# Aren't you shocked by what some people DON'T know? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [November 30, 2000, 8:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arent-you-shocked-by-what-some-people-dont-know/43431 "2000-11-30T20:34:57Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 30
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2004, 1:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arent-you-shocked-by-what-some-people-dont-know/43431/581 "2004-02-23T13:37:28Z")
> [@Quasimodal](#): > > I was eating lunch one day at university, when another student blurted out for no reason “I think a person’s sense of confidence is related to the color of their underwear” She then decided to tell us the color of her underwear. It was red. How do _you_ know she’s wrong? ---
**Author:** ![kimfair](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/278dde/32.png) [@kimfair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/kimfair)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2004, 2:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arent-you-shocked-by-what-some-people-dont-know/43431/582 "2004-02-23T14:08:57Z")
> [@HPL](#): > > Is biology a prereqisiute to chemistry? No, but she did take advanced placement biology with me and had 3 brothers. I would think that at 16 years old, with brothers in the house one would know what a urinal was! 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Floater](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/dc4da7/32.png) [@Floater](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Floater)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2004, 5:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arent-you-shocked-by-what-some-people-dont-know/43431/583 "2004-02-23T17:33:54Z")
> [@kimfair](#): > > I would think that at 16 years old, with brothers in the house one would know what a urinal was! 😃 Tell her to visit [this place](http://www.urinal.net/). ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2004, 5:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arent-you-shocked-by-what-some-people-dont-know/43431/584 "2004-02-23T17:41:32Z")
> [@kimfair](#): > > No, but she did take advanced placement biology with me and had 3 brothers. I would think that at 16 years old, with brothers in the house one would know what a urinal was! 😃 Or just thought about how male biology works for a second. ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2004, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arent-you-shocked-by-what-some-people-dont-know/43431/585 "2004-02-23T17:59:26Z")
> [@AussieSilverback](#): > > I believe the teacher responded by telling the girl that it didn’t taste sweet because the taste buds for sweetness were on the tip of the toungue, not at the back of the throat! Actually, the taste bud map has been discredited. All taste buds work equally. I wish I could cite this for you - I know it was in Scientific American in 2001 or thereabouts. I photocopied the article and gave it to my anatomy teacher, who used it as a replacement page for our (brand-new, up-to-date) anatomy textbooks, which still showed the map. Any scientists want to back me up here? This explains why I got that C on the taste bud test in elementary school… take THAT, stupid elementary science teacher! I was right when I said I couldn’t tell the difference! ---
**Author:** ![SanibelMan](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/a88e4f/32.png) [@SanibelMan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SanibelMan)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2004, 6:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arent-you-shocked-by-what-some-people-dont-know/43431/586 "2004-02-23T18:04:51Z")
And of course, five minutes of searching gets me the article. [Here it is.](http://www.sciam.com/article.cfm?articleID=0008DB75-22F1-1CBF-B4A8809EC588EEDF&pageNumber=1) ---
**Author:** ![elfbabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b782af/32.png) [@elfbabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfbabe)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2004, 9:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arent-you-shocked-by-what-some-people-dont-know/43431/587 "2004-02-23T21:56:50Z")
> [@jastu](#): > > When telling someone about NZ, of course they didn’t know where it was Hey, _I_ know where NZ is! And I even knew BEFORE I watched all those Lord of the Rings DVD extras. Granted, all I could have told you then was “I think it’s kind of near Australia.” and “It’s an island. Possibly multiple islands.” But I still don’t think that’s too much to ask of the population at large. ---
