# Stuff Sheldon Cooper is right about **URL:** \ **Category:** Cafe Society\ **Created:** [July 21, 2014, 11:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-sheldon-cooper-is-right-about/693700 "2014-07-21T23:24:44Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 3
**Author:** ![njtt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/n/ecd19e/32.png) [@njtt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/njtt)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 1:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-sheldon-cooper-is-right-about/693700/41 "2014-07-22T13:56:54Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > If you Google “soup” and “courage,” there’s more than one sign for courage, but one of them does look like soup turned on its side, and missing a line; if Penny has that tattoo, sideways, and had some clothing covering one line, then they’re both right, sort of. Penny, because she got her tattoo sideways, and assuming she wants it to be understood by other people when she’s standing up, Given Penny’s pre-Leonard lifestyle, I don’t think that is at all a safe assumption. Indeed, given where it is, it is mostly only likely to be uncovered when shes lying down. 😛 ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 2:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-sheldon-cooper-is-right-about/693700/42 "2014-07-22T14:39:24Z")
She was vertical when he saw it. In fact, she was starkers when he saw it. It was the episode where he also got to second base with Penny. ---
**Author:** ![pancakes3](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/ba9def/32.png) [@pancakes3](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/pancakes3)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 2:50pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-sheldon-cooper-is-right-about/693700/43 "2014-07-22T14:50:36Z")
> [@Diceman](#): > > Do you mean _String_ Theory? That isn’t even a real theory, IMHO. It’s more like a sci-fi concept, or maybe even a philosophy. But as a scientific theory, it’s pretty **threadbare**. hah. ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 3:02pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-sheldon-cooper-is-right-about/693700/44 "2014-07-22T15:02:24Z")
> [@Karen\_Lingel](#): > > Nauseous / Nauseated This is a wash: in an earlier episode, he uses the incorrect word before he gets all Sheldon in the later episode. So he may be correct about the point, but he failed to observe it. ---
**Author:** ![teela\_brown](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/d9b06d/32.png) [@teela\_brown](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/teela_brown)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 3:34pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-sheldon-cooper-is-right-about/693700/45 "2014-07-22T15:34:06Z")
> [@Claverhouse](#): > > So all old stuff should be ritually burned rather than be reused, and more new stuff made continuously ? > Antique stores are gonna be pissed. Yeah, upholstered, soft furniture or even wickerwork will always be suspect now. I’d almost feel safe about used hard, wooden furniture, but even then I think I’d go over it with a fine tooth comb out in the driveway before bringing it indoors. Yes, I wonder about the furniture sales in antique and thrift stores nowadays, too. ---
**Author:** ![KneadToKnow](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/kneadtoknow/32/3999_2.png) [@KneadToKnow](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/KneadToKnow)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 3:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-sheldon-cooper-is-right-about/693700/46 "2014-07-22T15:36:02Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I could be wrong, but I believe the rule is that Texas chili doesn’t have beans in it while Mexican chili does. Sheldon is from Texas and his Don’t Mess With Texas attitude shows up once in a while in oddly randoms spots. > > Don’t get me wrong, I don’t like beans in my chili, I’m just saying that wasn’t hard and fast rule, that’s Sheldon being Sheldon. If you’re saying that Sheldon’s rule is that Texas chili lacks beans while Mexican chili has beans, then yes, you’re wrong. 🙂 > [@](#): > > **Priya** Would you like some homemade chili? > **Sheldon** Are there beans in it? > **Priya** Yes? > **Sheldon** Then it’s not chili. Real chili has no beans in it, but you’re from a foreign land, so your ignorance is forgiven. > [Sheldon tries some of Priya’s chili] > **Sheldon** Mmmm, this is good… whatever it is. ---
**Author:** ![Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/e/7cd45c/32.png) [@Elendil\_s\_Heir](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Elendil_s_Heir)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 3:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-sheldon-cooper-is-right-about/693700/47 "2014-07-22T15:44:06Z")
> [@johnspartan](#): > > …He’s pretty clearly right in his analysis of Star Trek: The Motion Picture being worse than Star Trek V: The Final Frontier. His main point (as I recall) was that Star Trek 5 had specific failures whereas Star Trek 1 was an across the board disaster: art direction, costumes, etc. I beg to differ. ST:TMP, for all its faults, was a much better movie than STV. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 3:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-sheldon-cooper-is-right-about/693700/48 "2014-07-22T15:53:49Z")
