# Just something I noticed today...

**URL:** https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-something-i-noticed-today/89202
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share
**Created:** [October 23, 2001, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-something-i-noticed-today/89202 "2001-10-23T23:58:58Z")
**Posts on this page:** 20
**Page:** 2

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### Author: ![Joyfulgirl](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/f04885/32.png) [@Joyfulgirl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Joyfulgirl)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2001, 8:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-something-i-noticed-today/89202/21 "2001-10-24T08:18:20Z")

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?he ,ssob s’ohw slamron eht lla wohs d’ew ro ,tnof nwod edispu on s’ereht dab ooT .doog ,hO ?nac uoY ?nwod edispu nac uoy sa llew sa sdrawkcab daer uoy nac tub ,seY

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### Author: ![Kayeby](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/k/9de0a6/32.png) [@Kayeby](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Kayeby)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2001, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-something-i-noticed-today/89202/22 "2001-10-24T08:22:56Z")

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I just tried as well - can’t do it. I can’t read upside down, right to left, diagonally or anything other than white-bread left to right.

_sob_

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### Author: ![Cougarfang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c67d28/32.png) [@Cougarfang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cougarfang)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2001, 8:58am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-something-i-noticed-today/89202/23 "2001-10-24T08:58:13Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Joyfulgirl \*  
> \*\*?he ,ssob s’ohw slamron eht lla wohs d’ew ro ,tnof nwod edispu on s’ereht dab ooT .doog ,hO ?nac uoY ?nwod edispu nac uoy sa llew sa sdrawkcab daer uoy nac tub ,seY \*\*

!haeY

another backwards/upsidedown reader, checking in. i always check to see if the Big Daddy is reading the sports section before leaping onto the newspaper and shredding it. 😃

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### Author: ![Trucido](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/ea5d25/32.png) [@Trucido](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Trucido)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2001, 9:24am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-something-i-noticed-today/89202/24 "2001-10-24T09:24:33Z")

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Funny, I read this and thought, “Can I do that?” Tried it out, worked like a charm. I can read upside down, backwards, all that. It takes me a little longer, but I’m a compulsive reader. My eye will shoot to printed text before anything else, and very little text passes before my eyes that I don’t read. I have noticed that reading anything other than rightside up, left to right is a different kind of reading. Seems jerkier to me, but then I’m usually a pretty fast reader, too.

I can’t write any other way than plain vanilla, though. My script is too flowing, and my print spacing ends up looking funny.

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### Author: ![Qis](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/q/b9bd4f/32.png) [@Qis](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Qis)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2001, 11:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-something-i-noticed-today/89202/25 "2001-10-24T11:30:06Z")

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that thing typed backwards was easy to read!  
like. stupidly easy. although i guess i could pretty much guess what was coming.  
i started reading it out loud tho. i dont normally ever read outloud, but i did as a kinda reflex when reading the backwards post.  
Just mae me thing about reading when i was little.  
Although i dont rember reading out loud when i was little, i guess i must have.  
right?  
And yea. un upside down font would be classic ( U could print instructions on a page of paper in teh middle of a desk, so that everyone could read it from any location.

just a thought

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### Author: ![rocking\_chair](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rocking_chair/32/2918_2.png) [@rocking\_chair](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rocking_chair)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2001, 11:31am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-something-i-noticed-today/89202/26 "2001-10-24T11:31:26Z")

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yes to upside down and backwards, at about the same speed most people read rightside up. i find that this comes in handy when reading to a group of kids. you can face the book towards the kids and just read upside down.

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### Author: ![Sei\_taer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e47c2d/32.png) [@Sei\_taer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Sei_taer)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2001, 11:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-something-i-noticed-today/89202/27 "2001-10-24T11:44:43Z")

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There are a lot more than I figured after the response I got from my coworkers!

I tried the writing upside down thing, and while I could do it it was painfully slow…maybe with some practice.

