# 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:** 98
**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:** [March 25, 2025, 4:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1941 "2025-03-25T16:04:12Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > (no leap day in 2000) But I have to get pedantic here. There was a leap day in 2000. Leap days are skipped if the year is evenly divisible by 100 _unless_ it is also divisible by 400. ---
**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:** [March 25, 2025, 4:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1942 "2025-03-25T16:06:17Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > But I have to get pedantic here. There was a leap day in 2000. Leap days are skipped if the year is evenly divisible by 100 _unless_ it is also divisible by 400. Ah, damn ---
**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:** [March 25, 2025, 4:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1943 "2025-03-25T16:21:15Z")
To say nothing of “what day is George Washington’s birthday?”. ---
**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:** [March 25, 2025, 6:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1944 "2025-03-25T18:50:53Z")
> [@Mark\_Finn](#): > > Allegedly - the single musical instrument that has been listened to in person by more people than any other. (in multiple sessions over time - not just one performance). Obviously I’m not in a position to say this is wrong, but it occurs to me that there must be organs in cathedrals which are in the running. To be honest, I have even less idea how this number would be counted. Does organ tootling carry on continuously during the day in some of these places? (It did last time I was in a church, in Strasbourg last year).. Even if it does, that may not always have been the case. But don’t cathedrals draw pretty big crowds? (Every day? More than once a day?) And how old, typically, are those huge church organs? Could be an impossible question to answer. j ETA - anyone want to do the calculation for Brian May’s guitar? That’s a lot of stadiums over a lot of years and, so far as I’m aware, just the one guitar. ETA2 - plus the rooftop at Buck House on a very busy night. ---
**Author:** ![zimaane](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a3d4f5/32.png) [@zimaane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/zimaane)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2025, 8:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1945 "2025-03-25T20:14:36Z")
Things like this are the reason why this thread is so cool. ---
**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:** [March 25, 2025, 8:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1946 "2025-03-25T20:19:00Z")
> [@bordelond](#): > > I took Mark\_Finn’s case like so: > > - The Wannamaker Organ (sp?) started it’s twice-a-day performances on Some Day, 1911. On Day 1, 100 people gathered round and heard the first performance and 85 people heard the second. Don’t really care about whether, say, any passing pedestrians heard a few notes and kept walking, or anything like that. Count of in-person listeners at Day 1: **185**. > - Repeat [[365.25 (leap days!) × 2 performances] × 114 years] - 2 (no leap day in 2000) = 83,275 performances > - 83,275 performances × arbitrary average number of in-person listeners (see “in-person” above). Call it 200 per performance to yield 16,655,000 in-person listeners to that one organ. A nonce figure built on assumptions and dry sand, to be sure. But something. Well, that method definitely won’t get you the right number, because most of those people will be the same people. ---
**Author:** ![Babale](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/babale/32/15666_2.png) [@Babale](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Babale)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2025, 8:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1947 "2025-03-25T20:23:54Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Well, that method definitely won’t get you the right number, because most of those people will be the same people But if they hear the organ twice, years apart, and during the intervening time more than half of their body’s cells were replaced by natural growth, would we get to count them twice? ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2025, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1948 "2025-03-25T20:28:26Z")
Of course, by the same argument, organs need regular maintenance, and most parts have probably been replaced over the years. It’s the Organ and Spectator of Theseus. ---
**Author:** ![Aspenglow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/aspenglow/32/76_2.png) [@Aspenglow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Aspenglow)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2025, 8:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1949 "2025-03-25T20:38:39Z")
Moderating: > [@hajario](#): > > Jesus dude. We all know what it means. _You don’t have to be a pedantic ass about everything_ Emphasis mine. This is an obvious personal insult and you know better. I find this a very close call on whether to issue a Warning. Lengthen your fuse. ---
**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:** [March 25, 2025, 9:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1950 "2025-03-25T21:01:54Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > Even the audience in the stadium wasn’t hearing the sounds from the guitar; they were hearing the sounds from the speakers hooked up to the amp hooked up to the guitar. The amp, speaker, cords, effects pedals, etc., are part of an electric guitar. The musician plays their whole setup, not just the thing with the strings. Television transmission equipment is not part of the instrument. ---
**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:** [March 25, 2025, 9:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1951 "2025-03-25T21:12:53Z")
Ottoman soldiers fought Aztec warriors. In Brunei in 1578. ---
**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:** [March 25, 2025, 9:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1952 "2025-03-25T21:16:27Z")
> [@Treppenwitz](#): > > Obviously I’m not in a position to say this is wrong, but it occurs to me that there must be organs in cathedrals which are in the running. As well as church bells. There are bells that are very old and can be heard across a large area. Again, it all depends on exactly on what a musical performance is and what in person means. ---
**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:** [March 25, 2025, 9:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1953 "2025-03-25T21:42:21Z")
> [@Railer13](#): > > Most everyone is aware that Jesse Owens won four gold medals at the 1936 Summer Olympics in Berlin as Adolf Hitler looked on. But today I learned that another American finished second behind Owens in the 200 meter race. That individual was Mack Robinson, who was the older brother of Jackie Robinson. Robinson’s time in the 200 meters broke the existing Olympic record, but of course Owens’ time set a new record. He wasn’t even supposed to run the relay. He and one other runner were last minute replacements for two Jewish men, Marty Glickman and Sam Stoller. Coach Dean Cromwell, an unrepentant Nazi sympathizer, didn’t want to insult his hosts. Jesse did try to protest but was overruled. ---
