# 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:** 32
**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:** [August 7, 2020, 12:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/621 "2020-08-07T00:29:03Z")
This is a thing. [https://www.reuters.com/article/us-southkorea-livingfunerals/dying-for-a-better-life-south-koreans-fake-their-funerals-for-life-lessons-idUSKBN1XG038](https://www.reuters.com/article/us-southkorea-livingfunerals/dying-for-a-better-life-south-koreans-fake-their-funerals-for-life-lessons-idUSKBN1XG038) > [@](#): > > More than 25,000 people have participated in mass “living funeral” services at Hyowon Healing Center since it opened in 2012, hoping to improve their lives by simulating their deaths. ---
**Author:** ![Chad\_Sudan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chad_sudan/32/4509_2.png) [@Chad\_Sudan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chad_Sudan)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 4:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/622 "2020-08-07T16:37:15Z")
Fascist philosopher Julius Evola (1898-1974) is revered by postwar neo-fascists, as well as alt-right figures like Steve Bannon. An anecdote from Wikipedia punctures the mythology surrounding this “thinker”: “It was Evola’s custom to walk around the city of Vienna during bombing raids in order to better ‘ponder his destiny.’ During one such raid, 1945, a shell fragment damaged his spinal cord and he became paralyzed from the waist down, remaining so for the rest of his life.” [https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius\_Evola](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Julius_Evola) ---
**Author:** ![Icarus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/icarus/32/72_2.png) [@Icarus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Icarus)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/623 "2020-08-07T17:24:32Z")
Curious if he inspired the character Dr. Strangelove. ---
**Author:** ![Dewey\_Finn](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dewey_finn/32/4222_2.png) [@Dewey\_Finn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dewey_Finn)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/624 "2020-08-07T18:38:01Z")
I thought I read that Dr Strangelove was inspired by Edward Teller. ---
**Author:** ![Bijou\_Drains](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bijou_drains/32/2814_2.png) [@Bijou\_Drains](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bijou_Drains)\ **Post date:** [August 7, 2020, 10:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/625 "2020-08-07T22:09:56Z")
instead of the Rose Bowl they had chariot races from 1903-1915. They had a Rose Bowl in 1902. The game came back in 1916 and is still going now. ---
**Author:** ![Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/slow_moving_vehicle/32/291_2.png) [@Slow\_Moving\_Vehicle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Slow_Moving_Vehicle)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2020, 1:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/626 "2020-08-08T01:16:25Z")
The Starland Vocal Band, authors of the iconic paean to the nooner “Afternoon Delight”, had a short-lived variety show that ran for six weeks in 1976, on CBS. The band chose as their emcee an Indiana weatherman-turned-standup comedian named … David Letterman. > [@Dropo](#): > > God works in mysterious ways: > > [Erfurt latrine disaster - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Erfurt_latrine_disaster) Wait, what?! How did I not hear of this? I was in Erfurt\*, ten years ago on a tour of Germany. We had a wonderful tour guide, but she never mentioned this! I feel cheated… \*A very interesting little city, incidentally. ---
**Author:** ![pulykamell](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pulykamell/32/3166_2.png) [@pulykamell](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pulykamell)\ **Post date:** [August 8, 2020, 1:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/627 "2020-08-08T01:25:41Z")
Heh. Our band performed a show there in 2002. Very nice city. My main memory of that town was the Thuringer Rostbratwurst sold on some square while we were there. Left such a strong impression that I came up with my own recipe, based on my memory of it. Delicious stuff. ---
**Author:** ![cormac262](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f14d63/32.png) [@cormac262](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cormac262)\ **Post date:** [August 9, 2020, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/628 "2020-08-09T22:35:09Z")
While reading a book about cave divers, it was mentioned that a cave was discovered in Romania in 1986 that 1) had been isolated for 5.5 million years, and 2) contained 33 species (mostly insects) never before encountered 3) contained “air” with significantly lower oxygen content (but had other gases). Kind of like a coelacanth meets the creatures found at deep sea vents ! > **[Movile Cave](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Movile_Cave)** > > Pages for logged out editors learn more > > Coordinates: .mw-parser-output .geo-default,.mw-parser-output .geo-dms,.mw-parser-output .geo-dec{display:inline}.mw-parser-output .geo-nondefault,.mw-parser-output .geo-multi-punct{display:none}.mw-parser-output .longitude,.mw-parser-output .latitude{white-space:nowrap}43°49′32″N 28°33′38″E / 43.825694°N 28.560556°E / 43.825694; 28.560556 > Movile Cave (Romanian: Peștera Movile) is a cave near Mangalia, Constanța County, Romania discovered in 198... ---
**Author:** ![TRC4941](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trc4941/32/6792_2.png) [@TRC4941](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TRC4941)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2020, 3:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/629 "2020-08-10T15:28:00Z")
I was watching a cooking show and they mentioned braised oxtail. My first reaction was YUK. Then I started to wonder - what is an ox? I’ve seen pictures/movies of oxen pulling wagons, etc. but I didn’t know much about the ox. Well, come to find out that an ox isn’t one kind of animal. An ox is any kind of bovine trained as a draft animal. Usually male castrated cattle. I always thought it was its own animal. 🤔 ---
