# 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:** 380
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [September 22, 2023, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7591 "2023-09-22T13:55:09Z")
Billy Powell, long time keyboard player for Lynyrd Skynyrd, was a roadie for the band for two years until they heard him noodling around on the piano during a break between sets and decided to put him in the band. ---
**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:** [September 22, 2023, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7592 "2023-09-22T13:55:36Z")
> [@Moriarty](#): > > an 11 year old boy, Robert Cotter, had to spend a night in jail for refusing to return the foul ball he caught A regular little Rosa Parks. ---
**Author:** ![Al128](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/al128/32/16541_2.png) [@Al128](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Al128)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2023, 5:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7593 "2023-09-25T17:08:43Z")
> [@Shoeless](#): > > Billy Powell, long time keyboard player for Lynyrd Skynyrd, was a roadie for the band for two years until they heard him noodling around on the piano during a break between sets and decided to put him in the band. as was Bon Scott, AC/DC singer … ---
**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:** [September 25, 2023, 5:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7594 "2023-09-25T17:34:55Z")
As was Phil Manzanera, Roxy Music guitarist. j Longer version: he was offered the job of roadie after failing the audition for guitarist, and later took over as guitarist when the successful applicant left (after Paul Thompson, the drummer, thumped him IIRC). The fact that Manzanera, whilst working as roadie, spent his spare time learning every guitar part didn’t do him any harm. ---
**Author:** ![Shoeless](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/shoeless/32/7099_2.png) [@Shoeless](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shoeless)\ **Post date:** [September 25, 2023, 5:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7595 "2023-09-25T17:42:20Z")
Mick Ronson was never a roadie, so he doesn’t quite fit. But he had made a couple of not very successful attempts at being a session player in London. When they went looking for him to recruit him for David Bowie’s band, he was working as a gardener in the Hull City Parks department. ---
**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:** [September 25, 2023, 10:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7596 "2023-09-25T22:13:42Z")
This struck me as interesting. A friend of mine developed a detached retina. He lives near Lake Tahoe which is at an elevation of over 6200 feet but the detachment happened when he was visiting Santa Barbara at sea level. If he wanted to get the surgery done at home, he would have to had taken several days to get back there to acclimate at various elevations. He opted to extend his stay in town and have the surgery and recovery here. ---
**Author:** ![John\_Bredin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/96bed5/32.png) [@John\_Bredin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/John_Bredin)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2023, 1:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7597 "2023-09-26T01:11:03Z")
My wife and I had a trip to the five national parks of southern Utah scheduled (and booked) for March when I learned I had a detached retina. I had to reschedule, for the surgery but also for about 8 weeks afterwards when I couldn’t fly until the bubble in my eye (how they fix the detachment) was gone. ---
**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:** [September 26, 2023, 1:35am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7598 "2023-09-26T01:35:50Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > If he wanted to get the surgery done at home, he would have to had taken several days to get back there to acclimate at various elevations. He opted to extend his stay in town and have the surgery and recovery here. I think that was actually the only choice as reattachment needs to happen fairly soon after detachment or you risk losing your sight altogether. The altitude problem makes sense to me but I’d never heard of it before. Interesting. ---
**Author:** ![DCnDC](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dcndc/32/2842_2.png) [@DCnDC](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DCnDC)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2023, 2:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7599 "2023-09-26T02:57:22Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > Before going ahead with production on _Spaceballs_, Mel Brooks sent over a copy of the script to George Lucas to get his okay (and promise not to sue). Lucas had no problems with the script, with one exception: under no circumstances was Brooks allowed to merchandise the film. One of the few actual _Spaceballs_ tie-in merchandise to be produced, “Spaceballs: The Book,” was penned by R.L. Stine under the pen name “Jovial Bob Stine.” ETA: On a personal level I actually own and have read this book. The movie was better. [![](https://www.isfdb.org/wiki/images/b/ba/SPCBLLSTHB0000.jpg) ](https://www.isfdb.org/wiki/images/b/ba/SPCBLLSTHB0000.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Skywatcher](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skywatcher/32/254_2.png) [@Skywatcher](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skywatcher)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2023, 5:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7600 "2023-09-26T05:43:08Z")
> [@DCnDC](#): > > ETA: On a personal level I actually own and have read this book. The movie was better. I’m not surprised. Can’t be easy to translate sight gags and Michael Winslow into text. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2023, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7601 "2023-09-26T06:31:01Z")
I was today old when I discovered thay I can get a superscript by long pressing the numeral at the top of the Samsumg virtual keyboard. ---
**Author:** ![MrDibble](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mrdibble/32/114_2.png) [@MrDibble](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrDibble)\ **Post date:** [September 26, 2023, 9:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7602 "2023-09-26T09:57:21Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > I’d have thought that potatoes would have spread even faster. Today, they’re considered an integral part of “traditional” cuisines across Europe and Asia, while maize is, even if used, still considered distinctively American. Not the case for Africa, especially Southern Africa . Maize pretty much completely replaced local grains (sorghum, millet) in large parts of Africa, leading to population booms and sometimes [devastating](https://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S0304387818303195) [social effects](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Mfecane#Causes). Even today, maize meal and roasted corn cobs are typically seen as “native” or “Black” foods. Potatoes, not so much. ---
**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:** [September 26, 2023, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7603 "2023-09-26T14:08:49Z")
Larry E. Williams, a roadie for Neil Diamond, wrote the #1 hit “Let Your Love Flow”. ---
**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:** [September 26, 2023, 3:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7604 "2023-09-26T15:16:18Z")
And fractions. ---
**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:** [September 26, 2023, 6:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7605 "2023-09-26T18:05:08Z")
Testing: E=mc² Huh. I normally use MS swiftkey, which doesn’t have this feature, but I can easily switch to the Samsung KB if I want to use it. Thanks @Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus! ---
**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:** [September 26, 2023, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7606 "2023-09-26T23:58:42Z")
DC Metro area here: Today is the last day we’ll have 12+ hours of sunlight until 16 March 2024. ---
**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:** [September 27, 2023, 12:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7607 "2023-09-27T00:30:53Z")
Twin City metro here: we are already a minute shorter than even keel on the sunlight. This is when I start gobbling the Vitamin D to make up for the lack. ---
**Author:** ![Baal\_Houtham](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/baal_houtham/32/13604_2.png) [@Baal\_Houtham](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baal_Houtham)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 1:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7608 "2023-09-27T01:12:56Z")
> [@Love\_Rhombus](#): > > TIL that Elton John and Bob Dylan wrote original songs for the Country Bears movie. I can’t find a reference to them writing songs _ **for** _ the movie. [IMDB lists their soundtrack contributions as](https://www.imdb.com/title/tt0276033/soundtrack/) _Friends_ (Elton) and _Everything is Broken_ (Bob). _Friends_ dates from 1971, and _Everything is Broken_ from 1989. **The Country Bears** was released in 2002. Darn. I wanted to hear the Dylan tune. ---
**Author:** ![Love\_Rhombus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/love_rhombus/32/10694_2.png) [@Love\_Rhombus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Love_Rhombus)\ **Post date:** [September 27, 2023, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7609 "2023-09-27T01:38:29Z")
Well, shoot. I apologize for the bad info. Let me track down where I learned it. ---
**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:** [September 27, 2023, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/7610 "2023-09-27T01:52:26Z")
> [@Baal\_Houtham](#): > > Darn. I wanted to hear the Dylan tune. [Pretty jazzy](https://youtu.be/egSoj3g99gY?si=g3nmh30Zg9jeAl48), if you are into that. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=379) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=381)