Chocolate _is_ the best pudding, and Fig Newtons really _are_ named for a town in Massachusetts. RE: grammar. He frequently misuses the reflexive pronoun, eg, “an individual such as myself,” but this error is so common, I’d let it go, if he weren’t forever correcting everyone else. ---
**Author:** ![RivkahChaya](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rivkahchaya/32/8919_2.png) [@RivkahChaya](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/RivkahChaya)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 4:05pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-sheldon-cooper-is-right-about/693700/49 "2014-07-22T16:05:29Z")
What is chili, then? Since there’s “chili con carne,” chili doesn’t have meat by definition, because “con carne” implies the existence of “without carne” as well. Or is “chili con carne” something you see only in the US? Is chili just vegetable stew with chili peppers? ---
**Author:** ![wonky](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wonky/32/393_2.png) [@wonky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wonky)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-sheldon-cooper-is-right-about/693700/50 "2014-07-22T17:00:32Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > What is chili, then? Since there’s “chili con carne,” chili doesn’t have meat by definition, because “con carne” implies the existence of “without carne” as well. Or is “chili con carne” something you see only in the US? Is chili just vegetable stew with chili peppers? “Chili con carne” is just shortened to chili. The “proper name” of chili is chili con carne. ---
**Author:** ![M.Constant](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/3ab097/32.png) [@M.Constant](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/M.Constant)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 5:09pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-sheldon-cooper-is-right-about/693700/51 "2014-07-22T17:09:34Z")
> [@jsgoddess](#): > > “Chili con carne” is just shortened to chili. The “proper name” of chili is chili con carne. Which reminds me of a lunch item from our High School: “Chili con carne without meat”. Some days we also got “Meatless meatloaf”. Ahh… the good old days. ---
**Author:** ![jerez](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/j/c68b51/32.png) [@jerez](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/jerez)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 5:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-sheldon-cooper-is-right-about/693700/52 "2014-07-22T17:24:35Z")
Never play bongos walking down the stairs. ---
**Author:** ![Superdude](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/superdude/32/13450_2.png) [@Superdude](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Superdude)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 6:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-sheldon-cooper-is-right-about/693700/53 "2014-07-22T18:20:33Z")
> [@BobLibDem](#): > > I can’t verify his claim about the tattoo on Penny’s butt but I’d love to give it a shot. Quick [link to tattoos for “Soup” and “Courage.”](https://www.google.com/search?q=chinese+symbol+for+soup+and+courage&espv=2&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=XKrOU5CYJOW58gGE-4DYBA&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ&biw=1600&bih=799#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=h0XExJvRZYe81M%253A%3BBDhHl7jO7CAWQM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252F4.bp.blogspot.com%252F-nf5tPs-eB_8%252FUZPWNEulUDI%252FAAAAAAAAF-w%252FN4Ivtd5w7wY%252Fs1600%252FSouporCourage.bmp%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fnotasheepmaybeagoat.blogspot.com%252F2013%252F05%252Fwhat-is-tattoo-on-pennys-right-buttock.html%3B286%3B146) [Kaley Cuoco’s real tattoo.](https://www.google.com/search?q=kaley+cuoco+tattoo&espv=2&source=lnms&tbm=isch&sa=X&ei=AqjOU9jNIOmL8QH0o4F4&ved=0CAYQ_AUoAQ&biw=1600&bih=799#facrc=_&imgdii=_&imgrc=Wnetn7q8aVklDM%253A%3BC47nebmgpV_xCM%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fnew2tats.files.wordpress.com%252F2012%252F12%252Fkaleyc_tat1.jpg%253Fw%253D485%3Bhttp%253A%252F%252Fnew2tats.wordpress.com%252F2012%252F12%252F31%252Fcelebrity-tattoo-of-the-day-kaley-cuoco%252F%3B485%3B560) ---
**Author:** ![Flywheel](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/eb8c5e/32.png) [@Flywheel](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Flywheel)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 6:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-sheldon-cooper-is-right-about/693700/54 "2014-07-22T18:27:00Z")
Hand dryers are less sanitary than paper towels. ([Cite.](http://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/Hand_dryer#Hygiene)) ---
