# Tell us an interesting random fact you stumbled across (Part 2) **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [July 25, 2024, 3:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785 "2024-07-25T15:06:02Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 150
**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:** [August 12, 2025, 1:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/2981 "2025-08-12T01:44:48Z")
TIL [the USS Maine’s ship’s cat and dog](https://the%20USS%20Maine%E2%80%99s%20ship%E2%80%99s%20cat%20and%20dog) survived the blast, unlike 266 of their shipmates. Singed but not sunk [![](https://hatchingcatnyc.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/tommainecat.jpg) ](https://hatchingcatnyc.com/wp-content/uploads/2014/02/tommainecat.jpg) ---
**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, 2025, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/2982 "2025-08-12T02:13:18Z")
I just learned about [Audrey Munson](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Audrey_Munson), a artist’s model of the early 20th century and sometimes called “America’s First Supermodel.” She was the model for more then a dozen statues in New York City and many more in other cities worldwide, many still around today. She moved on to film, where she became possibly the first actress to appear nude in a non-pornographic film. [Inspiration](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Inspiration_(1915_film)), from 1915, where she portrayed an artist’s model. Because she didn’t move when undressed, the movie was considered art and passed the censors, though not without controversy. Another actress did the acting, but all the nude scenes were all Munson. She became enmeshed in scandal in 1919 when a man fell in love with her and murdered his wife to be free. Munson denied any romantic relationship but her modelling career ended about this time, though she still was in the public eye writing newspaper columns. Sadly, Munson tried to commit suicide in 1922 and was committed to a mental asylum. She was in various asylums until her death in 1996 at age 104. ---
**Author:** ![Gordon\_G](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/3da27b/32.png) [@Gordon\_G](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gordon_G)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 5:00am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/2983 "2025-08-12T05:00:41Z")
The characters in The Book of Genesis are largely assumed to be mythical, but I recently learned that “Terah of the Ur of the Chaldees” (Abraham’s father) is almost certainly based on Te’irru, the Governor of Urkesh who, during the early part of the 18th century BC, exchanged letters with Zimri-Lim, the last King of Mari. I admit that this conclusion seems preposterous, but the detailed arguments are persuasive, in my opinion. If there’s real interest I’ll start a thread. ---
**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:** [August 12, 2025, 5:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/2984 "2025-08-12T05:05:44Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > TIL [the USS Maine’s ship’s cat and dog](https://the%20USS%20Maine%E2%80%99s%20ship%E2%80%99s%20cat%20and%20dog) survived the blast [Here is](https://hatchingcatnyc.com/2014/02/22/pug-cat-mascots-uss-maine/) a link that works. Tom was thrown through 3 decks but landed on his feet, was found the next day on a piece of wreckage and went on to serve on another ship. Two other cats were less fortunate. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 5:33am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/2985 "2025-08-12T05:33:01Z")
I am interested. ---
**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 12, 2025, 2:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/2986 "2025-08-12T14:30:29Z")
Great Danes aren’t Danish, they’re a German breed. ---
**Author:** ![Pardel-Lux](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pardel-lux/32/20182_2.png) [@Pardel-Lux](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Pardel-Lux)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 2:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/2987 "2025-08-12T14:34:59Z")
Did you change your avatar picture just for this post? ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/2988 "2025-08-12T16:26:41Z")
Well, this was interesting to me: Occasionally when browsing thru newspaper archives I’ll come across some story that catches my eye, and I wonder, “Well, what happened after that?” I don’t recall what I was looking for, but I came across the story of one [Charles Hazen “Charlie” Morton](https://www.findagrave.com/memorial/49520339/charles-hazen-morton) (1854-1921), who in the early 1900s was president of the “Ohio and Pennsylvania Baseball League.” In January 1909 he called for a meeting of team principals in Cleveland for the annual election of new officers, and. . . didn’t show up. No one could account for where he was or where he had gone. He turned up three months later in Chicago aimlessly wandering the streets. They later determined he had been traveling around the country and even into Mexico. Doctors said he was suffering from ‘dementia,’ and he was said not to be able to recognize his wife (at least that’s what he claimed). Not much more than that, but he obviously lived another 12 years. However. . . while he was in the wind, one press account indicated that some of the owners were opposed to his reelection as president. Another account mentioned that they were going to go looking thru the league’s financial records since he had deposited league money into his personal account. Could have been that he had had his hand in the cookie jar, and, knowing that he was probably about to get caught (and de-elected), had a nervous breakdown, but that’s just speculation on my part. ---
**Author:** ![Frodo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/frodo/32/302_2.png) [@Frodo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Frodo)\ **Post date:** [August 12, 2025, 4:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/2989 "2025-08-12T16:27:53Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > Could have been that he had had his hand in the cookie jar, and, knowing that he was probably about to get caught (and de-elected), had a nervous breakdown Or pretended to have one to win time. ---
**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:** [August 12, 2025, 5:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/2990 "2025-08-12T17:37:51Z")
Or just had a stroke or something, with or without a bit of embezzlement. ---
**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:** [August 12, 2025, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/2991 "2025-08-12T18:04:02Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > Could have been that he had had his hand in the cookie jar, and, knowing that he was probably about to get caught (and de-elected), had a nervous breakdown, but that’s just speculation on my part. That’s basically the plot of a certain cartoon associated with my avatar. ---
**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 13, 2025, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/2992 "2025-08-13T13:56:42Z")
😄 Nope! That’s been my avatar for about 4 years! ---
**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:** [August 14, 2025, 5:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/2993 "2025-08-14T17:50:31Z")
Something that’s never occurred to me until I witnessed it on my morning walk: Here in the South, there’re many little churches, and they often have a small cemetery adjacent. As the metro are gains density, and mega churches replace the small congregations, the properties are sold off; replaced by strip malls, condominiums, etc. But besides the plywood boards over the church windows, the entire area is enclosed in opaque black fencing, six feet tall. They can’t excavate the cemetery in public view. ---
**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:** [August 14, 2025, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/2994 "2025-08-14T18:04:28Z")
Since we are what we are, I will nitpick. If it’s adjacent to a church it’s a graveyard. A cemetary is a standalone burial ground. ---
**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:** [August 14, 2025, 6:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/2995 "2025-08-14T18:08:37Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > A cemetary is a standalone burial ground Nitpick on the nitpick: **cemetery** ---
**Author:** ![markn\_1](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/f9ae1b/32.png) [@markn\_1](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/markn_1)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2025, 7:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/2996 "2025-08-14T19:11:19Z")
Unless you’re Steven King, in which case it’s “sematary”. ---
**Author:** ![Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/9de053/32.png) [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jackknifed_Juggernaut)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2025, 7:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/2997 "2025-08-14T19:18:09Z")
Or “cemetry” per Morrissey in The Smiths [song](https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=dfXqxjMkyQ4). ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [August 14, 2025, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/2998 "2025-08-14T19:44:23Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > Unless you’re Steven King, in which case it’s “sematary”. Since we’re in nitpick mode: Stephen. ---
**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:** [August 14, 2025, 7:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/2999 "2025-08-14T19:55:51Z")
> [@Slithy\_Tove](#): > > Here in the South, there’re many little churches, and they often have a small cemetery adjacent. As the metro are gains density, and mega churches replace the small congregations, the properties are sold off; replaced by strip malls, condominiums, etc. So the graveyards are eventually in the dead center of town? ---
**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:** [August 14, 2025, 8:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/3000 "2025-08-14T20:56:42Z")
And if you embed a body in a root boll and plant it in the ground, it eventually becomes a cemetree. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785.md?page=149) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785.md?page=151)