# Because the Straight Dope tells me so - things learned from the Dope. **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [May 31, 2011, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-the-straight-dope-tells-me-so-things-learned-from-the-dope/583851 "2011-05-31T14:28:54Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![jjimm](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ba8739/32.png) [@jjimm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jjimm)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 5:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-the-straight-dope-tells-me-so-things-learned-from-the-dope/583851/41 "2011-06-03T17:07:00Z")
> [@Cicero](#): > > I was told of a guy who was shaving in the shower using an old razor with a blade- he dropped it and gashed his cock. **Area Mom Discovers the Secret of Simple Gender Reassignment Surgery** _Turn your cock into a gash with this one weird old trick_ ---
**Author:** ![Annie-Xmas](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ecc23a/32.png) [@Annie-Xmas](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Annie-Xmas)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 5:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-the-straight-dope-tells-me-so-things-learned-from-the-dope/583851/42 "2011-06-03T17:28:29Z")
The CTRL+F function for finding a specific word or phrase on any computer page. I am amazed at how many people have not heard of it. ---
**Author:** ![perfectparanoia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/a5b964/32.png) [@perfectparanoia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/perfectparanoia)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 5:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-the-straight-dope-tells-me-so-things-learned-from-the-dope/583851/43 "2011-06-03T17:43:57Z")
> [@ladyfoxfyre](#): > > Okay, I hate you. > Not really but this is going to consume the rest of my evening and/or paycheck. I think I may hate her more. I picked out a bunch of stuff and they don’t ship to Canada. :mad: ---
**Author:** ![Mollie\_Magill](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mollie_magill/32/20882_2.png) [@Mollie\_Magill](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mollie_Magill)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-the-straight-dope-tells-me-so-things-learned-from-the-dope/583851/44 "2011-06-03T17:59:09Z")
> [@don\_t\_ask](#): > > I just drag the dry razor across my dry face and jump in the shower. Many Dopers spoke of shaving while showering. In gods’ name, how have you not bled to death? I’ve learned many, many things, none of which manage to remain in my brane very long. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 6:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-the-straight-dope-tells-me-so-things-learned-from-the-dope/583851/45 "2011-06-03T18:30:20Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > Command-space for Spotlight, and using it as a calculator - I’m doing it! I’m not a Mac guy, so I don’t know how often people are in Spotlight - but I’m constantly in my browser, and I just use Google for everything. Calculator, money converter, unit conversion, pretty much anything. ---
**Author:** ![lindsaybluth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/90db22/32.png) [@lindsaybluth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/lindsaybluth)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 6:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-the-straight-dope-tells-me-so-things-learned-from-the-dope/583851/46 "2011-06-03T18:53:38Z")
> [@ladyfoxfyre](#): > > Okay, I hate you. > Not really but this is going to consume the rest of my evening and/or paycheck. Really? Did you guys know about Zappos? I’m assuming everyone knows about Groupon too… I finally jumped on the Netflix bandwagon after reading so many Netflix threads about Instant Watch. The DVD thing just was not working for me. According to feedflix, we spend like a quarter per dvd but several dollars per physical disc. ETA: Oh yeah, if you’re a netflix user, use [this](http://feedfliks.com/) to get your money’s worth. And to see what’s expiring from Instant when. ---
**Author:** ![Cat\_Whisperer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cat_whisperer/32/4839_2.png) [@Cat\_Whisperer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cat_Whisperer)\ **Post date:** [June 3, 2011, 6:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-the-straight-dope-tells-me-so-things-learned-from-the-dope/583851/47 "2011-06-03T18:58:39Z")
> [@perfectparanoia](#): > > I think I may hate her more. I picked out a bunch of stuff and they don’t ship to Canada. :mad: Those bastards! That’s running neck and neck for annoying me with companies that want ridiculous amounts of money to ship to Canada - put it in the mail, fools. USPS can actually hand off things to Canada Post. Sheesh, it’s like they don’t know we have a country full of online-savvy consumers up here (and it is only marginally more difficult to ship here than to mainland US). 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![santiago42](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b38774/32.png) [@santiago42](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/santiago42)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2011, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-the-straight-dope-tells-me-so-things-learned-from-the-dope/583851/48 "2011-06-11T05:07:28Z")
> [@Cat\_Whisperer](#): > > Those bastards! That’s running neck and neck for annoying me with companies that want ridiculous amounts of money to ship to Canada - put it in the mail, fools. USPS can actually hand off things to Canada Post. Sheesh, it’s like they don’t know we have a country full of online-savvy consumers up here (and it is only marginally more difficult to ship here than to mainland US). 🙂 The reason some companies want extra money to ship to Canada is Customs. I work for a courier company here in Canada, and we have half a dozen people in our depot whose only job is ensuring the Customs paperwork is correct. As one example, any kind of fabric bigger than an inch square has to have a Customs Commercial Invoice, with fines if you try to slip something through and it gets caught. One of our truckers told me once that any truck going across the border has a stack of paperwork to show customs, and if any part of the paperwork is incorrect it’s a $1200 fine to the trucker personally. Government bureaucracy, gotta love it (or they’ll fine you.) ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2011, 6:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-the-straight-dope-tells-me-so-things-learned-from-the-dope/583851/49 "2011-06-11T06:44:47Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > And so all those times I corrected the ignorami, I was they. One of them. _Psst_ [It’s “ignoramuses”.](http://dictionary.reference.com/browse/ignoramus) ---
**Author:** ![CanvasShoes](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/74df32/32.png) [@CanvasShoes](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CanvasShoes)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2011, 7:09am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-the-straight-dope-tells-me-so-things-learned-from-the-dope/583851/50 "2011-06-11T07:09:39Z")
To NOT declaw a cat. I read about it here way before I actually ended up getting a cat, but I’m glad I learned what that cruel process really is. ---