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### Author: ![China\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/779978/32.png) [@China\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/China_Guy)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2001, 12:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-something-i-noticed-today/89202/28 "2001-10-24T12:33:26Z")

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[QUOTE]  
\*Originally posted by Cougarfang \*  
\*\*

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Joyfulgirl \*  
> another backwards/upsidedown reader, checking in. i always check to see if the Big Daddy is reading the sports section before leaping onto the newspaper and shredding it. 😃 \*\*

Not fair though, since you’re Chinese and they read in just about every whacky direction as a matter of course.

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### Author: ![Acco40](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/58956e/32.png) [@Acco40](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Acco40)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2001, 1:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-something-i-noticed-today/89202/29 "2001-10-24T13:06:41Z")

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I have the power to read upside down!

I honed my skills recently while at jury duty. Have you ever been so bored that you looked at your options and decided to read _the same magazine_ over again vertically and upside down just to pass time? Well I did… and I can’t say I’m any better for it. 🙂

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### Author: ![GrizzRich](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/7ba0ec/32.png) [@GrizzRich](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/GrizzRich)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2001, 1:19pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-something-i-noticed-today/89202/30 "2001-10-24T13:19:56Z")

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Jeez… sometimes I feel like a circus geek.

I can read upside down. I can also read backward, as in a mirror image.  
I am also ambidextrious, can write upside down OR backwards, in cursive, with either hand.

Unfortunately, none of these abilities has the possibility of making any actual MONEY for me.

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### Author: ![Cougarfang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c67d28/32.png) [@Cougarfang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cougarfang)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2001, 1:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-something-i-noticed-today/89202/31 "2001-10-24T13:40:59Z")

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[QUOTE]  
\*Originally posted by China Guy \*  
\*\*

> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Cougarfang \*  
> \*\*
> 
> > [@](#):
> >
> > \*Originally posted by Joyfulgirl \*  
> > another backwards/upsidedown reader, checking in. i always check to see if the Big Daddy is reading the sports section before leaping onto the newspaper and shredding it. 😃 \*\*
> 
> Not fair though, since you’re Chinese and they read in just about every whacky direction as a matter of course. \*\*

oh PBBBBBBBTTTTTTTHHHHHHTTTTTTTTTT…

actually, you’ve got a point. sometimes, i have to read a sign in every direction to make sure that it’s the right one… with the american (left-to-right) and the chinese (right to left) ways of reading and writing getting mixed up, it makes for much hilarity when the Little Boy tries to sound out some signs (Shop Noodle Beef? Noodle Beef Shop? Shop Beef Noodle? Aha! Beef Noodle Shop! :rolleyes:)

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### Author: ![Cougarfang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c67d28/32.png) [@Cougarfang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cougarfang)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2001, 1:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-something-i-noticed-today/89202/32 "2001-10-24T13:42:09Z")

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damn optical mice… i meant to press preview! ^$\*&^%…

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### Author: ![moe.ron](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/ed8c4c/32.png) [@moe.ron](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/moe.ron)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2001, 2:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-something-i-noticed-today/89202/33 "2001-10-24T14:20:03Z")

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Damn it!!! And for all this time I thought I had some wierd super power 😉

Oh well, at least I still have the amazing ability to wiggle my ears. HA!!! I bet none of you can do that!!!

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### Author: ![Cougarfang](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/c67d28/32.png) [@Cougarfang](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cougarfang)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2001, 2:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-something-i-noticed-today/89202/34 "2001-10-24T14:28:40Z")

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you only wiggle? i can _swivel_ my ears!

