# 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:** 239
**Author:** ![Dropo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ce7236/32.png) [@Dropo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dropo)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4769 "2022-07-06T00:03:52Z")
I did a little research on this as well. > **[Shaft (1971 film)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaft_(1971_film))** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > Shaft is a 1971 American crime action film directed by Gordon Parks and written by Ernest Tidyman and John D. F. Black. It is an adaptation of Tidyman's novel of the same name and is the first entry in the Shaft film series. The plot revolves around a private detective named John Shaft who is hired by a Harlem mobster to rescue his daughter from the Italian mobsters who kidnapped her. The film stars Richard Roundtree as Shaft, alongside Moses Gunn... “Although black in the source novel, Tidyman’s original draft screenplay had Shaft as white. However, [Gordon] Parks cast African American actor [Richard Roundtree](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Richard_Roundtree) as the eponymous hero.[[12]]" The footnote leads to: Hughes, Howard (2006). _Crime Wave: The Filmgoers’ Guide to Great Crime Movies_. London: I.B. Tauris. I do not own this book and cannot comment on it. From the same Wikipedia article: “[Melvin Van Peebles](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Melvin_Van_Peebles) claimed that the success of his film _[Sweet Sweetback’s Baadasssss Song](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Sweet_Sweetback%27s_Baadasssss_Song)_ caused _Shaft_ to be changed from a “white movie” into a “black one”.[[16]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaft_(1971_film)#cite_note-17) In fact, filming of _Shaft_ began in January 1971, several months before the release of Van Peebles’ film, with Roundtree already confirmed in the lead role.[[17]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaft_(1971_film)#cite_note-18)[[18]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaft_(1971_film)#cite_note-19)[[19]](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Shaft_(1971_film)#cite_note-20) The story is set in the same month, as shown by a calendar on Shaft’s office wall.” While Shaft may have been white in the initial screenplay, Mr. Van Peebles’ claim that his film caused a change in ethnicity of Shaft’s character seems clearly false. I listened to a little of the podcast. One of the less clueless hosts relates a story (just past 25:30) about meeting Michael Murphy, mentioning his role in _Brewster McCloud_ and Mr. Murphy claiming he was “aggressively pursued” to play Shaft. I did not find it very compelling and suspect Mr. Murphy may have been joking. ---
**Author:** ![Pleonast](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pleonast/32/1183_2.png) [@Pleonast](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pleonast)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 1:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4770 "2022-07-06T01:23:14Z")
The _Vasa_ was a Swedish warship that capsized on its maiden voyage. The primary reason was its center of gravity was too high. But there were other problems, like poor metrology: > The use of different measuring systems on either side of the vessel caused its mass to be distributed asymmetrically, heavier to port. During construction both [Swedish feet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Swedish_feet) and [Amsterdam feet](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Amsterdam_feet) were in use by different teams. Archaeologists have found four rulers used by the workmen who built the ship. Two were calibrated in Swedish feet, which had 12 inches, while the other two measured Amsterdam feet, which had 11 inches. It was pulled from the bottom, preserved and put in a museum in the 1960s. Lots of wooden artifacts were recovered in nearly pristine condition. > **[Vasa (ship)](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Vasa_(ship))** > > Vasa or Wasa\[a\] (.mw-parser-output .IPA-label-small{font-size:85%}.mw-parser-output .references .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .infobox .IPA-label-small,.mw-parser-output .navbox .IPA-label-small{font-size:100%}Swedish pronunciation: \[²vɑːsa\] ⓘ) is a Swedish warship built between 1626 and 1628. The ship sank after sailing roughly 1,300 m (1,400 yd) into her maiden voyage on 10 August 1628. She fell into obscurity after most of her valuable bronze cannons were salvaged in the 17th century,... ---
**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:** [July 6, 2022, 1:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4771 "2022-07-06T01:33:03Z")
The UK and its overseas possessions went from September 2, 1752 directly to September 14, 1752 as they changed from the Julian to the Gregorian calendar. Sez Wikipedia: > - [1752](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/1752) – The British Empire [adopts the Gregorian calendar](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Adoption_of_the_Gregorian_calendar#Great_Britain_and_its_colonies), skipping eleven days (the previous day was September 2). [Source](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/September_14#1601%E2%80%931900) ---
