# Ever been shocked at what some people don't know? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [March 10, 2012, 10:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416 "2012-03-10T22:36:00Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 34
**Author:** ![Sailboat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sailboat/32/461_2.png) [@Sailboat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sailboat)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 3:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/661 "2012-03-29T15:27:41Z")
Only two men actually landed on the moon during the Apollo 11 mission. Their getaway driver kept the engine running. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/662 "2012-03-29T15:43:22Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Except that’s a trombone, not a saxophone. > > Unless you’re thinking of Benny Hill. :rolleyes: I don’t think I’ve ever had to explain a joke in this much detail before - sure, it was probably only funny to me, but could you guys at least have enough respect for me to _read the post_ first, without cutting out half of it? This is what I said, bolding added now > [@mnemosyne](#): > > 😛 > > [cheapshot]But around here, it’s the _franco_phones that go wah-wah-wahhhhh[/cheapshot] > > **yes, I know that that is usually a trombone sound. I don’t care, I’m making the bad joke anyways.** I’m allowed - I’m bilingual! In case your eyesight is failing, I’ll repeat that part in normal sized letters: yes, I know that that iss usually a trombone sound. I don’t care, I’m making the bad joke anyways. Got it? I know it’s a trombone. I thought of the sound anyways when I read the word _saxophone_ and that’s the source of the joke. It’s no secret that there’s a language divide in Québec, and given that I live here and identify with both languages and cultures, it was nothing more than a gentle poking at the world I live in. Geez. It sure as hell isn’t funny now, whether or not it ever was. Sorry for not being a comedian. ---
**Author:** ![Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/hypnagogic_jerk/32/4252_2.png) [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hypnagogic_Jerk)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/663 "2012-03-29T18:11:47Z")
> [@mnemosyne](#): > > Because it was a bad joke and it made me chuckle and I was trying to be funny? (As explained in the smaller text you conveniently chopped off when quoting me). I understand the joke. I’m asking why, in your mind, francophones are whiners and anglophones aren’t. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 6:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/664 "2012-03-29T18:21:43Z")
> [@mnemosyne](#): > > In case your eyesight is failing, It is. No, seriously, it is. ---
**Author:** ![mnemosyne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/c4cdca/32.png) [@mnemosyne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/mnemosyne)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/665 "2012-03-29T18:35:03Z")
> [@Hypnagogic\_Jerk](#): > > I understand the joke. I’m asking why, in your mind, francophones are whiners and anglophones aren’t. _sigh_ They aren’t. That isn’t how I see either group, and I think you know that. The existing quote had to do with anglophones, so I took the "opposite’ (to me, in my mind) group and subbed it in. Had a similar joke been made the other way around (“Francophones should be called Saxophones”, assuming that made any sense at all) I absolutely would have said that it is the anglophones that are the whiners wah wah wahhhhh. Seriously, **HJ** , you and I have talked enough about Québec politics and culture that I think you are being rather unfair to me here. You know I don’t think in the way you are suggesting, and you know that I consider myself to be part of both cultures - in my mind, the joke was _self-deprecating_. I don’t know why you’re so butthurt about this; learn to laugh at yourself a little. It was JUST a joke, inspired by the wah-wah-wahhh sound and bad enough to merit a wah-wah-wahhh sound on it’s own. That was any and all of the intent. And this is turning into enough of a hijack that I’m not sure I want to continue discussing it here. You can take it up with me by PM or in another thread if you wish, but I don’t know that I’ll have much more to add. I don’t know how much more I can explain a weak, punny joke. You didn’t like it, or didn’t understand it…fine. Whatever; it’s not my problem. > [@tdn](#): > > It is. > > No, seriously, it is. Then I apologize if you couldn’t read the size 1 text in the original post and implied that you deliberately ignored it. I’m just not even sure why I need to defend myself here and I was annoyed that I felt that I had to repeat myself. Once again, I apologize for not being nearly as funny on these boards as I am in my own mind. :rolleyes: ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 6:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/666 "2012-03-29T18:41:52Z")
