# Did I really just hear that? **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [February 18, 2010, 11:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-really-just-hear-that/529557 "2010-02-18T23:26:24Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![Boyo\_Jim](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/87869e/32.png) [@Boyo\_Jim](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Boyo_Jim)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 7:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-really-just-hear-that/529557/21 "2010-02-19T07:26:01Z")
[Bad](http://blog.makezine.com/FMOVCCZQAJEWZMHRAJ.medium.jpg) [taxidermy](http://bioephemera.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/awinged_cat.jpg) [is](http://www.boingboing.net/images/_ta77XirPVqs8gf8x9Pz1Fucwo1_500.jpg) [rampant](http://neatorama.cachefly.net/images/2009-04/computer-mouse-taxidermy.jpg)! ---
**Author:** ![DiosaBellissima](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a8b319/32.png) [@DiosaBellissima](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/DiosaBellissima)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 7:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-really-just-hear-that/529557/22 "2010-02-19T07:42:00Z")
> [@FriarTed](#): > > I think it was a real miniature included among the treaures- but NOT the actual burial one!LOL I think you may be right, actually, now that I think about it. ---
**Author:** ![blondebear](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/blondebear/32/1022_2.png) [@blondebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/blondebear)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 3:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-really-just-hear-that/529557/23 "2010-02-19T15:49:02Z")
Overheard at the Komodo Dragon exhibit in San Diego, mother to child: “Oh honey, look at this, these are monitoring lizards!” ---
**Author:** ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 4:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-really-just-hear-that/529557/24 "2010-02-19T16:17:21Z")
At the FDR house eons ago: Kid: Dad, it says Roosevelt was elected president four times. Father: That’s right. Kid: But I thought you could only be president twice! Father: Well he was such a good president they changed the law just for him! ---
**Author:** ![RandMcnally](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/b782af/32.png) [@RandMcnally](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RandMcnally)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 4:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-really-just-hear-that/529557/25 "2010-02-19T16:18:47Z")
I have one that I thought was funny: I was in Borders where I saw this woman (she looked like a trashy bitch) over in the religion section where her daughter comes up to her with a book on the Vatican. A book of pictures or something. “Mom, I found this book on the Vatican for you.” “[Scoff] I don’t believe in the Vatican.” “Mom, the Vatican is a real place. It doesn’t matter if you believe in it or not, it’s still going to be there.” ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 4:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-really-just-hear-that/529557/26 "2010-02-19T16:20:36Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > Like I said, I win. I’ll thumb wrestle you for the title. There is a poster-sized photo of Helen Keller with her frind Polly Thompson here. [This](http://www.google.com/imgres?imgurl=http://www.everymanfoundation.com/Everyman_Foundation/Everyman_Origins_-_Helen_Keller_Epiphany_files/Helen%2520Keller%2520and%2520Polly%2520Thompson_Karsh.jpg&imgrefurl=http://www.everymanfoundation.com/Everyman_Foundation/Everyman_Origins_-_Helen_Keller_Epiphany.html&h=278&w=350&sz=25&tbnid=qWsjIGBnHG73QM:&tbnh=95&tbnw=120&prev=/images%3Fq%3Dhelen%2Bkeller%2Bpolly%2Bthompson%2Bphoto&hl=en&usg=__wx8hHv0U7Biz2UW3mg8jnpn77oE=&ei=X7l-S8qZCsqttgf8_-jIDw&sa=X&oi=image_result&resnum=6&ct=image&ved=0CBMQ9QEwBQ) photo, in fact. “Hey Midge! You have to look at this picture! It’s real nice!” Midge responds “Wow, that is nice! But how come there’s two of her? Oh wait, I get it. In one, she’s not wearing her glasses.” ---
**Author:** ![cjepson](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/a9adbd/32.png) [@cjepson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cjepson)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 4:22pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-really-just-hear-that/529557/27 "2010-02-19T16:22:56Z")
I once attended a talk in which the speaker, among other things, was talking about ancient peoples’ knowledge of astronomy. As an example of people tracking the phases of the moon, he showed a slide of something that looked like a calendar. Most of the “days” were blank, but every four weeks, there were a few days with dots, followed by a few days filled in, then another few days with dots. Unfortunately, I was unable to fight his ignorance, because it wasn’t until after I left the talk that I thought back on it and realized that what he really had was a menstrual chart. ---
**Author:** ![smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smoke)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 4:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-really-just-hear-that/529557/28 "2010-02-19T16:24:03Z")
> [@Rigamarole](#): > > But there’s really nothing weird or shocking about the comment at all. I find your reaction to it much more curious than the comment itself. Agreed. I think the OP sounds like someone who enjoys being oh-so-much-more-clever than everyone around her/him. Think Comic Book Guy. ---