**Author:** ![Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/elmer_j.fudd/32/1211_2.png) [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elmer_J.Fudd)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 1:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4772 "2022-07-06T13:00:57Z")
They also moved the start of the year from March 25 to January 1. Which means that George Washington’s birthday was not only moved from February 11 to February 22; it was also moved from 1731 to 1732. ---
**Author:** ![commasense](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/commasense/32/3017_2.png) [@commasense](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/commasense)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2022, 1:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4773 "2022-07-06T13:52:01Z")
It’s a fascinating story and a great museum. Several people mentioned it in the thread on [museum ships](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/has-anyone-been-to-any-museum-ships-thoughts-on-best-ones/966476/1). ---
**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:** [July 7, 2022, 12:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4774 "2022-07-07T00:26:51Z")
I just learned that Ritchie Blackmore of Deep Purple probably stole the riff in Smoke on the Water. [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/wKzqC_TWrhs/maxresdefault.jpg "PLÁGIO? EP. 44 - CARLOS LYRA/DEEP PURPLE") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=wKzqC_TWrhs) ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/b77776/32.png) [@Paul\_was\_in\_Saudi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_was_in_Saudi)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2022, 10:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4775 "2022-07-07T10:33:59Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > Delaware has a similar border quirk: Actually of course this quirk is on the border of Delaware, Pennsylvania, and also New Jersey (albeit in the middle of the river). ---
**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:** [July 7, 2022, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4776 "2022-07-07T15:57:22Z")
I had assumed that the Yu-Gi-Oh! stories were created as a tie-in to the trading card game, but apparently the trading card game (from 1999) came several years after the Japanese manga series debuted (in 1996). ---
**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:** [July 8, 2022, 12:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4777 "2022-07-08T00:00:01Z")
Marvel Cave is about 500 feet deep, one of the deepest in Missouri. One of its rooms, the Cathedral Room, has a ceiling over 200 feet high and it was the site of a world record. > On July 7, 1963, an underground altitude record was set by [Don Piccard](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Don_Piccard) by flying a [hot air balloon](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hot_air_balloon) around the massive room. Later, in 1994 five hot air balloons were flown simultaneously in the Cathedral Room in celebration of the 100th anniversary of giving cave tours. > **[Marvel Cave](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Marvel_Cave)** > > Marvel Cave is a privately-owned cave located just west of Branson, Missouri, in Stone County. It is one of the main attractions of Silver Dollar City and is registered as a National Natural landmark. > The first recorded expedition of the cave was in 1869, led by Henry T. Blow. Marvel Cave was originally called Marble Cave, after explorers in 1882 saw what they thought was marble on the cave's ceiling. This started the Marble Cave Mining Company, although later it was realized that there was neve... ---
**Author:** ![smithsb](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/smithsb/32/12107_2.png) [@smithsb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smithsb)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2022, 2:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4778 "2022-07-08T02:25:06Z")
Okay railfans. TIL you can buy old rail cars, locomotives, hand cars, and other equipment. Need a new small house, 85’ x 10’, they are available - watch out for shipping. > **[Ozark Mountain Railcar](https://ozarkmountainrailcar.com/index.php)** > > Ozark Mountian Railcar ---
**Author:** ![Morgyn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/morgyn/32/3041_2.png) [@Morgyn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Morgyn)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2022, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4779 "2022-07-08T03:15:54Z")
Poop. You can’t see anything but one picture unless you create an account. (Yes, I could, but tonight I’m tired of signing up for things. Maybe tomorrow.) ---
