# 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:** 206
**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:** [February 10, 2026, 12:50am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4101 "2026-02-10T00:50:00Z")
Isn’t a loudspeaker just a bell, that happens to to be made of a very particular material and vibrated by a very particular clapper? ---
**Author:** ![Topologist](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/topologist/32/3208_2.png) [@Topologist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Topologist)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2026, 2:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4102 "2026-02-10T02:13:36Z")
There was an [old thread](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/uk-dopers-what-the-name-for-elaborate-bell-ringing/203131) discussing change ringing, though it didn’t get into that much detail. It’s much more common in the UK, but I was an American change ringer years ago, and briefly tower captain at the Old North Church in Boston. If anyone’s interested in more in-depth discussion of change ringing, I suggest a new thread. I mostly lurk because my day job and my math keep me busy, but I’d try to actively participate in such a thread. ---
**Author:** ![pjd](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/pjd/32/3009_2.png) [@pjd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pjd)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2026, 12:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4103 "2026-02-10T12:27:50Z")
I doubt if there’s much call for a new thread … [Here](https://youtu.be/yLMiK-TMyPI) is a video about bellringing which states (@ 7:05) that the way bells are hung in the UK (on a wheel) is fairly unique to English speaking countries. That is why the bells are more controllable allowing for change and method ringing, whereas the bells in Europe are more of a random clang-fest ! ---
**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:** [February 10, 2026, 1:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4104 "2026-02-10T13:12:59Z")
In 1974, singer Al Green was seriously injured when his \*girlfriend assaulted him. . . with a pot of grits. He had second-degree burns that required skin grafts. Shortly after the assault, she committed suicide. \*Girlfriend was not aware that Green was married with three children, and she was just a side chick. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2026, 1:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4105 "2026-02-10T13:28:35Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > \*Girlfriend was not aware that Green was married with three children, and she was just a side chick. Couldn’t happen anymore, one Google search would tell you within seconds. ---
**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:** [February 10, 2026, 2:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4106 "2026-02-10T14:46:57Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > suicide. > > \*Girlfriend was not aware that Green was married with three children, and she was just a side chick. Back in the 80s a friend of a friend was banging a San Francisco Giant who she’d see whenever the team was in San Diego. She found out he was married when she was watching one of his home games on tv and they showed his wife and kids in the crowd. ---
**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:** [February 10, 2026, 5:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4107 "2026-02-10T17:32:45Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Couldn’t happen anymore, one Google search would tell you within seconds. If you’d regularly read advice columns, you’d change your mind. ---
**Author:** ![ZonexandScout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/zonexandscout/32/544_2.png) [@ZonexandScout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ZonexandScout)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2026, 7:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4108 "2026-02-10T19:42:45Z")
No, ideally not. A bell functions basically due to resonance. A loudspeaker should not be resonant. The ideal speaker/transducer cone or element would be zero mass and zero resonance. In fact, speaker designers find it important to know the natural resonance of a speaker so they can design around it. ---
**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:** [February 10, 2026, 9:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4109 "2026-02-10T21:00:24Z")
The World T-20 Championships (limited overs cricket) are ongoing at the moment - news to most on these boards, I imagine, though no doubt our Antipodeans and South Africans are still sniggering over how England almost managed to get themselves beaten by (wait for it) Nepal. This led me to wonder just how bad (or good) are Nepal, actually? And the answer is: certainly not awful - #16 in the world. (For context, the Major Nations run out at 10 through 13 - Afghanistan, Ireland, Zimbabwe and The Netherlands (no, really).) So. It occurs to me that, as a public service, I should advise members of these boards of their home nations’ cricketing proficiency. Major Nations omitted - you probably know already - and link to the listings at the bottom, as I will surely miss someone. 18 - USA 19 - Canada 30 - Spain 35 - Germany 44 - Japan 46 - Argentina 53 - France 79 - Luxembourg > **[Men’s T20I Team Rankings – Official T20 International Standings | ICC](https://www.icc-cricket.com/rankings/team-rankings/mens/t20i)** > > Official ICC ranking for Twenty20 International cricket teams. Discover latest rankings, predict upcoming matches, see points and ratings for all teams. (If anyone is interested, of the above only USA and Canada made it to the finals. USA are currently bottom of Group A and Canada are bottom of Group D). j ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2026, 9:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4110 "2026-02-10T21:27:36Z")
