23, 2022, 7:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3798 "2022-02-23T19:58:27Z")
That reminds me that the name Cedric didn’t exist until the book Ivanhoe was written (although Cerdic existed). ---
**Author:** ![Slithy\_Tove](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slithy_tove/32/18248_2.png) [@Slithy\_Tove](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slithy_Tove)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2022, 8:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3799 "2022-02-23T20:04:56Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > “Fiona” is pretty close to one, as well (the Gaelic word for “white” is “fionn,” already a man’s name, Beats being named “Blanche.” ---
**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:** [February 23, 2022, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3800 "2022-02-23T22:05:55Z")
> [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](#): > > A [“Tank Diver”](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=6MAtx4VQ52M) is the guy or gal who goes into airliner fuel tanks to inspect and repair them. In WW2, my father was ineligible for the draft due to extreme hay fever. So they taught him to be a tank diver. I knew nothing about this until 20 years ago, after he had passed. ---
**Author:** ![carnut](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/carnut/32/3531_2.png) [@carnut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/carnut)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 12:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3801 "2022-02-24T00:42:57Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > But the whole thing was revealed to be a massive fraud. What a terrible shame, because it sounds like he was an awesome fiction writer. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 2:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3802 "2022-02-24T02:14:19Z")
> [@carnut](#): > > What a terrible shame, because it sounds like he was an awesome fiction writer. True. You can read his works online, if you’re interested. ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 5:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3803 "2022-02-24T05:25:28Z")
> [@carnut](#): > > What a terrible shame, because it sounds like he was an awesome fiction writer. Samuel Johnson didn’t think so. From Boswell’s Life of Johnson: > At this time the controversy concerning the pieces published by Mr. James Macpherson, as translations of Ossian, was at its height. Johnson had all along denied their authenticity; and, what was still more provoking to their admirers, maintained that they had no merit. > > The subject having been introduced by Dr. Fordyce, Dr. Blair, relying on the internal evidence of their antiquity, asked Dr. Johnson whether he thought any man of a modern age could have written such poems? Johnson replied, ‘Yes, Sir, many men, many women, and many children.’ ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 7:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3804 "2022-02-24T07:15:06Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > Beats being named “Blanche.” For the Celtic languages, although the names mean “white,” they also have connotations of “fair” and “handsome” as well as “blessed” and “holy.” Not just vague positives: these are dictionary meanings, albeit secondary ones. I don’t think the Romance languages Blanche / Bianca have that connotation, though I can’t say that for certain. (Edited because I checked: true in Irish, Welsh, and Breton, at least.) ---
**Author:** ![GreenWyvern](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/greenwyvern/32/2834_2.png) [@GreenWyvern](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GreenWyvern)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 8:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3805 "2022-02-24T08:04:47Z")
> [@Dr.Drake](#): > > For the Celtic languages, although the names mean “white,” they also have connotations of “fair” and “handsome” as well as “blessed” and “holy.” _Bán_ is another word for white in Irish, with cognates in other Celtic languages. I think (subject to correction by people who speak the language) that it’s a more neutral word for the colour, without the connotations of _fionn_. There’s a famous Old Irish poem about a white cat, _Pangur Bán_. ---
**Author:** ![HMS\_Irruncible](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hms_irruncible/32/7394_2.png) [@HMS\_Irruncible](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HMS_Irruncible)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3806 "2022-02-24T13:13:03Z")
Remember “Squanto” (real name Tisquantum) who was so helpful to the English settlers in America? Ever wonder why he spoke English well enough to assist in that way? Because he lived in England from about 1617-1619 (having been abducted and transported there). So Squanto may have been able to see a play at the Globe Theatre, and if he’d been just 5 years earlier, he could have conceivably bumped elbows with Shakespeare himself. This “primitive, untutored savage” may have spent more time in London that most of the original English settlers in America. ---
**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:** [February 24, 2022, 1:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3807 "2022-02-24T13:18:59Z")
> [@GreenWyvern](#): > > There’s a famous Old Irish poem about a white cat, _Pangur Bán_ . And Donald Bean Lean from Walter Scott’s _Waverley_: > Donald Bean Lean was the very reverse of all these. He was thin in person and low in stature, with light sandy-coloured hair, and small pale features, from which he derived his agnomen of “Bean” or white; and although his form was light, well proportioned and active, he appeared, on the whole, rather a diminutive and insignificant figure. ---
**Author:** ![CalMeacham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/calmeacham/32/35_2.png) [@CalMeacham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CalMeacham)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2022, 1:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/3808 "2022-02-24T13:23:44Z")
> [@HMS\_Irruncible](#): > > Remember “Squanto” (real name Tisquantum) who was so helpful to the English settlers in America? Ever wonder why he spoke English well enough to assist in that way? Because he lived in England from about 1617-1619 (having been abducted and transported there). Squanto’s story is a long and complicated one. He may have crossed the Atlantic many times, depending upon who you read and how they interpret the evidence. He was also deeply involved in the politics of the colony. His story deserves to be told in a book or movie (and not Disney’s **Squanto: a Warrior’s Tale** , which apparently has an iffy relationship with history) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=189) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=191)