**Author:** ![KinkiNipponTourist](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/e9bcb4/32.png) [@KinkiNipponTourist](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KinkiNipponTourist)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2011, 7:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-the-straight-dope-tells-me-so-things-learned-from-the-dope/583851/51 "2011-06-11T07:36:29Z")
> [@santiago42](#): > > The reason some companies want extra money to ship to Canada is Customs. I work for a courier company here in Canada, and we have half a dozen people in our depot whose only job is ensuring the Customs paperwork is correct. As one example, any kind of fabric bigger than an inch square has to have a Customs Commercial Invoice, with fines if you try to slip something through and it gets caught. One of our truckers told me once that any truck going across the border has a stack of paperwork to show customs, and if any part of the paperwork is incorrect it’s a $1200 fine to the trucker personally. > > Government bureaucracy, gotta love it (or they’ll fine you.) I guess they probably have something similar preventing them from shipping those cute Stuart Weitzman heels to Tokyo. Bastairds. ---
**Author:** ![interface2x](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/i/c0e974/32.png) [@interface2x](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/interface2x)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2011, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-the-straight-dope-tells-me-so-things-learned-from-the-dope/583851/52 "2011-06-11T15:37:51Z")
I learned the benefits and ease of using a Neti Pot. Now I use one every day! ---
**Author:** ![pravnik](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/8edcca/32.png) [@pravnik](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pravnik)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2011, 10:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-the-straight-dope-tells-me-so-things-learned-from-the-dope/583851/53 "2011-06-11T22:50:20Z")
The deadlift is one of the best exercises for developing full body strength. ---
**Author:** ![Landshark](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/77aa72/32.png) [@Landshark](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Landshark)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2011, 11:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-the-straight-dope-tells-me-so-things-learned-from-the-dope/583851/54 "2011-06-11T23:22:24Z")
> [@interface2x](#): > > I learned the benefits and ease of using a Neti Pot. Now I use one every day! I was about to add this. Ah, the wonderful relief of getting rid of all that mucus. ---
**Author:** ![clairobscur](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/839c29/32.png) [@clairobscur](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/clairobscur)\ **Post date:** [June 11, 2011, 11:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-the-straight-dope-tells-me-so-things-learned-from-the-dope/583851/55 "2011-06-11T23:36:07Z")
Many things, I guess. But since I just read the thread about the full face and hands transplant, an example : That a chimpanzee is vastly stronger than a human (and generally of nasty temper if adult). There’s no way I’d help a friend catch a chimpanzee on the loose as a result (in fact, I wouldn’t come close to any chimpanzee, period). ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2011, 12:49am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-the-straight-dope-tells-me-so-things-learned-from-the-dope/583851/56 "2011-06-12T00:49:23Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > Command-space for Spotlight, and using it as a calculator - I’m doing it! > > I learned that nachos really is a plural of nacho and rhymes with chose, and not a mass noun that rhymes with joss. And so all those times I corrected the ignorami, I was they. One of them. > > He showered with a chicken? :eek: That’s just sick. What? Maybe he and the chicken were just trying to conserve water? You know, it’s very Un-Dope-ish to judge fellow Dopers for their alternate lifestyles. 😉 Lessee… I learned that twin-engine airliners can make transoceanic flights, and that the certification for this is called ETOPS (short for something that I can’t remember, although I also learned the alternate acronym here: Engines Turn Or Passengers Swim) Oh, and I learned that blimps in the night can be quite terrifying. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![salinqmind](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/3ec8ea/32.png) [@salinqmind](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/salinqmind)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2011, 12:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-the-straight-dope-tells-me-so-things-learned-from-the-dope/583851/57 "2011-06-12T00:51:20Z")
I’m still reading and learning the odd fact here and there, and realize no, I do NOT know everything, lol. I’ve enjoyed the ‘name your favorite songs of the \_\_\_’ and have written down several long lists of, well, songs I’d like to hear again, or names of new ones. iTunes, here I come. ---
**Author:** ![Max\_the\_Immortal](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/6de8d8/32.png) [@Max\_the\_Immortal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Max_the_Immortal)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2011, 1:36am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-the-straight-dope-tells-me-so-things-learned-from-the-dope/583851/58 "2011-06-12T01:36:16Z")
> [@An\_Gadai](#): > > That pineapples don’t grow on trees. Fun fact: what we call pine cones used to be called pineapples. When English explorers first encountered _Ananas comosus_, they thought they looked like pineapples, so they called them pineapples. Only later were the original pineapples renamed pine cones. ---
**Author:** ![Gukumatz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/74df32/32.png) [@Gukumatz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gukumatz)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2011, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-the-straight-dope-tells-me-so-things-learned-from-the-dope/583851/59 "2011-06-12T03:23:19Z")
That English is pretty much the only language using the Latin alphabet that doesn’t call pineapples _ananas_. ---
**Author:** ![Raguleader](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/258eb7/32.png) [@Raguleader](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Raguleader)\ **Post date:** [June 12, 2011, 3:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-the-straight-dope-tells-me-so-things-learned-from-the-dope/583851/60 "2011-06-12T03:29:36Z")
Oh, that if Europeans want to talk with an “American accent”, they talk louder and slower. I remember that coming up a few times. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-the-straight-dope-tells-me-so-things-learned-from-the-dope/583851.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/because-the-straight-dope-tells-me-so-things-learned-from-the-dope/583851.md?page=4)