# Real life stuff you actually learned from television **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [June 28, 2009, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-stuff-you-actually-learned-from-television/501271 "2009-06-28T18:11:49Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 12:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-stuff-you-actually-learned-from-television/501271/21 "2009-06-30T00:20:22Z")
> [@Morbo](#): > > Making popsicles in ice trays, and making assorted cheese snacks. Thank you “hanker for a hunka cheese” dude! > > Veto, the words to the Preamble, interjections, conjunctions, adverbs, adjectives, nouns: Schoolhouse Rock. (Yes, I learned them in school, but that’s not where I remember learning them) Time for Timer!!! I made those popsicles. And I saw the long version of Timer where he traveled through the human body. I always wanted to see it again but it never came on again :\< And yes that would be the only reason I managed to figure out what an adverb is. And I can’t help singing the Preamble. And I know how a bill becomes a law. ---
**Author:** ![betenoir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/258eb7/32.png) [@betenoir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/betenoir)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 12:28am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-stuff-you-actually-learned-from-television/501271/22 "2009-06-30T00:28:41Z")
Hey! (interjection)When did I become a guest? I’m a charter member. I’ve only been here for 9 years! ---
**Author:** ![Bearflag70](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/8e7dd6/32.png) [@Bearflag70](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bearflag70)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 12:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-stuff-you-actually-learned-from-television/501271/23 "2009-06-30T00:59:58Z")
It’s not nice to fool mother nature. ---
**Author:** ![TheMadHun](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/53a042/32.png) [@TheMadHun](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TheMadHun)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 2:44am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-stuff-you-actually-learned-from-television/501271/24 "2009-06-30T02:44:58Z")
I learned that every night there are exactly three top news stories, And that every newscast must end with a cute animal. And they must be shown in the same order on all channels, so there is no way to get more news by channel surfing. I learned that anybody who is recognizable is a celebrity, whether they do anything specific or not. I learned that famous people can get away with murder, but not trophy theft. ---
**Author:** ![stockton](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/b5a626/32.png) [@stockton](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/stockton)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 3:10am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-stuff-you-actually-learned-from-television/501271/25 "2009-06-30T03:10:01Z")
> [@betenoir](#): > > Hey! (interjection)When did I become a guest? I’m a charter member. I’ve only been here for 9 years! Join the (Charter Guest) club. Apparently we missed the re-up window and there’s no way to undo that. There’s a thread in ATMB about this now. From TV: Just about everything I know that’s useful. Mad props to Schoolhouse Rock. I might just break down and buy the DVD for my little ones. “He signed you Bill! Now you’re a LAW!” ---
**Author:** ![Mahaloth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mahaloth/32/1079_2.png) [@Mahaloth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mahaloth)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 3:15am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-stuff-you-actually-learned-from-television/501271/26 "2009-06-30T03:15:30Z")
M_A_S\*H taught me that [Dr. Charles Drew](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Drew), who made major discoveries in blood types, died in a hospital that would not treat him because he was Black. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![Carl\_Corey](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/8e8cbc/32.png) [@Carl\_Corey](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Carl_Corey)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-stuff-you-actually-learned-from-television/501271/27 "2009-06-30T17:21:10Z")
> [@C.Montgomery\_Burns](#): > > The first place I ever heard of the Geneva Convention was on Hogan’s Heroes. Great username/post combo. ---
**Author:** ![TBG](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/c89c15/32.png) [@TBG](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/TBG)\ **Post date:** [June 30, 2009, 10:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-stuff-you-actually-learned-from-television/501271/28 "2009-06-30T22:01:28Z")
Albania Albania You border on the Adriatic ---
**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 1:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-stuff-you-actually-learned-from-television/501271/29 "2009-07-01T01:07:58Z")
MASH, or maybe it was ER–Shocking a stopped heart won’t do any good. Shocking a heart in defibrillation can do a lot of good. SSG Schwartz ---
**Author:** ![panamajack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/47e85d/32.png) [@panamajack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/panamajack)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 1:29am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-stuff-you-actually-learned-from-television/501271/30 "2009-07-01T01:29:57Z")
> [@Mahaloth](#): > > M_A_S\*H taught me that [Dr. Charles Drew](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Charles_Drew), who made major discoveries in blood types, died in a hospital that would not treat him because he was Black. > > 😉 Despite the smiley face, some people might think you were [serious about that](http://www.straightdope.com/columns/read/1092/did-the-black-doctor-who-invented-blood-plasma-die-because-white-doctors-wouldnt-treat-him). One thing Cecil didn’t mention is that a transfer to Duke was considered but it was too far away and he was too close to death for it to make a difference. That may have contributed to the false legend (even though the intention was to move him to a _better_ facility). I can’t get the Albania song out of my head, either. Although I use it less to remember where Albania is than where the Adriatic Sea is, since I always used to confuse it with the Aegean. ---
**Author:** ![Munch](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/munch/32/5281_2.png) [@Munch](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Munch)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 1:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-stuff-you-actually-learned-from-television/501271/31 "2009-07-01T13:07:50Z")
> [@TBG](#): > > Albania > Albania > You border on the Adriatic Your terrain is mostly mountainous, And your major export is chrome! Yeah - that actually came up last week. People give you a serious :dubious: when you quickly claim Albania is on the Adriatic, and then when you show them a map, think you’re some sort of savant. Nope, just a fan of \*Cheers \*growing up. ---