bwahahahahahahahahaha…

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### Author: ![Palmyra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/57b2e6/32.png) [@Palmyra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Palmyra)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2001, 2:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-something-i-noticed-today/89202/35 "2001-10-24T14:53:02Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Joyfulgirl \*  
> \*\*?he ,ssob s’ohw slamron eht lla wohs d’ew ro ,tnof nwod edispu on s’ereht dab ooT .doog ,hO ?nac uoY ?nwod edispu nac uoy sa llew sa sdrawkcab daer uoy nac tub ,seY \*\*

srettel lautca eht nehw sdrawkcab daer uoy nac tuB !haP  
etirw ot gninrael neeb yllautca ev’I ?sdrawkcab era  
.[euqitirc gnooool a ginrud derob tog] sdrawkcab  
::koob hcteks steg dna snur::  
reisae s’ti tub] nwod edispu ti daer _nac_ I dnA  
.[thgir-ot-tfel ot kcab s’ti esuaceb

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### Author: ![Venoma](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/v/c4cdca/32.png) [@Venoma](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Venoma)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2001, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-something-i-noticed-today/89202/36 "2001-10-24T15:18:46Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Palmyra \*  
> \*\*
> 
> > [@](#):
> >
> > \*Originally posted by Joyfulgirl \*  
> > \*\*?he ,ssob s’ohw slamron eht lla wohs d’ew ro ,tnof nwod edispu on s’ereht dab ooT .doog ,hO ?nac uoY ?nwod edispu nac uoy sa llew sa sdrawkcab daer uoy nac tub ,seY \*\*
> 
> srettel lautca eht nehw sdrawkcab daer uoy nac tuB !haP  
> etirw ot gninrael neeb yllautca ev’I ?sdrawkcab era  
> .[euqitirc gnooool a ginrud derob tog] sdrawkcab  
> ::koob hcteks steg dna snur::  
> reisae s’ti tub] nwod edispu ti daer _nac_ I dnA  
> .[thgir-ot-tfel ot kcab s’ti esuaceb \*\*

:rolleyes: .efil laicos ym tuoba tola syaS .CRI TENFE no tola siht od ot desu eW

The only problem is that typing this way takes me too durn long (translating from brain speak to backwards speak). Same reason I can read french and understand it spoken (most of the time) but have a hard time speaking it 😉

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### Author: ![AwSnappity](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/a3d4f5/32.png) [@AwSnappity](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/AwSnappity)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2001, 3:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-something-i-noticed-today/89202/37 "2001-10-24T15:55:09Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Joyfulgirl \*  
> **?he ,ssob s’ohw slamron eht lla wohs d’ew ro ,tnof nwod edispu on s’ereht dab ooT**

tuo=| uomp ap!sdn ou s,aJayt shes oym

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### Author: ![friedo](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/8edcca/32.png) [@friedo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/friedo)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2001, 4:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-something-i-noticed-today/89202/38 "2001-10-24T16:07:40Z")

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> [@](#):
>
> \*Originally posted by Venoma \*
> 
> :rolleyes: .efil laicos ym tuoba tola syaS .CRI TENFE no tola siht od ot desu eW
> 
> The only problem is that typing this way takes me too durn long (translating from brain speak to backwards speak). Same reason I can read french and understand it spoken (most of the time) but have a hard time speaking it 😉 \*\*

(: .retcarahc hcae neewteb ni yek worra-tfel eht gnisserp tub ,drawrof gnipyt yb si ti od ot yaw ehT

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### Author: ![Anal\_Scurvy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/c57346/32.png) [@Anal\_Scurvy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Anal_Scurvy)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2001, 4:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-something-i-noticed-today/89202/39 "2001-10-24T16:11:54Z")

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I can’t really read upside down. I imagine with practise I’d be able to, but it’s not a natural ability.

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### Author: ![sidle](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ee59a6/32.png) [@sidle](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/sidle)
#### Post date: [October 24, 2001, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/just-something-i-noticed-today/89202/40 "2001-10-24T16:26:19Z")

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Sei’taer-  
I never thought about it, but now that I am it seems that  
everyone would be able to read upside down. How hard is  
it to mentally invert things? Maybe it just depends on how  
your brain is set up, or whether you’ve ever had the opportunity/need to read upside down-which I assume most adults would have at some point.  
In any case, if it makes you feel any better, I dont think  
you’re the Antichrist!  
😉

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