I’m surprised Germany is as high as #35, because it’s an almost unknown sport here. And the ones who know the game still don’t understand the rules, including me, which made the last book in the "Hitchhiker’s Guide” series a hard read for me. Most Germans would rather know croquet (which is spelled “Crocket” in German) than cricket. ---
**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:** [February 10, 2026, 9:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4111 "2026-02-10T21:40:10Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > I’m surprised Germany is as high as #35, because it’s an almost unknown sport here. Random Googling suggests that Berlin (for example) has at least 50,000 residents hailing from South Asia, so I wouldn’t be surprised if there were at least one recreational league set up. ---
**Author:** ![Cervaise](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cervaise/32/16693_2.png) [@Cervaise](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cervaise)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2026, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4112 "2026-02-10T21:44:08Z")
And I’m not surprised Luxembourg is down in the bottom third. It’s not on the radar here. We’re all about football (of course) and cycling. ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2026, 9:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4113 "2026-02-10T21:44:42Z")
> [@hogarth](#): > > Random Googling suggests that Berlin (for example) has at least 50,000 residents hailing from South Asia, so I wouldn’t be surprised if there were at least one recreational league set up. Yeah, I didn’t think of immigrants playing the game here, and now that you mentioned it I remember a newspaper story about a cricket team founded by (I think) Pakistani immigrants in the town of Arnsberg which is close to me, struggling to find a playing ground. In the end, a football (soccer) club shared their facilities with them. ---
**Author:** ![Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/b4bc9f/32.png) [@Ulf\_the\_Unwashed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ulf_the_Unwashed)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2026, 9:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4114 "2026-02-10T21:45:12Z")
US here, small city in NY State. We have a significant Jamaican population, and for some years there was a cricket field a couple miles outside town. I’d ride my bike along the road and stop once in a while to see a few minutes of a game. Had no idea what was going on, of course. The Jamaican influence continues here, but the field is now a vacant lot. (I don’t think it’s moved; could be wrong though.) ---
**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:** [February 10, 2026, 9:47pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4115 "2026-02-10T21:47:18Z")
For the record, here’s the current German squad \_ don’t think any of the names are going to surprise you. > **[Germany national cricket team | Current squad](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Germany_national_cricket_team#Current_squad)** > > Updated as of 3 July 2025 > This lists all the players who were part of the German squad for 2025 Malawi Quad Nations T20 Cup. j ---
**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:** [February 10, 2026, 9:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4116 "2026-02-10T21:48:30Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > don’t think any of the names are going to surprise you. Well, maybe Kyle Klasse. ---
**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:** [February 10, 2026, 9:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4117 "2026-02-10T21:50:00Z")
Oh yeah, I missed that one. Wicket Keeper, though. Doesn’t bowl and might not bat much. Still, impressive. j ---
**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:** [February 10, 2026, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4118 "2026-02-10T21:52:11Z")
> **[Young cricket player's star is on the rise](https://www.citizen.co.za/lowvelder/sports-news/local-sports/2019/10/12/young-cricket-players-star-rise/)** > > Kyle has really come into his own as a cricket player and captain. Originally from South Africa, it seems. ---
**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:** [February 10, 2026, 9:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4119 "2026-02-10T21:52:51Z")
Ah. Makes sense now. j ---
**Author:** ![EinsteinsHund](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/einsteinshund/32/8400_2.png) [@EinsteinsHund](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/EinsteinsHund)\ **Post date:** [February 10, 2026, 9:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4120 "2026-02-10T21:54:29Z")
> [@EinsteinsHund](#): > > Pakistani And he has a great name for a German cricket player, “Klasse” means class or as an adjective, great or top notch. ETA: don’t know how it happened that I quoted myself, I wanted to quote the name of Kyle Klasse. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785.md?page=205) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785.md?page=207)