# 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:** 75
**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:** [January 30, 2025, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1481 "2025-01-30T16:17:01Z")
Ron Dunbar left Motown at the same time H-D-H did; mostly because his name wasn’t appearing on the records and songs he worked on. ---
**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:** [January 30, 2025, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1482 "2025-01-30T17:33:50Z")
> [@Elmer\_J.Fudd](#): > > Does a lyricist still get half the writing royalties off of instrumental covers? Yes, if you they are listed as cowriter. They still get paid for instrumental versions of their songs. I can’t imagine ASCAP or BMI would ever agree to that. ---
**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:** [January 30, 2025, 5:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1483 "2025-01-30T17:56:39Z")
[Here](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2015/oct/06/how-we-made-band-of-gold-freda-payne-lamont-dozier) is an article about the song from one of the songwriters (Lamont Dozier). Interesting tidbit: the studio guitarist was [Ray Parker Jr.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Parker_Jr.), and he was 15 years old at the time it was recorded. ---
**Author:** ![bordelond](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bordelond/32/150_2.png) [@bordelond](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bordelond)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 6:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1484 "2025-01-30T18:02:32Z")
> [@Crafter\_Man](#): > > [Here](https://www.theguardian.com/culture/2015/oct/06/how-we-made-band-of-gold-freda-payne-lamont-dozier) is an article about the song from one of the songwriters (Lamont Dozier). Interesting tidbit: the studio guitarist was [Ray Parker Jr.](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Ray_Parker_Jr.), and he was 15 years old at the time it was recorded . Parker had a significant career even before he graduated high school. He went on to tour with Stevie Wonder right out of high school. ---
**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:** [January 30, 2025, 6:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1485 "2025-01-30T18:55:25Z")
According to a story related by Casey Kasem on AT40, Wonder called Parker and introduced himself. Parker, assuming it was a prank, hung up on him. But he called him back, and that time convinced him. My contribution: Moultrie County, Illinois uses the [Moultrie Flag](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Moultrie_County,_Illinois) flown at Sullivan’s Island during the American Revolution. The county seat is. . . Sullivan. Interesting choice of names, as Illinois would have had a. . . rather modest contribution to the Revolution and connection to William Moultrie. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 7:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1486 "2025-01-30T19:44:32Z")
Looking for cilantro substitutes online yesterday I stumbled upon this little factoid: The soapy taste that some of us can detect in cilantro leaves come from aldehydes. If you soak aldehydes in acid (vinegar, lime juice, etc) they become hydrates; hydrates don’t taste soapy. ---
**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:** [January 30, 2025, 8:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1487 "2025-01-30T20:11:21Z")
> [@CalMeacham](#): > > **Irony Department** > > [Johnstown Flood Museum Closed Because Of Flooding | HuffPost Weird News](https://www.huffpost.com/entry/johnstown-flood-museum-closed-because-of-flooding_n_679a9feee4b052304fb74260) > > I’ve been there, after reading McCullouch’s book **The Johnstown Flood**. A great litle museum that I didn’t get to spend enough time at. > > The article oversells the “flooding” – it’s an internal leak. The Museum’s up high enough that it wouldn’t actually flood unless extraordinary circumstances arose. But I think they just couldn’t resist the headline. > > I was surprised, when I visited, to see that 2/3 to 1/2 of the earthen dam that failed, causing the flood, is still there. While on the subject of the 1889 flood, I came across an excellent video which goes into great details before, during, and after the flood (which killed over 2000 people - in a town/city of about 7500). Many were killed by fires which broke out in the debris. It has had two significant floods since then (1936 and 1977). [Flood, Fire, and Destruction: The Great Johnstown Flood](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=Q_B3MaLgXUo&t=1939s) ---
**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:** [January 30, 2025, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1488 "2025-01-30T20:38:14Z")
> [@TruCelt](#): > > If you soak aldehydes in acid (vinegar, lime juice, etc) they become hydrates; hydrates don’t taste soapy. Hmmm … I wonder if that is why recipes with cilantro often have lime juice or if that is a coincidence. ---
**Author:** ![TruCelt](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/trucelt/32/523_2.png) [@TruCelt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TruCelt)\ **Post date:** [January 30, 2025, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1489 "2025-01-30T20:45:56Z")
Makes sense. I have been confused by cilantro dishes that I liked for a minute, then hated. But cilantro is like green onion, people like to finish the dish by sprinkling a bit of it fresh across the top. It does explain why I love the marinated shrimp from CostCo which is full of cilantro. And why one bite of a dish can be great, and the next awful - it’s the fresh bit on top. ---