> [@mnemosyne](#): > > Then I apologize if you couldn’t read the size 1 text in the original post and implied that you deliberately ignored it. I’m just not even sure why I need to defend myself here and I was annoyed that I felt that I had to repeat myself. You don’t need to apologize nor explain yourself. Chalk it up to me being pedantic and both near- and far-sighted. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/667 "2012-03-29T20:42:46Z")
> [@mnemosyne](#): > > . . . Geez. It sure as hell isn’t funny now, whether or not it ever was. . . . I thought it was a clever pun! If they speak French, they’re a Francophone; if they speak Saxon-German, they’re a Saxophone… I love that kind of “parallel construction” pun. ---
**Author:** ![tdn](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/94ad74/32.png) [@tdn](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/tdn)\ **Post date:** [March 29, 2012, 8:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/668 "2012-03-29T20:45:24Z")
> [@Trinopus](#): > > I thought it was a clever pun! If they speak French, they’re a Francophone; if they speak Saxon-German, they’re a Saxophone… What if they speak Tele? ---
**Author:** ![JohnT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnt/32/15048_2.png) [@JohnT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JohnT)\ **Post date:** [March 30, 2012, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/669 "2012-03-30T13:48:14Z")
> [@mnemosyne](#): > > …The fact is, I’d simply never thought about it before and while a few moment’s thought made it abundantly clear, and even very logical and clever, there was - and is - still a part of me that doesn’t want to believe it. I don’t know why, but the mental image of large cables connecting parts of the world across the oceans just blows my mind. Do they stretch across undersea mountains and trenches? Do sharks occasionally run into them? I’ve since read wikis and seen photos and even watched a Discovery Channel show about a cable-laying boat and I know it’s all true… but, _really? WOW!_ [A giant undersea cable makes the Internet a split-second faster](http://money.cnn.com/2012/03/30/technology/internet-cable/index.htm?source=cnn_bin). They’re still spinning that web… ---
**Author:** ![Obeseus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/bbce88/32.png) [@Obeseus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Obeseus)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2012, 9:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/670 "2012-04-06T21:33:19Z")
I would expect high school students to know the meaning of ‘maiden name.’ I was at a high school the other night. While waiting, I occupied my time by looking at photos of sports teams and other activities lining the hallways. A neighbor kid, who is a Junior, came by and said, “My mother is in some of these, but I’ve never found her.” Me: What is her maiden name? Her: Donna. Me: No, her maiden name. Her: I said Donna. Me: Her name was Donna Donna? Her: No, just Donna. I then asked what her mother’s name was before she was married. ---
**Author:** ![Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/spectre_of_pithecanthropus/32/12343_2.png) [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Spectre_of_Pithecanthropus)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2012, 10:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/671 "2012-04-06T22:02:02Z")
I’m not normally shocked at what people don’t know. There’s a lot of things to know out there, and nobody has time to learn it all. But I’m often shocked by the _wrong_ things people “know”. To give just one example, I once met somebody who thought that all rivers flow north or south. ---
**Author:** ![JKellyMap](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/jkellymap/32/15880_2.png) [@JKellyMap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/JKellyMap)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2012, 10:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/672 "2012-04-06T22:07:14Z")
> [@Spectre\_of\_Pithecanthropus](#): > > I’m not normally shocked at what people don’t know. There’s a lot of things to know out there, and nobody has time to learn it all. But I’m often shocked by the _wrong_ things people “know”. To give just one example, I once met somebody who thought that all rivers flow north or south. Was it [my mother](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=14881813&postcount=487)? ---
**Author:** ![Scarlett67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scarlett67/32/7387_2.png) [@Scarlett67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scarlett67)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2012, 11:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/673 "2012-04-06T23:08:33Z")
> [@JKellyMap](#): > > Was it [my mother](http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showpost.php?p=14881813&postcount=487)? A few months ago I posted on Facebook a photo of a hat my mom had crocheted for me. Somebody commented that she must be a Bob Marley fan, because it looked like it had rasta colors (though the part that looked black is actually dark blue). I conducted a little experiment: Called up my mom and asked her who Bob Marley was. She thought a minute and then went, “OH! Is he the guy from _Scrooge_?” :smack: And yes, she was completely serious. When I told her who Bob Marley was, she had no clue. ---
