# Straight dope? **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [October 12, 2026, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope/1033768 "2026-10-12T04:59:42Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![running\_coach](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/running_coach/32/15836_2.png) [@running\_coach](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/running_coach)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 6:12pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope/1033768/21 "2026-10-12T18:12:05Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Our newfound friend showed up around midnight Eastern. I wonder if / when they will return? Is his real name Charlie? ---
**Author:** ![Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/earl_snake-hips_tucker/32/3269_2.png) [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Earl_Snake-Hips_Tucker)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope/1033768/22 "2026-10-12T19:01:54Z")
I’d be surprised if this account responds. I think it’s probably on a hyperbolic trajectory. ---
**Author:** ![Ancient\_Nerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed655f/32.png) [@Ancient\_Nerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ancient_Nerd)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 7:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope/1033768/23 "2026-10-12T19:08:58Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > midnight Eastern That’s prime time on the Pacific Coast. ---
**Author:** ![Stassi20](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/43a26b/32.png) [@Stassi20](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Stassi20)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope/1033768/24 "2026-10-12T19:17:27Z")
I never knew that…interesting ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 7:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope/1033768/25 "2026-10-12T19:24:08Z")
We like to answer all questions around here, including the self-referential ones. > [@What is the etymology for "the straight dope"?](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/what-is-the-etymology-for-the-straight-dope/707582): > > If ever there was a question that the teeming millions should be able to handle, it’s this. What is the origin of the phrase “the straight dope”, meaning “the unvarnished truth”? ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 8:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope/1033768/26 "2026-10-12T20:49:41Z")
Back in the day when aircraft were covered with fabric, you would apply **Dope** to the surface to help seal/water/weatherproof it. ---
**Author:** ![LavenderMagnolia](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/2bfe46/32.png) [@LavenderMagnolia](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LavenderMagnolia)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 8:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope/1033768/27 "2026-10-12T20:59:34Z")
DOPE = Delightful, Outrageous, Peculiar Explanations ??? ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 10:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope/1033768/28 "2026-10-12T22:04:38Z")
Understood. My only point was that we might have to wait until ~24 hours later to hear from them again. But I see they’ve returned. ---
**Author:** ![vbob](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vbob/32/4439_2.png) [@vbob](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/vbob)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 10:08pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope/1033768/29 "2026-10-12T22:08:05Z")
> [@Beckdawrek](#): > > (Except the dipsticks) Without dipsticks, how would we know we’d gotten too low? ---
**Author:** ![Atamasama](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/atamasama/32/12961_2.png) [@Atamasama](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Atamasama)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 10:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope/1033768/30 "2026-10-12T22:11:47Z")
Reminds me of one time in Cub Scouts, when we were at “Day Camp” (where multiple “packs” hang out in the woods together doing activities for a little while in summertime) and we were learning about auto maintenance. The guy who was showing us how to change oil in a car (a guy we had all been irritated by over the course of camp) asked us if anyone could point at the dipstick. We all immediately pointed at him. It was a glorious bit of rebellion from a bunch of 10-year-olds. Really, he should have known better. ---
**Author:** ![Gatopescado](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gatopescado/32/5711_2.png) [@Gatopescado](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gatopescado)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 10:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope/1033768/31 "2026-10-12T22:48:34Z")
Classic! 😄 ---
**Author:** ![Johnny\_L.A](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johnny_l.a/32/1084_2.png) [@Johnny\_L.A](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johnny_L.A)\ **Post date:** [October 12, 2026, 10:51pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope/1033768/32 "2026-10-12T22:51:10Z")
What’s the dope? Can dope be considered dope? ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2026, 12:27am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope/1033768/33 "2026-10-13T00:27:38Z")
> [@Earl\_Snake-Hips\_Tucker](#): > > I’d be surprised if this account responds. I think it’s probably on a hyperbolic trajectory. Ah, a scientific witticism!👩‍🔬 That’s what I love about this place. ---
**Author:** ![Beckdawrek](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/beckdawrek/32/3647_2.png) [@Beckdawrek](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Beckdawrek)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2026, 3:16am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope/1033768/34 "2026-10-13T03:16:06Z")
So @Stassi20 are you saying you’ve gotten the _“straight dope”_ on the Straight Dope? (And welcome) ---
**Author:** ![Inigo\_Montoya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/inigo_montoya/32/124_2.png) [@Inigo\_Montoya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Inigo_Montoya)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2026, 5:21pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope/1033768/35 "2026-10-13T17:21:03Z")
The Dope will always have at least one dipstick as long as I’m around. ---
**Author:** ![Exapno\_Mapcase](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/exapno_mapcase/32/1051_2.png) [@Exapno\_Mapcase](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Exapno_Mapcase)\ **Post date:** [October 13, 2026, 7:07pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope/1033768/36 "2026-10-13T19:07:49Z")
Do young’uns even know what a dipstick is? I haven’t have a car with a dipstick for many years. ---
**Author:** ![SCAdian](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/scadian/32/3292_2.png) [@SCAdian](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/SCAdian)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2026, 12:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope/1033768/37 "2026-10-14T00:18:00Z")
Is one enough? Are three too many? ---
**Author:** ![Ancient\_Nerd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/ed655f/32.png) [@Ancient\_Nerd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Ancient_Nerd)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2026, 6:47am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope/1033768/38 "2026-10-14T06:47:31Z")
Dope will get you through times of no money better than money will get you through times of no dope. ---
**Author:** ![Czarcasm](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/czarcasm/32/4050_2.png) [@Czarcasm](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Czarcasm)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2026, 7:25am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope/1033768/39 "2026-10-14T07:25:21Z")
So sayeth Freewheelin’ Franklin. ---
**Author:** ![LSLGuy](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/lslguy/32/5813_2.png) [@LSLGuy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/LSLGuy)\ **Post date:** [October 14, 2026, 8:42am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope/1033768/40 "2026-10-14T08:42:55Z")
Our new friend @Stassi20 opened by asserting they knew the true meaning of “dope”. I’m wondering now what they thought it was. Maybe they’ll share that with us. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope/1033768.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/straight-dope/1033768.md?page=3)