**Author:** ![HPL](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/3da27b/32.png) [@HPL](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/HPL)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2004, 10:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arent-you-shocked-by-what-some-people-dont-know/43431/588 "2004-02-23T22:35:57Z")
> [@elfbabe](#): > > Hey, _I_ know where NZ is! And I even knew BEFORE I watched all those Lord of the Rings DVD extras. Granted, all I could have told you then was “I think it’s kind of near Australia.” and “It’s an island. Possibly multiple islands.” But I still don’t think that’s too much to ask of the population at large. I’m still amazed how bad the general public seems to be a geography. You’d think it wouldn’t be that hard to at least know which the general regions where various nations are. ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2004, 11:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arent-you-shocked-by-what-some-people-dont-know/43431/589 "2004-02-23T23:23:14Z")
> [@elfbabe](#): > > Hey, _I_ know where NZ is! And I even knew BEFORE I watched all those Lord of the Rings DVD extras. Granted, all I could have told you then was “I think it’s kind of near Australia.” and “It’s an island. Possibly multiple islands.” But I still don’t think that’s too much to ask of the population at large. Though verious antipodeans have shouted at me for thinking that. IMHO 2000 miles counts as ‘near’ Australia for a place in the middle of an empty ocean on the other side of the world, but OTOH, they probably do get fed up of people thinking it’s 20 miles offshore 🙂 England has the opposite problem - even people who live here can’t believe you can really see France from the south-east coast, but sometimes you can. ---
**Author:** ![Clothahump](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/51bf81/32.png) [@Clothahump](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Clothahump)\ **Post date:** [February 23, 2004, 11:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arent-you-shocked-by-what-some-people-dont-know/43431/590 "2004-02-23T23:41:59Z")
> [@Jackknifed Juggernaut](#): > > I was riding a university shuttle in Houston on a very cold morning. > …snip… > Please share any similar experiences. I’ll do the same as I think of some others. No, I’m not surprised. I watch Jaywalking on the Tonight Show all the time. Some of those people are so damn dumb that it is absolutely painful. What part of Houston do you live in? I’m out on the west side, near Westheimer and Beltway 8. ---
**Author:** ![elfbabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b782af/32.png) [@elfbabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfbabe)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 12:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arent-you-shocked-by-what-some-people-dont-know/43431/591 "2004-02-24T00:01:39Z")
> [@Shade](#): > > Though verious antipodeans have shouted at me for thinking that. Then what do they prefer? “New Zealand, not actually near anything at all, really”? ---
**Author:** ![Largo62](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/45deac/32.png) [@Largo62](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Largo62)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 12:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arent-you-shocked-by-what-some-people-dont-know/43431/592 "2004-02-24T00:17:29Z")
> [@Shade](#): > > England has the opposite problem - even people who live here can’t believe you can really see France from the south-east coast, but sometimes you can. Then the children’s rhyme is true? _I see England, I see France. I see Teacher’s Underpants!_ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![Ludo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Ludo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ludo)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 1:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arent-you-shocked-by-what-some-people-dont-know/43431/593 "2004-02-24T01:02:52Z")
Here goes my story of ignorance: 'Twas my freshman year in college. I was in the kitchen area, sitting at the “table”, which had about one square foot of surface area. Hardly enough room for my bowl of Ramen noodles! There are two girls in the living room, referred from now on as Girl #1 and Girl #Stoo-pid. I overhear them say this Girl #1: (jokingly) I’ve got a full tank of gas, Girl #Stoo-pid, let’s drive to Alaska! Girl #Stoo-pid: You can’t \*drive \* to Alaska, it’s an **island**! :eek: ---
**Author:** ![Duckster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/duckster/32/1244_2.png) [@Duckster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Duckster)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 5:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arent-you-shocked-by-what-some-people-dont-know/43431/594 "2004-02-24T05:11:47Z")
> [@marky33](#): > > While in Australia a few years ago, I met a 25-yr old girl from Queensland - gf of a friend - who thought Wimbledon (the championships were on TV) was in Queensland. When seeing cars on TV, she asked in all seriousness if we had cars in my country (Britain). She asked the same thing about pizza. I’d like to think she was kidding but it didn’t appear so. Well, you did say she was from _Queensland._ 😃 ---
