# 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:** 208
**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:** [February 13, 2026, 8:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4141 "2026-02-13T20:12:45Z")
For several years, Montreal held the [Snow Cricket World Cup 2013, Montreal, Canada](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=n4S-BzfQlno) ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2026, 10:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4142 "2026-02-13T22:55:30Z")
That would be a white ball version of the game, one assumes? ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [February 13, 2026, 11:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4143 "2026-02-13T23:04:51Z")
Rich druggy debauchees in India are paying $500 a hit to get high on cobra venom. There is an illegal underground trade in cobra venom. The kicker is that they ingest the venom as powder mixed into drinks. The proteins that make the venom work are disassembled by stomach acids within minutes. So the rich fools are totally getting ripped off. The dealers adulterate the venom powder with other drugs. Although the really dedicated venom-heads get the real thing by having cobras bite them under the tongue for a quicker rush. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2026, 3:05am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4144 "2026-02-14T03:05:07Z")
Today I learned some interesting stuff about [curling stones](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Curling#Curling_stone): > The granite for the stones comes from two sources: Ailsa Craig, an island located in the Firth of Clyde off the Ayrshire coast of Scotland, and the Trefor Granite Quarry, North of the Llŷn Peninsula, Gwynedd in Wales. They’re about $700 each (U.S.), and can be used for 40 years or more. ---
**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:** [February 14, 2026, 4:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4145 "2026-02-14T16:44:01Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > They’re about $700 each (U.S.), and can be used for 40 years or more. After 40 years what happens? Do they expire and start to rot? ---
**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 14, 2026, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4146 "2026-02-14T18:12:22Z")
Excess moss build up from the lack of rolling. ---
**Author:** ![Lumpy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lumpy/32/446_2.png) [@Lumpy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lumpy)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2026, 9:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4147 "2026-02-14T21:28:52Z")
I wonder if any other sources are petitioning to have their granite be certified as approved “curling” quality stone. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2026, 10:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4148 "2026-02-14T22:25:38Z")
Why do Mexicans answer the phone with “Bueno”? In the early days of telephony, connections were often poor. When calling the operator, they got in the habit of saying “Bueno?” “Is the connection good? Can you hear me all right?” It was not a greeting but a line check. ---
**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 14, 2026, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4149 "2026-02-14T22:40:49Z")
Bueno is the standard Mexican phone greeting ---
**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 14, 2026, 10:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4150 "2026-02-14T22:43:16Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > Why do Mexicans answer the phone with “Bueno”? In the early days of telephony, connections were often poor. When calling the operator, they got in the habit of saying “Bueno?” “Is the connection good? Can you hear me all right?” It was not a greeting but a line check. Do you also know why Italians say “Pronto!”? ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2026, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4151 "2026-02-14T22:49:07Z")
It means ‘Ready’ (cognate of prompt, from Latin promptus meaning all set to go). Why do they say “Moshi moshi” in Japan? ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2026, 10:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4152 "2026-02-14T22:52:51Z")
Supposedly, Alexander Graham Bell advocated using “Ahoy!” to answer the phone. ---
**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:** [February 14, 2026, 11:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4153 "2026-02-14T23:16:55Z")
Which is why, in one of The Simpsons’ most obscure jokes, Mr. Burns always answers the phone with “ahoy-hoy”, to show how old and out of touch he is. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [February 14, 2026, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4154 "2026-02-14T23:28:28Z")
I prefer, “Speak to me.” ---
**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 14, 2026, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4155 "2026-02-14T23:53:11Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > It means ‘Ready’ (cognate of prompt, from Latin promptus meaning all set to go). My question was a little tongue in cheek, I knew what “pronto” means. But I’ve always wondered why answering the phone differs (or rather differed) so much for different countries. Here in Germany, before the advent of caller ID, it was usual to answer a call with your full name. I wonder if this was a special German quirk or also happened in other countries. ---
**Author:** ![Crafter\_Man](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/crafter_man/32/458_2.png) [@Crafter\_Man](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Crafter_Man)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2026, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4156 "2026-02-15T00:07:02Z")
Speaking of telephones (and getting back to the OP), the percentage of homes w/ a landline is rapidly decreasing. According to [this](https://www.usatoday.com/story/money/2024/10/10/who-still-has-landline-phone/75569063007/) 2024 article, 95% of homes in the U.S. had a landline in 2004, but only about 20% have one today. Last week at work, someone came around and grabbed all our desk phones. We have Teams, and I just learned there’s also a phone number tied to each Teams account. ---
**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:** [February 15, 2026, 12:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4157 "2026-02-15T00:07:52Z")
In the US, it was not uncommon in business settings. I would usually answer my office phone with my name. But I think it’s viewed as rather stuffy and overly formal to do so on a personal phone. ---
**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 15, 2026, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4158 "2026-02-15T00:13:57Z")
> [@markn\_1](#): > > In the US, it was not uncommon in business settings. I would usually answer my office phone with my name. Oh, in business settings, I always answered with “[name of company], EinsteinsHund speaking”. I think that’s still the norm here. ---
**Author:** ![Yllaria](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/yllaria/32/3452_2.png) [@Yllaria](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Yllaria)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2026, 12:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4159 "2026-02-15T00:15:44Z")
I work for a city. Our department has a three sentence greeting. People ignore it. I stopped using it once it was obvious that I’d be getting a lot of wrong numbers from people wanting Animal Control. Life was easier when I reduced it to “Engineering”, my name, and “can I help you?” That’s short enough that people hear it, instead of zoning out, and they know they have a wrong number. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [February 15, 2026, 12:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/4160 "2026-02-15T00:36:20Z")
The culture at my school was to answer the phone with your room number and then your name - “P-2, Silenus.” TAs would answer “P-2, student speaking.” I used to amuse the ROTC instructors by answering their calls with “P-2, Actual.” [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785.md?page=207) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785.md?page=209)