**Author:** ![Reeses\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reeses_monkey/32/2885_2.png) [@Reeses\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeses_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2025, 1:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1490 "2025-01-31T01:43:06Z")
There are 2 Flood Museums. The one that is “too high up to flood” is at the dam itself, in St Michael. The museum that flooded is here in town, right by a bridge that goes over the offending Conemaugh river. Source: I have lived in Johnstown since 2012 and have visited both museums. ---
**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:** [January 31, 2025, 12:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1491 "2025-01-31T12:24:31Z")
> [@Reeses\_Monkey](#): > > There are 2 Flood Museums. The one that is “too high up to flood” is at the dam itself, in St Michael. The museum that flooded is here in town, right by a bridge that goes over the offending Conemaugh river. As I said, I didn’t have enough time there. I barely had time to get in to the one museum and see it. Didn’t even realize there was another one there. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2025, 12:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1492 "2025-01-31T12:43:58Z")
I was stunned to learn in the early hours of the morning that Hawaii had a TORNADO OUTBREAK yesterday! Yes, I said HAWAII. Is nothing sacred anymore?! Is even Paradise now a victim of the violence of nature that has resulted from human ignorance?! It’s like the wraiths invading West End in Hobbit land. Anathema! 😡 ---
**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:** [January 31, 2025, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1493 "2025-01-31T19:30:21Z")
Tornados were reported in Hawaii as far back as 1950; no idea if they’re more prevalent now. ---
**Author:** ![Jasmine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jasmine/32/2964_2.png) [@Jasmine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jasmine)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2025, 7:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1494 "2025-01-31T19:39:03Z")
Well, they termed it an “outbreak” with 4 being on the ground at one time. I’ll try to check on that, though. Wikipedia says: Previous to yesterday, the biggest outbreak in Hawaiian history was on **January 27, 1971** and ended the following day. During this event, three tornadoes were confirmed. ---
**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:** [January 31, 2025, 10:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1495 "2025-01-31T22:05:56Z")
Tornados are rare in this part of the country, but we had one less than a mile from where I live some years back. I may have been at work or out and about at the time, or maybe asleep, because I was not aware of it at the time, but I did see the bones and scraps of the tornado-magnet that it ate. ---
**Author:** ![garygnu](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/garygnu/32/2924_2.png) [@garygnu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/garygnu)\ **Post date:** [January 31, 2025, 11:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1496 "2025-01-31T23:42:30Z")
Same here. Tornadoes are exceedingly rare in Washington, but that didn’t stop an EF2 hitting less than a mile and a half from my home six years ago. ---
**Author:** ![Reeses\_Monkey](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/reeses_monkey/32/2885_2.png) [@Reeses\_Monkey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Reeses_Monkey)\ **Post date:** [February 1, 2025, 1:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1497 "2025-02-01T13:02:49Z")
If you ever get the chance you should go to the museum up at the dam. On the anniversary of the big flood they put out luminaries with the name of the victims on each one. One name per light, over 2200 of them, lining the dam on both sides. ---
**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 1, 2025, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1498 "2025-02-01T15:14:35Z")
French became the official language of France only in 1992 [Wikipedia]. ---
**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:** [February 1, 2025, 3:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1499 "2025-02-01T15:24:33Z")
Do you have a link to the cite? Because the current **[French Constitution](https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Constitution_of_France)** was adopted in 1958 already, and it states in its **second article that French shall be the official language of the French Republic**. > T i t l e I > ON SOVEREIGNTY > ARTICLE 2. > The language of the Republic shall be French. > The national emblem shall be the blue, white and red tricolour flag. > The national anthem shall be La Marseillaise. > The maxim of the Republic shall be “Liberty, Equality, Fraternity”. > The principle of the Republic shall be: government of the people, by the people and for the people. ---
**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 1, 2025, 4:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1500 "2025-02-01T16:34:39Z")
Just the quote from Wikipedia. It supplies no link to a source. But a little searching turned up this (scroll to the bottom): [10 milestones in the history of the French language](https://www.cite-langue-francaise.fr/en/discover/the-adventure-of-french/10-milestones-in-the-history-of-the-french-language) [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785.md?page=74) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785.md?page=76)