# 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:** 494
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2024, 11:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9873 "2024-07-09T11:47:32Z")
With all the talk about oil and the middle east, I was surprised to learn recently that most of America’s imported oil - just over half - comes from Canada. [https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/oil-and-petroleum-products/imports-and-exports.php](https://www.eia.gov/energyexplained/oil-and-petroleum-products/imports-and-exports.php) OPEC provides only about 15 percent of America’s imported petroleum. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2024, 11:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9874 "2024-07-09T11:53:25Z")
Hence Bush’s famous and not-so-idiotic line that “more and more of our oil imports are coming from overseas”. While oil from Canada is still imported, it’s considered much more acceptable than from most other oil-producing nations. Of course, Canada also imports a lot of oil from the US, because the nearest well/refinery might be on either side of the border. ---
**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:** [July 9, 2024, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9875 "2024-07-09T18:41:13Z")
I knew that Delaware’s & New Jersey’s border is rare since it is on a shoreline and not the middle of the river the separates them. I learned yesterday that New Hampshire’s & Vermont’s border is on the west bank of the Connecticut River. ---
**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 9, 2024, 7:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9876 "2024-07-09T19:26:44Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > I knew that Delaware’s & New Jersey’s border is rare since it is on a shoreline and not the middle of the river the separates them. I learned yesterday that New Hampshire’s & Vermont’s border is on the west bank of the Connecticut River.   The former [Northwest Territory](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Northwest_Territory) was strictly north of the Ohio River. But the western boundary was the middle of the Mississippi River. So borders of the states wholly within it (Ohio, Indiana, Illinois, Wisconsin, Michigan) follow those old boundaries. That is, the Ohio River is not in Ohio. Except, the borders are based on the original surveys of the rivers. So there’s some funky borders like one near [Gallopolis](https://maps.app.goo.gl/h65Yp1xCSZ7QQZTs6) where the river’s course has changed significantly. It’s an interesting question of whether center-of-river or edge-of-river is more common for jurisdiction boundaries. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2024, 7:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9877 "2024-07-09T19:40:29Z")
One of the Cleveland suburbs is named Rocky River, after a local river of that same name (one of a great many so-named rivers worldwide, I’m sure). If the locations of the “Welcome to…” signs on the bridges are any indication, none of the Rocky River is within the boundaries of Rocky River. ---
**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:** [July 9, 2024, 9:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9878 "2024-07-09T21:10:55Z")
> [@Gyrate](#): > > I just found out that the lonely composer seen in Hitchcock’s film _Rear Window_ was Ross Bagdasarian - a.k.a. David Seville, the guy who brought us the Chipmunks and the “Witch Doctor” song. > > And also that he and author William Saroyan were cousins. Bagdasarian and Saroyan collaborated on the hit single “Come on-a my House,” making Saroyan one of the few Pulitzer Prize winning authors (who didn’t write musicals) to hit #1 on the charts. ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 9, 2024, 11:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9879 "2024-07-09T23:21:56Z")
And now I have just learned that there is a TV show (based on a book series) in which former Chancellor Angela Merkel (a fictional one, obvs) spends her retirement solving murders. It’s called “Miss Merkel”. I don’t know what to do with this information, but there it is. ---
**Author:** ![Wendell\_Wagner](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/8491ac/32.png) [@Wendell\_Wagner](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Wendell_Wagner)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2024, 1:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9880 "2024-07-10T01:10:01Z")
Bob Dylan won a Nobel Prize and had four songs he wrote hit number one on some chart: > **[Ranking 4 Bob Dylan Penned Songs That Went No. 1](https://americansongwriter.com/ranking-4-bob-dylan-penned-songs-that-went-no-1/)** > > Bob Dylan is one of the world's most prolific songwriters. We rank some of his chart-topping hits from his six-decade career. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2024, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9881 "2024-07-10T07:20:48Z")
Apparently, until 1979, after general elections, the BBC devoted one of its radio frequencies to reading out all the results of every candidate in every constituency. [![](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GRpxUI2XgAAIt26?format=jpg&name=large) ](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GRpxUI2XgAAIt26?format=jpg&name=large) ---
**Author:** ![Machine\_Elf](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/82dd89/32.png) [@Machine\_Elf](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Machine_Elf)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2024, 11:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9882 "2024-07-10T11:32:48Z")
> [@PatrickLondon](#): > > Apparently, until 1979, after general elections, the BBC devoted one of its radio frequencies to reading out all the results of every candidate in every constituency. > > [https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GRpxUI2XgAAIt26?format=jpg&name=large](https://pbs.twimg.com/media/GRpxUI2XgAAIt26?format=jpg&name=large) I’m imagining John Waters reading the gayest election results. ---
**Author:** ![PatrickLondon](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/patricklondon/32/4422_2.png) [@PatrickLondon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/PatrickLondon)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2024, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9883 "2024-07-10T11:44:26Z")
The channel names tell me that was before 1967 (“high-speed computer prediction” suggests 1964 or 1966), so it wouldn’t have sounded that ambiguous then (but Divine rather than JW surely?) ---
