# 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:** 42
**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:** [November 5, 2024, 1:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/821 "2024-11-05T13:26:44Z")
In researching what the hell a “Mosquito Control Commissioner” was for my ballot, I learned all about “[sentinel chickens](https://pmc.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov/articles/PMC8352551/)”. The relevant bit: > [@](#): > > One of the more common ways around the country for conducting mosquito-borne virus surveillance is through the use of sentinel chicken flocks. Chicken flocks are placed in secured pens in mosquito prevalent areas where they are exposed to biting adult mosquitoes. Weekly blood samples are taken in the field from the chickens and are then processed by a qualified health lab. When a chicken tests positive for EEE or WNV, this means local active transmission is occurring and medical, veterinary, and mosquito control professionals can respond accordingly. Once a chicken tests positive, it is removed from further testing and replaced with another non-infected chicken (i.e., no virus antibodies present). Chickens serve as valuable sentinel animals since they are not effective amplifying hosts, and they develop a short and relatively low viremia compared to other bird species when infected by WNV or EEE. That’s Eastern Equine Encephalitis (EEE) and West Nile Virus (WNV), in case you weren’t sure. ---
**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:** [November 5, 2024, 1:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/822 "2024-11-05T13:29:51Z")
So it’s a canary in a coal mine, except it’s not a canary and there’s no mine. ---
**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:** [November 5, 2024, 1:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/823 "2024-11-05T13:33:49Z")
Same basic principle, but without the “dying on the spot” thing. ---
**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:** [November 5, 2024, 1:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/824 "2024-11-05T13:59:41Z")
Do they eat them after they’re infected, and do they taste better or worse? ---
**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:** [November 5, 2024, 2:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/825 "2024-11-05T14:35:28Z")
> [@Cervaise](#): > > So it’s a canary in a coal mine, except it’s not a canary and there’s no mine. Canaries were in fact used in British Coal mines all the way up to 1986: > **[BBC ON THIS DAY | 30 | 1986: Coal mine canaries made redundant](http://news.bbc.co.uk/onthisday/hi/dates/stories/december/30/newsid_2547000/2547587.stm)** > > More than 200 canary birds are to be phased out of Britain's mining pits and replaced by hand-held gas detectors. ---
**Author:** ![sb1953](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a87d85/32.png) [@sb1953](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sb1953)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2024, 3:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/826 "2024-11-05T15:05:07Z")
“Mr Gambini, the next time you appear in my courtroom you will wear a suit made of CLOTH!” ---
**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:** [November 5, 2024, 3:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/827 "2024-11-05T15:54:16Z")
> [@Saint\_Cad](#): > > > [@RealityChuck](#): > > > > What it means is one vote more than half. We’re talking numbers, not percentages. Half of 99 votes is 49.5, but you can’t have half a vote, so it boils down to 49 votes. One more vote that 49 is 50. If you get to 50 in the scenario, the other candidate can only get 49. > > But that’s **NOT** the math you are claiming. You don’t round until the end otherwise that’s not 50%+1. (0.5 x 99) + 1 = 49.5 + 1 = 50.5 which you THEN round up. > > Why get fancy (and wrong) with the 50%+1. The definition of majority is “more than half”. Yes, it is. Take it simply: What is half of 99? 49.5, right? Add one. The result it 50.5, the clear definition of a majority. Can you come up with an example where 50% of the votes plus 1 does not yield a majority? How about this: If N is the number of votes, 0.5N+1 is always greater than 0.5N. ---
**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:** [November 5, 2024, 3:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/828 "2024-11-05T15:59:03Z")
In other news, are we all aware of our new temporary mini-moon? > **[Can you see Earth's new 'minimoon' with the naked eye?](https://www.space.com/earth-mini-moon-naked-eye)** > > On Sunday, Sept. 29, Earth captured a new "minimoon" called 2024 PT5. The bus-size asteroid is expected to orbit our planet for 57 days, but is too small to be visible to amateur skywatchers. ---
**Author:** ![JacobSwan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/a6a055/32.png) [@JacobSwan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JacobSwan)\ **Post date:** [November 5, 2024, 4:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/829 "2024-11-05T16:02:39Z")
> [@Machine\_Elf](#): > > Canaries were in fact used in British Coal mines all the way up to 1986: Should have been phased out much earlier, but they were heavily unionised. Birds of a feather do flock together after all. ---
**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:** [November 5, 2024, 4:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/830 "2024-11-05T16:10:09Z")
> [@RealityChuck](#): > > The result it 50.5, the clear definition of a majority. So by your definition of majority, 50.1 is not a majority. This can easily come up with using weighted votes. > [@RealityChuck](#): > > Can you come up with an example where 50% of the votes plus 1 does not yield a majority? That’s not the question. The question is is 50%+1 the definition of a majority or is always equal to the minimal majority needed. Here is my counter to your logic/question. I define a majority as 100% of the vote. Can you come up with an example where 100% is not a majority? Therefore my definition is the correct one. Quod erat demonstratum. In the interest of stopping this hijack, I am willing to continue the discussion [here](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-definition-of-majority-more-than-half-50-1-both/1009724). Yes it should be an FQ but from what I’ve seen here it seems like more of a GD so I put it there. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2024, 7:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/831 "2024-11-08T19:31:16Z")
The Caribbean island nation of Saint Lucia is the only country in the world named after a woman. ---
**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:** [November 8, 2024, 7:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/832 "2024-11-08T19:37:47Z")
> [@zimaane](#): > > The Caribbean island nation of Saint Lucia is the only country in the world named after a woman.   Now I’m wondering how many countries are named for a specific individual. ---
**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:** [November 8, 2024, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/833 "2024-11-08T19:50:27Z")
First that comes to mind is Bolivia. ---
**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:** [November 8, 2024, 7:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/834 "2024-11-08T19:50:51Z")
And Colombia ---
**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:** [November 8, 2024, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/835 "2024-11-08T19:52:13Z")
And America ---
**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:** [November 8, 2024, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/836 "2024-11-08T19:52:27Z")
Does China count? Is it named after its first emperor or just his dynasty? ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2024, 8:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/837 "2024-11-08T20:02:24Z")
El Salvador, named after Jesus ---
**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:** [November 8, 2024, 8:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/838 "2024-11-08T20:10:13Z")
Saint Kitts and Nevis Saint Vincent and the Grenadines San Marino Sao Tome and Principe Saudi Arabia ---
**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:** [November 8, 2024, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/839 "2024-11-08T20:11:47Z")
Do nicknames count? Then The Virgin Islands after Elizabeth I. Which would incidently be another country named after a woman. ---
**Author:** ![kayaker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kayaker/32/441_2.png) [@kayaker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kayaker)\ **Post date:** [November 8, 2024, 8:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/840 "2024-11-08T20:18:33Z")
Saint Martin and Sint Maarten. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785.md?page=41) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785.md?page=43)