Ever have a question but don’t feel like making a topic about in General Questions? Maybe you’re too lazy or too intimidated. Maybe the question you have you figure could probably be answered just like that and so you don’t want to make a fool out of yourself by making a topic over there and having it answered in the first reply. Or maybe, even, you just think your question isn’t big or popular or good enough to really be given much thought.
Well, be it one of those or another reason, here’s a topic for those kinds of questions. Even if nobody else has any, then at least I can hopefully get my own small inquiries answered. Because I have a few of them yet I don’t want to clutter up GQ with them all. Not when they’ve probably been answered before or could probably be answered easily. I just haven’t found the previous answers if so.
So here’s mine:
Why is it called happy hour when it’s more than one hour? Why not happy hours? Has happy hour ever been just ONE hour?
What is the origin of the phrase “hunky-dory”, as in, “everything’s just hunky-dory!”. I said this the other day then realized it’s such an odd saying. What does it mean? What the heck is a hunky-dory and how did it come to mean something that is fine?
I have other sayings I don’t get…
A. “Everyone talks about the weather but nobody does anything about it.” What? How can anyone do anything about the weather? It’s impossible. People can’t change the weather, last time I looked. How does anyone expect anyone else to do anything about it? What can they do? I just don’t get that phrase.
B. “piggyback” Since when did we ride pigs? Since when did anyone put ANYTHING on a pigs back? Did pigs used to carry things way back when? Before we found out about the horse? Oh sure, I’ve heard horseyback too…but not as much as piggyback. Did people actually ride pigs back in the day? What is it about a pig’s back that gave us this term?
C. “Heavens to Betsy”? Who is Betsy? The only famous Betsy I know is Betsy Ross. Heavens to Betsy Ross? Why to her? Or do they mean another Betsy like someone’s old aunt Betsy? And even if so, again, why heavens to her?
D. “Shit-eating grin”. I sure wouldn’t be grinning if I were eating that stuff. What does that phrase mean? That one is so happy they could eat it with a grin on their face? That they just ate some and are happy about it? Or maybe it’s like a variation of “brown nosing”?
By all means, contribute with your own if you have any questions. Hopefully someone smarter than I (and that would be a lot of people) will come along and help me (and anyone else who has questions) out.
I think that’s the point - it basically means “Some things are inevitable, but people complain about them anyway.”
Although of course a lot of people do something about weather. Improved weather forecasts, efforts to stave off the effects of man-made weather phenomena (including but not limited to global warming), and even experiments on weather modification, like cloud seeding.
I want to know when it is okay to use your high beams on the freeway. If there are no other cars on your side, but there are oncoming cars on the other side of the median, is it dangerous to put on your high beams?
I’m going to guess it’s because of the way the sphincters in the stomach are positioned – it’s not a straight shot up and down. The stomach is sort of sideways-shaped, and the sphincters are accordingly positioned. I believe the top one’s to the left side, for example. I haven’t seen too many side illos of the body so I don’t know if they’re tipped forward or backward, but if they are, that’d help explain why one position would gurgle, but not others.
Medical Dopers are free to come in and smack me down. I just read a lot of the anatomy books in my dad’s office as a middle and high schooler.
I have a question that’s been plaguing me that’s just too, too stupid for GQ, so here it is: if you hang out a shingle saying you’re a bug doctor, can you be prosecuted for practicing veterinary medicine without a license?
I’m not sure what the code is where you stay, but I was taught to dip my headlights (no high beam) whether there was traffic in my lane or the oncoming lane. This applies on the motorway as well. The Essex County Council backs me up here:
Of course, where I’m from in India, none of this applies, but I still try to be a good driver.
I think I’ve asked this before, but never gotten any real answer - please! If anyone knows anything! Is it possible to train oneself to a) do the splits or b) trill/roll one’s Rs over the tongue, having never been able to do it before, at, say, the age of 25?
a) Yes. Anecdotal evidence, but evidence nonetheless: Last year, I directed a play in our student union. This show involved music as well, and in one of the songs, the choreographers decided that all the dancers should do splits. Out of eight dancers, two were capable of getting all the way down to the ground when rehearsals started; when the actual show played, they all could do the splits. I was told it’s all about the stretching.
b) Yes. In Finnish, for example, the “correct” way to say the R sound is rolling with the tongue. While speech therapy for the incorrect pronunciation is usually performed with children, there are several adults undergoing speech therapy at the facility where my little brother goes.
You’re an American, so you already know how to roll your Rs. Bear with me here.
Say “butter” out loud.
Then say “ladder”.
That consonant in the middle of those words? That’s a rolled R. Exactly the same sound as a Spanish single-R. For a Spanish double-R, just do the same thing, but tap it against the roof of your mouth a couple of times quickly.
If you absolutely cannot pull off the longer roll, you can substitute a Hebrew “ch” sound in Spanish and be understood just fine.
Hostile, I have the tiny roll down pat, what with Japanese language. I’m doing the Hebrew thing right now when I (attempt to) speak Spanish, but not being able to do the long one just makes me sad, you know? That and I can’t be a convincing Yakuza. I’ll keep trying!
For whatever it’s worth, Professional Driver’s experience/opinion here:
Dangerous for you, no.
Dangerous for on-coming traffic? Yes. In fact, it’s become one of my biggest complaints of late - there seem to be many more inconsiderate/lazy (or, possibly, uninformed) people out there on the Interstate/divided highways these days.
I’m pulling 80,000 pounds of oil down the road at 70+ mph. I really need to see where I’m going. Please dim your high beams when encountering on-coming traffic or coming up behind traffic traveling in the same direction as you.
If you are having difficulty seeing, have the alignment on your headlights checked. (Literally nine out of every ten vehicles I encounter on the road have misaligned headlights.) The only time I use my high beams is on two lane unrestricted highways where there is an increased danger of encountering livestock, wildlife or pedestrians. Even then, I always dim my lights when encountering other traffic.
Same goes for those factory installed fog/driving lights. Either get them properly aligned or turn 'em off!