**Author:** ![smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smoke)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-really-just-hear-that/529557/29 "2010-02-19T16:26:28Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > … > Midge responds “Wow, that is nice! But how come there’s two of her? Oh wait, I get it. In one, she’s not wearing her glasses.” That is hilarious, but mostly because they really DO look a lot alike. ---
**Author:** ![Polycarp](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/82dd89/32.png) [@Polycarp](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Polycarp)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 4:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-really-just-hear-that/529557/30 "2010-02-19T16:31:30Z")
[Typical true seal](http://static.howstuffworks.com/gif/willow/seal-info0.gif) (Phocid). [Typical sea lion](http://static.zsl.org/images/originals/sealion-baby-dom2-2831.jpg) (Otobenid.) True seals are substantially the more efficient swimmers, but awkward on land. Sea lions (which include ‘fur seals’) are a compromise group, better able to get around on land but poorer swimmers than true seals. Almost all “seals” in entertainment are sea lions; a properly mounted true seal looks weird to someone not familiar with the difference. Oh, and [Walrus](http://www.discoverlife.org/IM/I_DL/0009/320/Odobenus_rosmarus,_Walrus,I_DL971.jpg). [Elephant seals.](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/archive/5/57/20070102213759!Elephant_seal_fight_Part-1.jpg) ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 4:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-really-just-hear-that/529557/31 "2010-02-19T16:39:55Z")
> [@CherryBomb](#): > > The seals were formerly live specimens, that had been stuffed and put on display in alcoves that contain features of their natural environment, so that you can see the true size/color/shapes of the animals and plant life. > > I was confused to how they could think someone incorrectly stuffed the animals and was wondering if they had never actually seen a picture of a seal before going to the museum. Anyone who knows what a seal looks like could not have made a statement about whether or not they were accurately displayed. Sometimes they’re not in the best of shape (bones visible in their flippers), but they’re not misrepresentations of the animals. I’ve seen seals in real life, they look just like the ones in the museum. Well, except for that whole being dead thing. Doesn’t that say less about his knowledge of seals and more about his knowledge of taxidermy? ---
**Author:** ![pbbth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/f9ae1b/32.png) [@pbbth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pbbth)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 4:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-really-just-hear-that/529557/32 "2010-02-19T16:52:03Z")
> [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > I win. While at the grocery store yesterday, a little hellion of a child was screaming his way through the aisles, banging on stuff, and his older siblings and classy lady of a mom were laughing at his antics. I’d say he was about 7, 8, or 9. > > Anyway, mom says to calm down and he turns and screams, “Shut up, you FUCKING JEW!” > > Older siblings giggle. Mom laughs. Mom then sees the look on my face and pretends to gently correct him, “Oh, where do you learn stuff like that. . .” while giggling. Kid whirls around and says, “Uh, you and Bob say it at home all the time when you’re talking about fucking Jews!” Mom laughed, as did the siblings. > > Mom mumbled something about being so embarrassed while I just sort of stared at them. > > Like I said, I win. I had a similar experience. I was at the Silk Road exhibit at the AMNH (it was fabulous, btw, for anyone who hasn’t seen it yet) and there was a family behind us that started talking about Egypt when we got to the section where they talked about the importance of paper as a trade good and communication tool. The daughter was about 20 and started talking about how they have no Jews in Egypt. You know, because Moses made them leave. And then her father said, “The hotel we stayed at in Egypt was down the street from a synagogue. There are Jews in Egypt, they are just assholes.” 😕 Thinking that I have no place in their conversation I just kept going but they would not stop talking about how horrible Jews are and how they destroy everything. We eventually just stepped aside and let them get a few feet ahead of us so we wouldn’t have to listen any longer. ---
**Author:** ![JFLuvly](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/ac91a4/32.png) [@JFLuvly](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JFLuvly)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 7:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-really-just-hear-that/529557/33 "2010-02-19T19:30:41Z")
My eight year old daughter just pointed out that sea lions have ear flaps and seals have holes, so I suppose if they sewed the seal ears shut they would look a bit off. ---