**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:** [March 25, 2025, 9:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1954 "2025-03-25T21:51:20Z")
> [@Pleonast](#): > > As well as church bells. Oooo! Good one! j ---
**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:** [March 25, 2025, 9:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1955 "2025-03-25T21:59:37Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > In Brunei in 1578 That is a good one too! Can you elaborate, or give hints in what direction to search? ---
**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:** [March 25, 2025, 11:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1956 "2025-03-25T23:02:22Z")
> [@Johanna](#): > > Ottoman soldiers fought Aztec warriors. In Brunei in 1578. The Castilian War. It wasn’t the Ottomans, but their Muslim allies; the sultans of Sulu and Mindanao. The “Aztecs” were 200 assorted mestizos, mulattoes, and Native Americans from Peru and Mexico. ---
**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:** [March 25, 2025, 11:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1957 "2025-03-25T23:46:06Z")
This video is titled “The Forgotten Battle When Ottomans Fought the Aztecs” [![](https://img.youtube.com/vi/C1IWTz7DrE8/maxresdefault.jpg "The Forgotten Battle When Ottomans Fought The Aztecs - Forgotten History (Short Documentary)") ](https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=C1IWTz7DrE8) ---
**Author:** ![MacDoc](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/macdoc/32/18696_2.png) [@MacDoc](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MacDoc)\ **Post date:** [March 25, 2025, 11:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1958 "2025-03-25T23:55:34Z")
The first nuclear materials mine > # It was hunting season in the Ozark Mountains in November 1879. Sport hunters Bill Henry, John Dempsey, and Bill Boyceyer of Barry County, Missouri, were out to shoot a wildcat. They had left their hunting party behind, chasing a cat through the dense woods with their enthusiastic hunting dog. The dog, with his seemingly boundless dog-energy, ran full tilt down a gulley, then straight up the side of a steep hill, chasing the cat through previously untrampled territory. The cat looked desperate. Leaping around on the side of the mountain, he disappeared into a black hole, and the hound did not hesitate to dive in after him. > > The three men, somewhat winded from the pursuit, knew they had him now. They cocked their pieces, aimed high at the orifice, and waited for the cat to come blasting out. The wait became uncomfortable. Fifteen minutes, and not only was there no cat, but the dog hadn’t come back. They half-cocked their firearms and started to climb, but just then they heard the dog barking, somewhere on top of the hill. They whistled him down. He had obviously gone clean through the mountain and come out the other side. > > Henry, Dempsey, and Boyceyer immediately found this hole in the side of the mountain more interesting than the wildcat. They had been around here before, but had never noticed the hole. It was oddly placed, and it would be easy to miss. It required investigation. > > Cautiously, the three entered the opening. Shortly inside they saw along the wall what appeared to be a vein of pure, silvery metal, and dollar signs came up in their eyes. Could it be? Could they have stumbled into an undisturbed silver mine? It was growing dark, and they decided to retire to the hunting camp and do some planning. Nobody was to say anything to anybody about the hole, and they would return tomorrow for a more thorough exploration. The next morning they returned to the site, dogless this time but with a boy to help carry things. They lit pitch-pine torches and crawled into the opening, single file, with Henry leading. The cavern opened up, and everything in it looked strange and unfamiliar. At about two hundred feet in, the tunnel was partially blocked by what looked like a large tree trunk of solid silver. It was the strangest metal they had ever seen, with the bluish sheen of a peacock’s tail. In the yellow glare of the torches it seemed faceted, like a cut diamond. In the tight, unfamiliar surroundings, imaginations ran wild. Henry selected a free rock on the floor and used it to bang on the mineral column. A few unusually heavy pieces chipped off, and they put them in a small tin box for transport. > > Still feeling the tingle of adventure, they squeezed one at a time past the silvery obstruction and pressed on. At an estimated five hundred feet from the entrance they entered an arched room, and their perceptions started to veer into hallucinogenic territory. The walls of the room shone like polished silver, the floor was a light blue, and the ceiling was supported by three transparent crystal columns. Hearts raced as the oxygen level dropped. The men each knew that they had found their eternal fortune, and in their minds, gently slipping away, they were already spending it. They pressed past the columns, and the torches started to sputter and die. The walls were starting to get very close, and a blind panic gripped all three hunters simultaneously. They scrambled, crawled, and grabbed their ways to the cave portal as quickly as possible, with Henry dragging the box of samples. Get the book **Atomic Accidents** - it’s terrific - I learned soooooo much even the first chapter. 👏 ---
**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:** [March 25, 2025, 11:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1959 "2025-03-25T23:59:01Z")
Speaking of Brunei, a British guy went there in 1839, helped out the sultan, and became the Rajah of Sarawak, which he split off from Brunei. This wasn’t British Empire colonialism, it was a private filibuster. The most successful filibuster in history, since the British guy’s descendants continued as the “white rajahs” of Sarawak until Japan invaded in World War II. After the war, the last “white rajah” finally handed it over to the British Empire. When José Rizal wrote _El Filibusterismo_ in the neighboring Philippines, I wonder if he had Sarawak in the back of his mind. ---
**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:** [March 26, 2025, 12:32am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785/1960 "2025-03-26T00:32:36Z")
I think there was a recent film about the first white raja. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785.md?page=97) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/tell-us-an-interesting-random-fact-you-stumbled-across-part-2/1004785.md?page=99)