**Author:** ![ftg](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/ftg/32/2801_2.png) [@ftg](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/ftg)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-sheldon-cooper-is-right-about/693700/55 "2014-07-22T21:31:39Z")
Lysine _is_ the best amino acid. (Going back _many_ decades, there have been cans labeled “Chili” and “Chili con carne” sold in grocery stores. The former are usually all beans, no meat. The latter are beans and meat. I’ve never come across a can of chili that has no beans. Insisting on no beans is one of those idiocies like what constitutes barbecue.) ---
**Author:** ![Death\_of\_Rats](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/a6a055/32.png) [@Death\_of\_Rats](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Death_of_Rats)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 9:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-sheldon-cooper-is-right-about/693700/56 "2014-07-22T21:31:43Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > OK, I remembered there being a fundamental divide between Leonard and Lesley on the quantum gravity topic, but I guess I misremembered which side Sheldon fell on (mostly through assuming that he would never admit to agreeing with Leonard on anything). > [@Oakminster](#): > > Leonard refused to commit either way. He told Lesley that there were strengths and weaknesses to both theories. She stormed out because she couldn’t imagine raising a child with someone who fails to worship at her chosen altar. Sheldon didn’t agree with Leonard, Leonard agreed with Sheldon. The response that caused Leslie to dump Leonard was “I guess I prefer my Universe stingy rather than loopy”. He just tried to do it in a mousey, non-confrontational way. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 9:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-sheldon-cooper-is-right-about/693700/57 "2014-07-22T21:43:38Z")
> [@ftg](#): > > Lysine _is_ the best amino acid. > > (Going back _many_ decades, there have been cans labeled “Chili” and “Chili con carne” sold in grocery stores. The former are usually all beans, no meat. The latter are beans and meat. I’ve never come across a can of chili that has no beans. Insisting on no beans is one of those idiocies like what constitutes barbecue.) Cite? Because unless it’s labelled “vegetarian” or some such, chili always has meat and chiles. Canned chili con carne will not have beans unless it says “with beans.” [No beans](http://www.cvs.com/bizcontent/merchandising/productimages/large/3760024193.jpg) [No beans](http://www.phonetechsupply.com/images/Chili5.jpg) [No beans](http://i.walmartimages.com/i/p/00/01/70/00/01/0001700001488_500X500.jpg) Among about a million others. Sheldon is from Texas. In Texas (and the rest of the civilized universe) there are no beans in chili. ---
**Author:** ![Chronos](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/chronos/32/134_2.png) [@Chronos](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Chronos)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 10:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-sheldon-cooper-is-right-about/693700/58 "2014-07-22T22:27:34Z")
The last time I got into the chili argument, someone on the Texas side of the argument tried to prove that it doesn’t contain beans by linking to a cite for the earliest print reference to chili. Which described it as being served with beans. I’ve decided that, as with so many other matters, it’s best to just let the Texans keep their delusions. > [@](#): > > Quoth **Diceman** : > > Do you mean String Theory? That isn’t even a real theory, IMHO. It’s more like a sci-fi concept, or maybe even a philosophy. But as a scientific theory, it’s pretty threadbare. Which is exactly why I referred to it as the “string model”. ---
**Author:** ![silenus](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/silenus/32/166_2.png) [@silenus](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/silenus)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 10:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-sheldon-cooper-is-right-about/693700/59 "2014-07-22T22:49:07Z")
> [@Chronos](#): > > The last time I got into the chili argument, someone on the Texas side of the argument tried to prove that it doesn’t contain beans by linking to a cite for the earliest print reference to chili. \*\*Which described it as being served with beans. \*\* I’ve decided that, as with so many other matters, it’s best to just let the Texans keep their delusions. > Which is exactly why I referred to it as the “string model”. Cite? ---
**Author:** ![eschereal](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eschereal/32/18939_2.png) [@eschereal](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/eschereal)\ **Post date:** [July 22, 2014, 11:29pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-sheldon-cooper-is-right-about/693700/60 "2014-07-22T23:29:59Z")
chili con camarones? chili con pesco? chili con pollo? [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-sheldon-cooper-is-right-about/693700.md?page=2) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stuff-sheldon-cooper-is-right-about/693700.md?page=4)