**Author:** ![jastu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/43a26b/32.png) [@jastu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jastu)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 6:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arent-you-shocked-by-what-some-people-dont-know/43431/595 "2004-02-24T06:31:30Z")
**Duckster** you stole my line. 🙂 Seriously though I’m quite surprised at this, generally I’ve found Aussies and Kiwis to be very well travelled and quite knowledgeable about other countries. ---
**Author:** ![Odinoneeye](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/97f17d/32.png) [@Odinoneeye](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Odinoneeye)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 8:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arent-you-shocked-by-what-some-people-dont-know/43431/596 "2004-02-24T08:15:31Z")
It’s amazing how strongly some people will stick to their ignorance. Last summer, my wife, her cousin, my neice and I were outside at night. I was showing my neice the stars. I showed her the Big Dipper and showed her how to find the North Star. My wife chimes in, “That’s not the North Star, the North Star is the brightest star in the sky” I start laughing because I had just read an article on [Space.com](http://Space.com) that detailed this as one of the most common astronomical misconceptions. I explained as much to her. Her cousin speaks up, “No, everybody always says it’s the brightest star” “Well that’s why it’s a COMMONLY held misconeption.” Neither beleived me until I showed them on [Space.com](http://Space.com). ---
**Author:** ![BIH\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/49beb7/32.png) [@BIH\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BIH_Boy)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 12:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arent-you-shocked-by-what-some-people-dont-know/43431/597 "2004-02-24T12:11:12Z")
> [@Jackknifed Juggernaut](#): > > I was having a conversation with an accountant where I work. This person is very well-educated (a 4-year college degree + CPA). We started talking about the planets and I mentioned that there were 9 of them. I’ve not read all the replies so apologies if this has already been pointed out. There are only 8 planets. Pluto is no longer classified as one. Stones and glass houses?? ---
**Author:** ![elfbabe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/b782af/32.png) [@elfbabe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/elfbabe)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 12:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arent-you-shocked-by-what-some-people-dont-know/43431/598 "2004-02-24T12:25:28Z")
> [@BIH Boy](#): > > There are only 8 planets. > Pluto is no longer classified as one. Funny, the International Astronomical Union [says it is](http://www.iau.org/IAU/FAQ/PlutoPR.html). And since they’re the ones who make the classifications, I’d tend to trust them. Whether Pluto OUGHT to be considered a planet is a subject about which reasonable people can disagree, but the IAU still has what most people consider to be the final say. It currently has dual classification as a planet AND as a transneptunian object. What was that you were saying about glass houses? 😃 ---
**Author:** ![BIH\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/49beb7/32.png) [@BIH\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BIH_Boy)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 1:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arent-you-shocked-by-what-some-people-dont-know/43431/599 "2004-02-24T13:01:16Z")
> [@elfbabe](#): > > Funny, the International Astronomical Union [says it is](http://www.iau.org/IAU/FAQ/PlutoPR.html). You’re right. I’ve been led astray by a TV show which will remain nameless. I can’t believe I didn’t know there were 9 planets! ---
**Author:** ![BIH\_Boy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/49beb7/32.png) [@BIH\_Boy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BIH_Boy)\ **Post date:** [February 24, 2004, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arent-you-shocked-by-what-some-people-dont-know/43431/600 "2004-02-24T13:19:22Z")
[QUOTE=Erika] My best friend’s roommate freshman year calmly informed Beth that she was reading a great book that “takes place in the time of the knights and pilgrims.” [This at least conjures the amusing mental image of armor clad men riding steeds off the Mayflower, but still . . .] QUOTE] Am I missing something here? The image that springs to my mind in Geoffrey Chaucer’s Canterbury Tales. 30 people who travel as pilgrims to Caterbury. One of the tales is a Knights Tale. Maybe she was reading that. If so and she was reading the original version (not the translated one) then that’s pretty good going. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arent-you-shocked-by-what-some-people-dont-know/43431.md?page=29) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/arent-you-shocked-by-what-some-people-dont-know/43431.md?page=31)