**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:** [February 19, 2010, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-really-just-hear-that/529557/34 "2010-02-19T19:38:23Z")
One of my favourite sites - [Overheard Everywhere.](http://www.overheardeverywhere.com/) Really restores your faith in humanity. 😃 ---
**Author:** ![CherryBomb](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/919ad9/32.png) [@CherryBomb](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/CherryBomb)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 10:15pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-really-just-hear-that/529557/35 "2010-02-19T22:15:39Z")
> [@smoke](#): > > Agreed. I think the OP sounds like someone who enjoys being oh-so-much-more-clever than everyone around her/him. Think Comic Book Guy. Oh, quite the contrary. I will be the first to admit when I’m not the smartest or most clever person in the room. I really don’t care one way or the other, actually. I was just genuinely confused over their comments. ---
**Author:** ![freckafree](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/freckafree/32/3050_2.png) [@freckafree](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/freckafree)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-really-just-hear-that/529557/36 "2010-02-19T22:51:04Z")
> [@Polycarp](#): > > Oh, and [Walrus](http://www.discoverlife.org/IM/I_DL/0009/320/Odobenus_rosmarus,_Walrus,I_DL971.jpg). [Elephant seals.](http://upload.wikimedia.org/wikipedia/commons/archive/5/57/20070102213759!Elephant_seal_fight_Part-1.jpg) I think we can lay the confusion of these two squarely at the flippers of the [LOLrus](http://icanhascheezburger.com/2007/01/14/i-has-a-bucket/). ---
**Author:** ![Freudian\_Slit](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/5daacb/32.png) [@Freudian\_Slit](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Freudian_Slit)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 10:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-really-just-hear-that/529557/37 "2010-02-19T22:59:23Z")
> [@CherryBomb](#): > > Oh, quite the contrary. I will be the first to admit when I’m not the smartest or most clever person in the room. I really don’t care one way or the other, actually. I was just genuinely confused over their comments. But the whole, “They appeared normal enough” and “My jaw nearly dropped” lines come off like you think he’s a mouthbreathing cretin for saying such a stupid thing. And to be honest, I still don’t get the stupidity. As I posted earlier, if anything, it makes me think he’s not sure of how taxidermy works–and I don’t think most people know that. Based on my own and others’ reactions it’s not really all that stupid a think to say so I’m not sure why you’re acting as though it was so bizarre/ignorant. ---
**Author:** ![smoke](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c5a1d2/32.png) [@smoke](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/smoke)\ **Post date:** [February 19, 2010, 11:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-really-just-hear-that/529557/38 "2010-02-19T23:09:27Z")
Right- along with “oh-so-charming gentleman” and the description of how they rushed through the exhibit. Don’t back-pedal OP: “Taking longer than we thought, indeed.” That’s not a sentiment of genuine confusion, that’s condescension. ---
**Author:** ![Jragon](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/e19b73/32.png) [@Jragon](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Jragon)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 12:13am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-really-just-hear-that/529557/39 "2010-02-20T00:13:11Z")
> [@hajario](#): > > 1. Amsterdam. In line to see the Anne Frank house. > > Young woman: I don’t get it. Why were they hiding? > [@DiosaBellissima](#): > > I win. While at the grocery store yesterday, a little hellion of a child was screaming his way through the aisles, banging on stuff, and his older siblings and classy lady of a mom were laughing at his antics. I’d say he was about 7, 8, or 9. > > Anyway, mom says to calm down and he turns and screams, “Shut up, you FUCKING JEW!” > > Older siblings giggle. Mom laughs. Mom then sees the look on my face and pretends to gently correct him, “Oh, where do you learn stuff like that. . .” while giggling. Kid whirls around and says, “Uh, you and Bob say it at home all the time when you’re talking about fucking Jews!” Mom laughed, as did the siblings. > > Mom mumbled something about being so embarrassed while I just sort of stared at them. > > Like I said, I win. Any chance we can get these two families together? (I’m imagining “Why were they hiding?” “THEY WERE FUCKING JEWS!”) ---
**Author:** ![NinetyWt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/cc9497/32.png) [@NinetyWt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/NinetyWt)\ **Post date:** [February 20, 2010, 2:17am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-really-just-hear-that/529557/40 "2010-02-20T02:17:03Z")
> [@Boyo\_Jim](#): > > [Bad](http://blog.makezine.com/FMOVCCZQAJEWZMHRAJ.medium.jpg) [taxidermy](http://bioephemera.com/wp-content/uploads/2006/12/awinged_cat.jpg) [is](http://www.boingboing.net/images/_ta77XirPVqs8gf8x9Pz1Fucwo1_500.jpg) [rampant](http://neatorama.cachefly.net/images/2009-04/computer-mouse-taxidermy.jpg)! I beg to differ. Not ONE of those creatures was rampant. 😉 [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-really-just-hear-that/529557.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/did-i-really-just-hear-that/529557.md?page=3)