# If you've been feeling dumb lately, this thread should make you feel better

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youve-been-feeling-dumb-lately-this-thread-should-make-you-feel-better/389486>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [January 26, 2007, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youve-been-feeling-dumb-lately-this-thread-should-make-you-feel-better/389486 "2007-01-26T00:03:43Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**Author:** ![Anne\_Neville](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/b9e5f3/32.png) [@Anne\_Neville](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anne_Neville)\
**Post date:** [January 26, 2007, 12:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youve-been-feeling-dumb-lately-this-thread-should-make-you-feel-better/389486/1 "2007-01-26T00:03:43Z")

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[If you’re going to microwave your kitchen sponges, make sure they’re wet before you put them in the microwave.](http://www.cnn.com/2007/HEALTH/01/24/germs.sponges.reut/index.html)

And, if you do do something idiotic like putting a dry sponge in the microwave and turning it on, don’t send an email to Reuters complaining that it’s their fault that you set the sponge on fire, smoked up your house, ruined your microwave, and pissed you off.

Oh, and in case any of you have been living in a cave for the past 20 years, don’t put sponges with metal in them in the microwave.

No wonder fighting ignorance is taking longer than we thought…

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**Author:** ![Hal\_Briston](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/a9a28c/32.png) [@Hal\_Briston](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Hal_Briston)\
**Post date:** [January 26, 2007, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youve-been-feeling-dumb-lately-this-thread-should-make-you-feel-better/389486/2 "2007-01-26T01:38:09Z")

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And don’t forget: After spending two minutes being microwaved, sponges tend to be damn hot.

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**Author:** ![SCSimmons](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e495f1/32.png) [@SCSimmons](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCSimmons)\
**Post date:** [January 26, 2007, 3:53am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youve-been-feeling-dumb-lately-this-thread-should-make-you-feel-better/389486/3 "2007-01-26T03:53:38Z")

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[QUOTE=Hal Briston]  
And don’t forget: After spending two minutes being microwaved, sponges tend to be damn hot.  
[/QUOTE]

What? Microwaves make things hot?

Man. They should put some kind of warning on them about that. A guy could get hurt! :smack:

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**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\
**Post date:** [January 26, 2007, 4:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youve-been-feeling-dumb-lately-this-thread-should-make-you-feel-better/389486/4 "2007-01-26T04:12:31Z")

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My high school science teacher used to pass out a mimeographed fact sheet at the start of each semester, with little gems like “Check to make sure the microscope is PLUGGED IN before asking me what’s wrong with it” and “Hot glass looks EXACTLY the same as cold glass”. This guy was not only smart, but wise.

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**Author:** ![urban1a](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/u/e47c2d/32.png) [@urban1a](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/urban1a)\
**Post date:** [January 26, 2007, 4:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/if-youve-been-feeling-dumb-lately-this-thread-should-make-you-feel-better/389486/5 "2007-01-26T04:15:57Z")

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When I first heard about the sponge thing (probably something I read) in my mind I imagined myself wetting the sponge and putting it in the microwave. I never even ocurred to me to put it in there dry.

Well, maybe I am smarter than the average bear afterall.

Bob