**Author:** ![Trinopus](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/2bfe46/32.png) [@Trinopus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trinopus)\ **Post date:** [April 6, 2012, 11:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/674 "2012-04-06T23:13:37Z")
I heard this one on a Los Angeles radio talk show. The host was talking about pain relievers, and said how “smart” aspirin is. If you have a sore ankle, the aspirin “goes there.” If you have a headache, the aspirin “goes there instead.” He said, “I don’t know how it knows to do it.” ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2012, 12:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/675 "2012-04-07T12:52:52Z")
> [@Scarlett67](#): > > I conducted a little experiment: Called up my mom and asked her who Bob Marley was. She thought a minute and then went, “OH! Is he the guy from _Scrooge_?” :smack: And yes, she was completely serious. When I told her who Bob Marley was, she had no clue. Coo ya, Ebenezer mi key, I and I tell ya true so check it deep. Ya got ta move ya backside and ease up ya baldhead ways or ya gonna end up all chaka-chaka in da bloodfire like I-mon. Radda get righted wit ya fambly from now forward and everting gonna be cook and curry in the ends. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2012, 1:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/676 "2012-04-07T13:13:39Z")
> [@Scarlett67](#): > > A few months ago I posted on Facebook a photo of a hat my mom had crocheted for me. Somebody commented that she must be a Bob Marley fan, because it looked like it had rasta colors (though the part that looked black is actually dark blue). I conducted a little experiment: Called up my mom and asked her who Bob Marley was. She thought a minute and then went, “OH! Is he the guy from _Scrooge_?” :smack: And yes, she was completely serious. When I told her who Bob Marley was, she had no clue. Psst there are no Rasta colors, well there are but they are from the Ethiopian flag. [ethiopian flag - Google Search](http://www.google.tt/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1024&bih=637&q=ethiopian+flag&gbv=2&oq=ethiopian+flag&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_l=img.3..0l10.1203l3750l0l4047l14l11l0l1l1l0l219l688l0j2j2l4l0.frgbld). ---
**Author:** ![even\_sven](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/dfb087/32.png) [@even\_sven](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/even_sven)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2012, 1:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/677 "2012-04-07T13:48:28Z")
> [@grude](#): > > Psst there are no Rasta colors, well there are but they are from the Ethiopian flag. > > [ethiopian flag - Google Search](http://www.google.tt/search?tbm=isch&hl=en&source=hp&biw=1024&bih=637&q=ethiopian+flag&gbv=2&oq=ethiopian+flag&aq=f&aqi=g10&aql=&gs_l=img.3..0l10.1203l3750l0l4047l14l11l0l1l1l0l219l688l0j2j2l4l0.frgbld). Which uses the pan-African colors, which have their own symbolism and political history. ---
**Author:** ![grude](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/e47774/32.png) [@grude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/grude)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2012, 2:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/678 "2012-04-07T14:54:34Z")
> [@even\_sven](#): > > Which uses the pan-African colors, which have their own symbolism and political history. From memory and wiki backs me up Ethiopia influenced the pan African flag which is one color different anyway. ---
**Author:** ![Alias](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a88e4f/32.png) [@Alias](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alias)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2012, 3:14pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/679 "2012-04-07T15:14:23Z")
A lady called me the other day and said she had to get rid of her ferret. I asked if everything was okay. She burst into tears and told me she was pregnant and that she’d read on the Internet that ferrets will eat a baby’s face. I told her that all animals should be supervised with babies and children, but she was adamant. ---
**Author:** ![WhyNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/c77e96/32.png) [@WhyNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WhyNot)\ **Post date:** [April 7, 2012, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416/680 "2012-04-07T16:05:38Z")
> [@Alias](#): > > A lady called me the other day and said she had to get rid of her ferret. I asked if everything was okay. She burst into tears and told me she was pregnant and that she’d read on the Internet that ferrets will eat a baby’s face. > I told her that all animals should be supervised with babies and children, but she was adamant. Good lord! How did a woman who clearly knows nothing about ferrets end up with an unfixed female? It’s illegal to sell an intact female here, unless you’re a breeder, I believe. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416.md?page=33) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/ever-been-shocked-at-what-some-people-dont-know/615416.md?page=35)