**Author:** ![needscoffee](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/needscoffee/32/1076_2.png) [@needscoffee](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/needscoffee)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2022, 3:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4780 "2022-07-08T03:22:46Z")
> [@smithsb](#): > > TIL you can buy old rail cars, locomotives, hand cars, and other equipment. Need a new small house, 85’ x 10’, they are available - watch out for shipping. Can’t they just send it by rail? ---
**Author:** ![Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/son_of_a_rich/32/5439_2.png) [@Son\_of\_a\_Rich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Son_of_a_Rich)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2022, 6:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4781 "2022-07-08T06:07:40Z")
trump’s shitass father had the middle name Christ. ---
**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:** [July 8, 2022, 11:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4782 "2022-07-08T11:40:33Z")
Protesters dressed as T. rexes to protest the Running of the Bulls in Pamplona this year. I’ve seen several stories about the return of the practice after COVID, but this is the first I’ve heard of this protest. scroll down for picture > **[Running of the Dinosaurs: Bizarre protest hits Pamplona bull run](https://www.nzherald.co.nz/travel/running-of-the-dinosaurs-pamplona-bull-run-sees-weird-protest-after-two-year-suspension/QYZV4DJLWY2PNOGVR4QM4TULSY/)** > > This year tourists and irate cows weren't the strangest creatures to run the course. ---
**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:** [July 8, 2022, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4783 "2022-07-08T11:44:19Z")
Pointless irony: The Dirty Shirley, AKA the Shirley Temple Black > **[How To Make A Dirty Shirley, The Unofficial Drink Of Summer](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/how-to-make-a-dirty-shirley_l_62bb173be4b080fb670ab73f)** > > The classic “kiddie cocktail” has a new lease on life with fresher, upscale ingredients — and a shot of booze. Make an alcohol-free drink alcoholic by adding vodka. Right. You can also make rum-free Rum and Cokes for the kids. ---
**Author:** ![kaylasdad99](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kaylasdad99/32/3398_2.png) [@kaylasdad99](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kaylasdad99)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2022, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4784 "2022-07-08T15:34:53Z")
> [@Reeses\_Monkey](#): > > David L “Squiggy” Lander was a big baseball fan who eventually worked as a talent scout for the Anaheim Angels and the Seattle Mariners. One supposes he searched for good players Night After Night. Good on you for not referring to them with the execrable sobriquet _Los Angeles Angels of Anaheim_. But they’re really **The California Angels**. Not that I truly care about a team that permits a defensive player to return to the field after someone pinch hits for them; I’m just sayin’. ---
**Author:** ![velomont](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/8491ac/32.png) [@velomont](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/velomont)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2022, 3:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4785 "2022-07-08T15:42:20Z")
A few years ago we had to call a plumber because everything in the house just stopped draining one day and we had no idea what the problem was. The result was that we learned that tissue paper (eg Kleenex etc) is not simply an unscrolled version of toilet paper. This had happened shortly after both my wife and I had had really bad head colds with tons of congestion and we were blowing our noses a lot, into tissue paper, and then flushing it. Toilet paper is designed to be flushed, and tissue paper isn’t. ---
**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:** [July 8, 2022, 3:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4786 "2022-07-08T15:56:29Z")
> [@Reeses\_Monkey](#): > > David L “Squiggy” Lander was a big baseball fan who eventually worked as a talent scout for the Anaheim Angels and the Seattle Mariners. He was also the announcer in “A League of Their Own.” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/a46FsHMRPkc/maxresdefault.jpg "Racine Belles Win the Game - A League of Their Own (7/8) Movie CLIP (1992) HD") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=a46FsHMRPkc) He deserves some sort of award for best autobiography title: _Fall Down Laughing: How Squiggy Caught Multiple Sclerosis and Didn’t Tell Nobody._ He was diagnosed in 1984 but the book came out in 2002. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2022, 3:57pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4787 "2022-07-08T15:57:36Z")
In that case, I just had a virgin screwdriver. ---
**Author:** ![Reeses\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reeses_monkey/32/2885_2.png) [@Reeses\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeses_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2022, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/4788 "2022-07-08T16:39:19Z")
Squiggy got around. I’ll have to look up his book. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=238) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=240)