# It frightens me that people don't know these things **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [June 25, 2003, 3:02am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207 "2003-06-25T03:02:38Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 8
**Author:** ![Gorgon\_Heap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/f475e1/32.png) [@Gorgon\_Heap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gorgon_Heap)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/141 "2003-06-27T18:35:33Z")
Yet another who never heard of Chick until I came here. Still not sure what “witnessing” is. Have I seen it spoken of here before? Not sure. This however: > [@](#): > > Baby squid do. They use them at the Feast of Pentecost to rend the flesh of people who don’t know who Martin Luther is.You can see them in the reflecting pools in front of replicas of the Eiffel Tower. They start to gather there about six weeks after Easter, when they celebrate the Electoral College casting their votes for candidates who lost the popular vote in the last election. After the festivities, they all go to Edmunton, where they watch the mammalian birds returning from Capistrano. … this is what I truly learned here on the SDMB. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Asbestos_Mango)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 6:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/142 "2003-06-27T18:38:11Z")
Sooo, the Squid Mafia “tags” the corpes of the people the beaked for Witnessing by leaving Chick Tracts on them, and littering their graves with seashells that tiny sea creatures carved from stone on February 29th of every year? How does Martin Luther fit into all of this? ---
**Author:** ![booklover](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/85f322/32.png) [@booklover](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/booklover)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/143 "2003-06-27T19:28:11Z")
Okay, I’m totally lost on Chick Tracts. But anyway, during the course of a religion class discussion on rites of passage, it transpired that a thirty-something (male) classmate was unaware that pregnancy was associated with menstruation in any way. He knew that most women menstruate before the age of 18, but thought they couldn’t get pregnant until after the age of 18. ---
**Author:** ![Fretful\_Porpentine](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/fretful_porpentine/32/2873_2.png) [@Fretful\_Porpentine](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Fretful_Porpentine)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 7:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/144 "2003-06-27T19:41:45Z")
In October of 2001, one of my students turned in a paper which began, “All of the September 11th hijackers came from Afghanistan…” I’m quite sure that if you asked her today, she would say they all came from Iraq, and would be completely unaware that she had ever believed anything else. _That_ scares me. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/145 "2003-06-27T19:52:59Z")
1. Remember the first million-dollar question on “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” about the distance from the Earth to the sun? I thought this was something everyone knew, and couldn’t believe it was a million-dollar question. 2. There was a teenaged girl in NYC who didn’t know you could look up to the sky and see the moon - at night. 3. I used to work with a woman who had 4 kids, but didn’t know females produced eggs. (This might explain why she had 4 kids.) ---
**Author:** ![BMalion](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/e274bd/32.png) [@BMalion](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BMalion)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 7:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/146 "2003-06-27T19:54:07Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gorgon Heap \* > \*\*Yet another who never heard of Chick until I came here. > > Still not sure what “witnessing” is. Have I seen it spoken of here before? Not sure.\*\* “witnessing” is the verb used to describe what a Christian is doing when he or she shares the gospel message of Jesus Christ’s salvation for mankind and forgiveness of all sins. It’s what Christ told his Apostles to do, (and by extention, all of his followers) See Acts 1:8 > [@](#): > > …and you shall be My **witness** … even to the remotest part of the Earth. ---
**Author:** ![panache45](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/panache45/32/64_2.png) [@panache45](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panache45)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/147 "2003-06-27T20:30:09Z")
I just remembered another former co-worker. He was looking at a world map we had on the wall, and couldn’t believe that Brooklyn, NY (where he was from) was too small to be on the map. He also was amazed to see that the (then) Soviet Union was larger than the U.S. This same guy had bought something for $20, and thought he had to sell it for $40 to break even. ---
**Author:** ![Zazie](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/6f9a4e/32.png) [@Zazie](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zazie)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 9:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/148 "2003-06-27T21:02:16Z")
When I came in the States, in college, most people would ask me where I was from, when they heard my accent. I’d say France, and you wouldn’t believe how many people had no clue whatsoever where it was (I am not asking to pinpoint it…), they wouldn’t know it is across an ocean, and some told me France was in South America… One of my roomates was from Cap Verde and some guy asked her (seriously) if they lived in trees there… My friend’s brother (early thirties) thought the wind blew the sun, wherever the wind direction was, that’s why it moved… I couldn’t believe that one. It is also the same guy who yelled at his mom because he couldn’t find the elbow grease under the sink, his mom had asked him to use some to do the dishes… 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 11:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/149 "2003-06-27T23:28:18Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by panache45 \* > **1. Remember the first million-dollar question on “Who Wants to be a Millionaire?” about the distance from the Earth to the sun? I thought this was something everyone knew, and couldn’t believe it was a million-dollar question.** 1 A. U. OK, OK, 8 light minutes, which given c = 3 x 10^8 m/s makes it… something. But I bet no-one remembers the km figure. It’s like old dates, I can only ever get them within a couple of centuries (well, except 1066). I’m disappointed but not surprised, if you see what I mean. ---