**Author:** ![Gyrate](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gyrate/32/3588_2.png) [@Gyrate](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gyrate)\ **Post date:** [July 10, 2024, 1:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9884 "2024-07-10T13:32:05Z")
Kenneth Williams, surely. ---
**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:** [July 11, 2024, 10:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9885 "2024-07-11T22:39:57Z")
Ok, I didn’t stumble upon it recently per se, but I did happen upon [Cresap’s War](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Cresap%27s_War) a few years ago and still think it’s interesting. It was a War Between The States before the big boys did it years later. ---
**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:** [July 12, 2024, 2:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9886 "2024-07-12T02:10:02Z")
In 1870, Duluth, Minnesota was the fastest growing city in the US, and "would probably pass Chicago in a few years ". Today - it has a population of 85k - down from a 1960 peak of 107k. It has one of the largest Finnish populations outside of Finland. ---
**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:** [July 12, 2024, 5:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9887 "2024-07-12T05:02:37Z")
Two things to know about Duluth: 1. Like every self-respecting city, Duluth has a genuine [murder mansion](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Glensheen_murders) 2. Telly Savalas, Duluth booster [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/PofmKxIwArk/hqdefault.jpg "Duluth: Who Loves Ya, Baby?") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PofmKxIwArk) ---
**Author:** ![Knowed\_Out](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/knowed_out/32/7380_2.png) [@Knowed\_Out](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Knowed_Out)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 2:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9888 "2024-07-12T14:18:53Z")
I’ve been reading the collected works of HP Lovecraft, and he used the term “democrat wagon” in one of his stories. From [Cowboy Bob’s dictionary](http://www.lemen.com/imageDemocrat1.html): > Democrat Wagon - A light, flat bed farm or ranch wagon, usually without a top, with a skeleton frame and two or more seats. It sometimes has a wire rack for a side. The term “Democrat” was not a partisan designation, but referred to the availability of this inexpensive, easy to handle, wagon to a wide range of people. A Democrat Wagon was so light that if it got stuck a single individual could often lift it out by hand. ---
**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 12, 2024, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9889 "2024-07-12T14:50:02Z")
> [@Knowed\_Out](#): > > I’ve been reading the collected works of HP Lovecraft, and he used the term “democrat wagon” in one of his stories. “It was an eldritch Democrat Wagon, whose proportions were non-Euclidean, its sides covered with squamous fungoid growths, and piloted by a man of batrachian appearance and suspicious aspect.” ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [July 12, 2024, 5:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9890 "2024-07-12T17:52:53Z")
The transit of Venus in [1761](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transit_of_Venus#1761_transit) was observed by astronomers Mason and Dixon at the Cape of Good Hope but they are more famous for other measuring work. ---
**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 12, 2024, 6:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9891 "2024-07-12T18:13:07Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > The transit of Venus in [1761](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Transit_of_Venus#1761_transit) was observed by astronomers Mason and Dixon at the Cape of Good Hope but they are more famous for other measuring work. The Transit of Venus eight years later was observed in Philadelphia by David Rittenhouse. It’s been suggested that it was inn his honor that they put a canton of white stars in a blue field in the US flag. > [@](#): > > One admirer and colleague of Rittenhouse, [Francis Hopkinson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Francis_Hopkinson), was on the Navy Board that wrote the [Flag Act of 1777](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_Acts_(United_States)), which defined the [Flag of the United States](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Flag_of_the_United_States) of America and explained the blue field of stars as a representation of “a new constellation.” This is thought by some[_[who?](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Manual_of_Style/Words_to_watch#Unsupported_attributions)_][_[citation needed](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Wikipedia:Citation_needed)_] to be a direct tribute to Rittenhouse. Biographer Brooke Hindle wrote, “Few admired Rittenhouse more unrestrainedly than Francis Hopkinson.”[ > **[David Rittenhouse](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/David_Rittenhouse)** > > David Rittenhouse (April 8, 1732 – June 26, 1796) was an American astronomer, inventor, clockmaker, mathematician, surveyor, scientific instrument craftsman, and public official. Rittenhouse was a member of the American Philosophical Society and the first director of the United States Mint. > Rittenhouse was born on April 8, 1732, in Rittenhousetown, in Germantown, along Paper Mill Run, a small tributary of the Wissahickon Creek. His great-grandfather, who was born in the Rhineland, emigrated to... ---
**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:** [July 12, 2024, 6:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674/9892 "2024-07-12T18:26:25Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > TIL that John Ratzenberger, who played Cliff Clavin on _Cheers_, was a member of the stage-building crew at Woodstock He also played Major Bren Derlin in **Empire Strikes Back**. In the Star Wars CCG card game, the description on his card reads: > “Hero of Nentan. Supervised construction of Echo Base on Hoth. Head of base security. At the Mos Eisley Cantina, everyone knows his name.” [![](https://res.starwarsccg.org/cards/Images-HT/starwars/Hoth-Light/large/majorbrenderlin.gif) ](https://res.starwarsccg.org/cards/Images-HT/starwars/Hoth-Light/large/majorbrenderlin.gif) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=493) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-1/851674.md?page=495)