# 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:** 291
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 10:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/5810 "2023-01-03T22:21:37Z")
Well, back in the day, I used to ride the train a lot, and those toilets flushed with a foot pedal. I always thought the pedal seemed like a good idea. Of course, those bathrooms were the ones that had the sign “Do Not Flush Toilet While Train is Standing in Station”, because you could see the tracks when you flushed. Still, a pedal is one less surface germ vector. ---
**Author:** ![Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/prof.pepperwinkle/32/13627_2.png) [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Prof.Pepperwinkle)\ **Post date:** [January 3, 2023, 10:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/5811 "2023-01-03T22:31:31Z")
In _My Fair Lady_ Prof. Henry Higgins comes across Eliza Doolittle at Convent Gardens and takes her to live with him in his more affluent neighborhood in Mayfair. _Mayfair Lady_ with a Cockney accent, yields… ---
**Author:** ![tofor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tofor/32/13727_2.png) [@tofor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tofor)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 2:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/5812 "2023-01-04T14:14:48Z")
> [@Prof.Pepperwinkle](#): > > In _My Fair Lady_ Prof. Henry Higgins comes across Eliza Doolittle at Convent Gardens and takes her to live with him in his more affluent neighborhood in Mayfair. Even more fun, it’s “Covent Garden” though the ancient word “Covent” basically means “Convent”. ---
**Author:** ![enipla](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/54ee81/32.png) [@enipla](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/enipla)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 4:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/5813 "2023-01-04T16:09:53Z")
Diane Keaton was born Diane Hall. That has to have a tie in with the movie Annie Hall that she co-starred in with Woody Allen. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 4:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/5814 "2023-01-04T16:58:09Z")
And Michael Douglas was unable to use his birth name on screen so he chose to use Diane Keaton’s last name. ---
**Author:** ![hajario](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hajario/32/171_2.png) [@hajario](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/hajario)\ **Post date:** [January 4, 2023, 7:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/5815 "2023-01-04T19:49:26Z")
According to his Wiki " In response to questions as to whether he selected his new surname due to an attraction to actress Diane Keaton, or in homage to silent film actor Buster Keaton, he has responded by saying “it had nothing to do with that. Keaton has said in several interviews that he searched a phone book under “K,” saw “Keaton” and decided to stop looking.” ---
**Author:** ![Wallaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Wallaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallaby)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 1:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/5816 "2023-01-05T01:49:58Z")
The hill at Munich Olympic Park was made the same way (the hill was there before the Olympics, and it formed part of the Olympic precinct). Well worth a visit. ---
**Author:** ![Wallaby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/dc4da7/32.png) [@Wallaby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wallaby)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/5817 "2023-01-05T01:52:49Z")
Actually, I did the obvious bit of research and discovered that “Schuttbergs” are very common and [many cities have them](https://www.amusingplanet.com/2020/08/schuttberg-germanys-rubble-mountains.html) - some more than one. ---
**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:** [January 5, 2023, 1:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/5818 "2023-01-05T01:57:44Z")
Are there any RINOs that the Dems would be happy enough with to vote for? I know it is distasteful to vote for the other team but this way they can control who the next Speaker is instead of the Pubs. That’s the best the Ds can hope for, right? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 2:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/5819 "2023-01-05T02:00:08Z")
People are (jokingly?) throwing around Liz Chaney’s name. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 2:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/5820 "2023-01-05T02:02:06Z")
Um, what are the above two posts doing in this thread? ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/5821 "2023-01-05T02:13:02Z")
Sorry, I replied thinking I was in the other thread. Reported. ---
**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:** [January 5, 2023, 4:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/5822 "2023-01-05T04:08:32Z")
I swear I thought I was in the SotH election thread. ---
**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:** [January 5, 2023, 11:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/5823 "2023-01-05T11:22:36Z")
Today I learned about the [Therac-25](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Ap0orGCiou8). It was a medical imaging instrument built in the 1980s. It had a couple software bugs. These bugs killed at least three people. The identity of the coder has never been revealed. ---
**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:** [January 5, 2023, 4:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/5824 "2023-01-05T16:41:15Z")
Looks like it was a radiation therapy machine rather than an imaging instrument (hence the possibility of dangerous overdosing). Interesting story, mind. > **[Therac-25](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Therac-25)** > > The Therac-25 was a computer-controlled radiation therapy machine produced by Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL) in 1982 after the Therac-6 and Therac-20 units (the earlier units had been produced in partnership with Compagnie Générale de Radiologie (CGR) of France). > It was involved in at least six accidents between 1985 and 1987, in which patients were given massive overdoses of radiation.: 425  Because of concurrent programming errors (also known as race conditions), it sometimes gave its ... j ---
**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:** [January 5, 2023, 4:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/5825 "2023-01-05T16:42:39Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > it was a radiation therapy machine rather than an imaging instrument Oops, you’re right. ---
**Author:** ![puzzlegal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/puzzlegal/32/3827_2.png) [@puzzlegal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/puzzlegal)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 5:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/5826 "2023-01-05T17:10:30Z")
If you DM me the thread they belong in, I can move them. If the thread has moved on, it might not make sense, though. ---
**Author:** ![Railer13](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/railer13/32/9742_2.png) [@Railer13](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Railer13)\ **Post date:** [January 5, 2023, 5:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/5827 "2023-01-05T17:30:30Z")
That thread has long since passed on to other sub-topics. It’s been an interesting ride, however! > [@House Speaker Contest](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/house-speaker-contest/974770): > > This has been discussed in the midterms thread but really is better placed as a thread of its own. The “Freedom Caucus” is more than capable refusing support unless they get what they want. OTOH there have got to be a few GOP representatives who won in very purple districts, and for whom signing on to weekly impeachments and constant investigations is a recipe for losing next cycle. Is it possible that the Freedom Caucus can hold their collect breath until the Speaker turns blue? … ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [January 6, 2023, 12:04am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/5828 "2023-01-06T00:04:33Z")
[The Post Office threatened to stop delivering mail to Chicago because of its confusing addresses](https://chicagostudies.uchicago.edu/grid). > Chicago’s street system was a complicated mess well into the early 20th Century. Although the 1830 city plan made provision for an orderly system of north-south and east-west streets, the annexation of surrounding communities (such as the Village of Hyde Park) had led to duplications of names, and even whole addresses, across the growing city. Things got so bad that the postal service threatened to stop delivering mail to Chicago addresses. ---
**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:** [January 6, 2023, 1:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/5829 "2023-01-06T01:37:02Z")
I wonder if this is the reason for the USPS rule that no city can have two separate streets with the same name. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=290) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=292)