**Author:** ![a6ka97](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c2a13f/32.png) [@a6ka97](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/a6ka97)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2020, 7:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/630 "2020-08-10T19:46:37Z")
When we visited Jamaica a few years ago my Sister-in-law decided to try the local cuisine and ordered the Ox Tail Soup. She found hairs in it and complained. The waitress said what did you expect? It is Ox Tail Soup. My S-I-L didn’t think they would really used an ox tail but they did. ---
**Author:** ![wolfman](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/a8b319/32.png) [@wolfman](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfman)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2020, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/631 "2020-08-10T20:11:36Z")
I can’t speak for Jamaican Food, But oxtail soup (which is having a bit of a hipster resurgence) is normally made with a skinned tail, usually the ass-adjacent section where it looks a lot like vertebrae with muscle clusters on each section. I would have been pretty surprised and pissed myself. Oxtail was like the 1st or 2nd second soup Campbell’s ever made, and was one of the most popular in the early years. ---
**Author:** ![Riemann](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/riemann/32/3133_2.png) [@Riemann](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Riemann)\ **Post date:** [August 10, 2020, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/632 "2020-08-10T20:18:53Z")
> [@TreacherousCretin](#): > > Given a scale of “one atom” to “planet Earth”, a grain of sand is in the middle. (Someone will undoubtedly correct me on this- feel free, I can handle it.) Seems pretty accurate by my reckoning. An atom is about 10^-10m, the earth is about 10^7m. So the midpoint is 10^-2 to 10^-1m, a little larger than a grain of sand - more like a large pebble. ---
**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:** [August 10, 2020, 11:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/633 "2020-08-10T23:06:25Z")
The US accidentally built a fort (“Fort Blunder”) in Canada (British territory at the time in 1816) - just outside Rouses Point in northern New York state. It was abandoned when the correctly surveyed 45th parallel put it on the wrong side of the border. However - the Webster-Ashburton treaty of 1842 moved the border far enough south (about half a mile - the original faulty survey line) to put the fort in US territory, where it was subsequently rebuilt as Fort Montgomery (never fully used). It was allowed to fall into ruin, and the Canadian owner of the land has put it up for sale (NY state didn’t want it as a free gift). If you go to Google Maps and click along the NY-Quebec border, you will see that most of it is something like 45.005 degrees. Article from 2009: [https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2009/02/01/the\_old\_fort\_nobody\_wants.html?fbclid=IwAR1Al0dZdtlgzWWC8YqQMU4y96vo0xK4d2eS4JFVhUL9drx90AFNTVekj2k](https://www.thestar.com/news/world/2009/02/01/the_old_fort_nobody_wants.html?fbclid=IwAR1Al0dZdtlgzWWC8YqQMU4y96vo0xK4d2eS4JFVhUL9drx90AFNTVekj2k) (presumably recent) “For Sale” ad (I am not involved in any way): [Private Islands Inc - Islands for Sale and Rent](https://www.privateislandsonline.com/united-states/newyork/fort-montgomery-newyork) ---
**Author:** ![rowrrbazzle](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rowrrbazzle/32/414_2.png) [@rowrrbazzle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rowrrbazzle)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2020, 7:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/634 "2020-08-11T07:31:57Z")
> [@lobotomyboy63](#): > > So they were all interred (in turd) together…holy crap! > There was a young man of Kilbride > Who fell in an outhouse and died. > His heart-broken brother > Fell into another > And now they’re interred side by side. ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2020, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/635 "2020-08-11T16:22:15Z")
Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass had only one #1 single; it was a vocal tune–“This Guy’s In Love With You,” sung by Alpert and the only brass on the track was his trumpet. ---
**Author:** ![california\_jobcase](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/9d8465/32.png) [@california\_jobcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/california_jobcase)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2020, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/636 "2020-08-11T18:55:15Z")
What? Isn’t that “the sky’s in love with you?” (my earliest misheard lyric) ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [August 11, 2020, 10:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/637 "2020-08-11T22:33:24Z")
Is that why Jimi Hendrix is always kissing it? Now it all makes sense. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Maserschmidt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/maserschmidt/32/18829_2.png) [@Maserschmidt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Maserschmidt)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2020, 11:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/638 "2020-08-12T11:25:35Z")
> [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](#): > > Herb Alpert & the Tijuana Brass had only one #1 single; it was a vocal tune–“This Guy’s In Love With You,” sung by Alpert and the only brass on the track was his trumpet. What about “Rise”? [Rise (instrumental) - Wikipedia](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Rise_(instrumental)) ---
**Author:** ![burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/burpo_the_wonder_mutt/32/365_2.png) [@burpo\_the\_wonder\_mutt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/burpo_the_wonder_mutt)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2020, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/639 "2020-08-12T13:07:32Z")
^ Solo album; the Tijuana Brass had been disbanded a few years prior. ---
**Author:** ![RealityChuck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/realitychuck/32/195_2.png) [@RealityChuck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RealityChuck)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2020, 1:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/640 "2020-08-12T13:24:21Z")
The Tijuana Brass _was_ Herb Alpert. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=31) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=33)