**Author:** ![Shade](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/2bfe46/32.png) [@Shade](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Shade)\ **Post date:** [June 27, 2003, 11:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/150 "2003-06-27T23:32:03Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by CadburyAngel \* > \*\*When should you wash your hands? > > a.) When you have been handling meat, changing trash bags, and after using the bathroom. > b.) When somebody is watching. > c.) When they look dirty. > d.) Whenever a customer asks you to.\*\* The question is quite ambiguous though. I assume they’re looking for (a), but obviously if you’re between handling meat and changing trash bags, it’s less important. (c) and (d) seem reasonable times to wash your hands, just not the ONLY times. Just to point out that something is obvious, but people can still flunk a test about it. PS. No-one else knows about Blackpool tower? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/6bbea6/32.png) [@Laughing\_Lagomorph](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Laughing_Lagomorph)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 1:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/151 "2003-06-28T01:41:43Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Gorgon Heap \* > \*\*… > > Still not sure what “witnessing” is. Have I seen it spoken of here before? Not sure. > … \*\* You’ve seen it spoken of here before if you have ever read the fora descriptions on the Main Page: **Great Debates:** For long-running discussions of the great questions of our time. This is also the place for religious debates and (if you feel you must) witnessing. ---
**Author:** ![Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ccd318/32.png) [@Paul\_in\_Qatar](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Paul_in_Qatar)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/152 "2003-06-28T01:52:42Z")
I live in Panama. I work in Saudi Arabia. I was born in America. NO, zero, zip, nada, Saudi seems to know Panama is a country. Many Americans (like ticket salespeople) don’t seem to know the largest city of each country. Most Panamaniacs know all about both larger countries. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 3:08am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/153 "2003-06-28T03:08:56Z")
“With God as my witness, I swear that I thought turkeys could fly!” - Mr. Carlson, _WKRP in Cincinnati_ > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Sengkelat \* > \*\*Someone once argued with me that sharks aren’t fish. I have no idea what she thought they were. > \*\* I was taught in school that fish have bones, while sharks are cartilaginous. However, I am not certain to this day which is currently Ick **thealogic** ally correct. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/edb3f5/32.png) [@The\_Asbestos\_Mango](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Asbestos_Mango)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 3:14am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/154 "2003-06-28T03:14:02Z")
OK, now **that** was bad. ---
**Author:** ![Blonde](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/3be4f8/32.png) [@Blonde](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Blonde)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 3:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/155 "2003-06-28T03:23:55Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Zenster \* > \*\*Technically, this is known as the “Legal Limit Line.” It applies for all intersections, stop, yield or regulated. It is what law enforcement officers use to determine whether you have run a red light. When approaching a crosswalk striped intersection, it is the first line you encounter. \*\* Along those lines, I must admit that up until perhaps five years ago, I did not know that the blue dots on the pavement indicated a fire hydrant’s location. And today from the SDMB board I learned that S&M does not stand for “Sadism and Masochism”, as I had always thought. It’s "Sadiomasochism. (spelling likely wrong). What happened to the AND? Who knew. ---
**Author:** ![c\_carol](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/e79b87/32.png) [@c\_carol](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/c_carol)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 3:43am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/156 "2003-06-28T03:43:28Z")
> [@](#): > > I live in Panama. I work in Saudi Arabia. That’s a heck of a long commute! Back to the topic (such as it is): I work in customer service for the water department, and I have had an amazing number of callers complaining that they don’t have any _hot_ water, only cold. Apparently they really think that we pipe hot water into their house from some central city-wide water heater. ---
**Author:** ![ShibbOleth](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/848f3c/32.png) [@ShibbOleth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ShibbOleth)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 4:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/157 "2003-06-28T04:10:45Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Thea Logica \* > \*\*OK, now **that** was bad. \*\* C’mon, bad as it was, you have to admit a certain selfish satisfaction at seeing your boardname worked into a horrible pun. ---
**Author:** ![Flowerchild](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/858c86/32.png) [@Flowerchild](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flowerchild)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 4:51am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/158 "2003-06-28T04:51:25Z")
I used to work with an extremely nice and bright man, a few years older than me, WHO DID NOT KNOW WHO JOHN LENNON WAS!!! Holy Crap!!! ---
**Author:** ![Sunspace](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/sunspace/32/1250_2.png) [@Sunspace](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sunspace)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 5:01am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/159 "2003-06-28T05:01:03Z")
Count me as another who hadn’t heard of Chick tracts before joining the SDMB. But then I don’t live in the States: religion is a _much_ more personal and private affair in Canada. ---
**Author:** ![Davebear](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/bcef8e/32.png) [@Davebear](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Davebear)\ **Post date:** [June 28, 2003, 5:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207/160 "2003-06-28T05:18:04Z")
> [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by ShibbOleth \* > \*\*I was taught in school that fish have bones, while sharks are cartilaginous. > > However, I am not certain to this day which is currently Ick **thealogic** ally correct. 😉 \*\* Well, that’s partly correct. Sharks are primarily cartilaginous, while most other fish have calcified bones, and are sometimes referred to as “bony fish”, to distinguish them from sharks. And, none of them have beaks. (Love the pun! :D) > [@](#): > > \*Originally posted by Blonde \* > \*\*And today from the SDMB board I learned that S&M does not stand for “Sadism and Masochism”, as I had always thought. It’s "Sadiomasochism. (spelling likely wrong). What happened to the AND? Who knew. \*\* Nothing happened to it. That just shows to go you how, even here, you have to be careful what you believe. Sadomasochism (Oh, and you were correct. Your spelling was slightly off.) is abbreviated SM. Not S&M, which _does_, as you thought, stand for “Sadism and Masochism”. A minor difference, but still a difference. Masochist: Hurt me! Sadist: No! [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207.md?page=7) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/it-frightens-me-that-people-dont-know-these-things/184207.md?page=9)