**Author:** ![Arachne](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3ec8ea/32.png) [@Arachne](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arachne)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 1:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-stuff-you-actually-learned-from-television/501271/32 "2009-07-01T13:11:03Z")
hm, lots of things… Early Childhood (bit fuzzy on this stuff): The Magic School Bus - no, dinosaurs and cavemen did not hang out together. Also, cake is full of little bubbles. Bill Nye The Science Guy - lying on a bed of nails doesn’t hurt (lots of other stuff too, but that one sticks out the most) some animal show (Kratt Brothers, maybe?) - there’s a lizard that can walk on water!! Seconding (thirding?) “School House Rock” More Current: Good Eats - pie crust, lotsa chemistry, lotsa history, how to safely deep fry a turkey Iron Chef America - it is possible to make ice cream out of darn near anything House, MD: it’s never lupus Rome: Cleopatra was nuttier then a fruitcake ---
**Author:** ![StaudtCJ](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/90ced4/32.png) [@StaudtCJ](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/StaudtCJ)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 1:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-stuff-you-actually-learned-from-television/501271/33 "2009-07-01T13:55:08Z")
On saturday mornings when I was young, there was a commercial series called Schoolhouse Rocks. I learned everything from the preamble to the Constitution to what “infinity” was. Yacko, Wacko, and Dot taught me the countries of the world. Plus, Mythbusters ROCKS. ---
**Author:** ![Horatio\_Hellpop](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/e5b9ba/32.png) [@Horatio\_Hellpop](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Horatio_Hellpop)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-stuff-you-actually-learned-from-television/501271/34 "2009-07-01T15:23:09Z")
**Adam 12** taught me my Miranda rights, although I’ve yet to use them. ---
**Author:** ![control-z](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/eada6e/32.png) [@control-z](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/control-z)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-stuff-you-actually-learned-from-television/501271/35 "2009-07-01T15:40:01Z")
Oh hell, what _hasn’t_ TV taught me? 😉 You can glean knowledge from even the most insipid entertainment. Just a few examples: Seinfeld told me that poppy seeds can make you fail a drug test. Tiny Toon Adventures (though a They Might Be Giants song) taught me that Istanbul used to be called Constantinople. Bugs Bunny taught me about the existance of the Hatfields and McCoys, roadrunners and coyotes, Wabbit Season, the basic rules of baseball and golf, and so much more. ---
**Author:** ![bouv](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bc8723/32.png) [@bouv](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/bouv)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 3:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-stuff-you-actually-learned-from-television/501271/36 "2009-07-01T15:40:03Z")
> [@SSG\_Schwartz](#): > > MASH, or maybe it was ER–Shocking a stopped heart won’t do any good. Shocking a heart in defibrillation can do a lot of good. > > SSG Schwartz The heart is in _fibrillation_, defibrillation is what you do to the heart. And it’s only ventricular fib (and v-tach) that you shock, not atrial fib. But you are 100% right on the first part. ---
**Author:** ![Green\_Bean](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/green_bean/32/1760_2.png) [@Green\_Bean](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Green_Bean)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 4:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-stuff-you-actually-learned-from-television/501271/37 "2009-07-01T16:01:40Z")
A very important lesson from **Law & Order** : Even if the cops and the DA know exactly who committed the crime, that doesn’t mean that the person can be successfully prosecuted and convicted. Of course I knew that before watching the show, but who wants to believe that justice is frequently not served? L&O explores that theme in so many ways that it forces you to really “get it.” ---
**Author:** ![Serenata67](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/serenata67/32/10646_2.png) [@Serenata67](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Serenata67)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 8:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-stuff-you-actually-learned-from-television/501271/38 "2009-07-01T20:51:45Z")
> [@Arachne](#): > > hm, lots of things… > > …More Current: > Good Eats - pie crust, lotsa chemistry, lotsa history, how to safely deep fry a turkey > Iron Chef America - it is possible to make ice cream out of darn near anything… I have learned soooo much from those shows. Alton Brown is a veritable font of culinary knowledge. I love it. ---
**Author:** ![SSG\_Schwartz](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/e9a140/32.png) [@SSG\_Schwartz](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SSG_Schwartz)\ **Post date:** [July 1, 2009, 11:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-stuff-you-actually-learned-from-television/501271/39 "2009-07-01T23:51:07Z")
> [@bouv](#): > > The heart is in _fibrillation_, defibrillation is what you do to the heart. And it’s only ventricular fib (and v-tach) that you shock, not atrial fib. > > But you are 100% right on the first part. Dammit, I didn’t learn as much as I thought I did. 😃 Thanks **bouv** , SSG Schwartz ---
**Author:** ![Ranchoth](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ranchoth/32/1066_2.png) [@Ranchoth](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ranchoth)\ **Post date:** [July 2, 2009, 12:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-stuff-you-actually-learned-from-television/501271/40 "2009-07-02T00:37:23Z")
[Goofy](http://www.youtube.com/profile?user=JamieInnesNZ&view=videos&query=goofy) taught me about freeway safety and braking distance. This would have been before I was five…god, a dearth of original network programming could pay off, back then. What does the Disney Channel run _now_? Wall to wall singing tweens. Humbug. Also; I learned about time dilation from _Flight of the Navigator_…again, thanks to the Disney Channel. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-stuff-you-actually-learned-from-television/501271.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/real-life-stuff-you-actually-learned-from-television/501271.md?page=3)