# Stupidity you have heard **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [August 4, 2014, 5:07am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidity-you-have-heard/694761 "2014-08-04T05:07:35Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 14
**Author:** ![Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/3d9bf3/32.png) [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tapioca_Dextrin)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 4:26pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidity-you-have-heard/694761/261 "2014-08-16T16:26:26Z")
I once mentioned to a co-worker that my parents live in France “France? What language do they speak there??” ---
**Author:** ![Baker](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/bb73d2/32.png) [@Baker](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Baker)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 5:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidity-you-have-heard/694761/262 "2014-08-16T17:31:36Z")
> [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](#): > > I once mentioned to a co-worker that my parents live in France > > “France? What language do they speak there??” Now that is primo stupid!😃 ---
**Author:** ![Little\_Nemo](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/little_nemo/32/3120_2.png) [@Little\_Nemo](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Little_Nemo)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 5:48pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidity-you-have-heard/694761/263 "2014-08-16T17:48:36Z")
> [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](#): > > I once mentioned to a co-worker that my parents live in France > > “France? What language do they speak there??” When I was a Littler Nemo, I thought that everyone in Canada spoke French. In my defense, I grew up in northern New York so the part of Canada I was familiar with was Quebec. I assumed all of Canada was like the part of Canada I knew. And it made sense to my young mind. I figured Canada was where all the French settlers had gone, America was where all the English settlers went, and Mexico was where all the Spanish settlers went. So I was surprised when I later found out that most Canadians spoke English and the country was politically connected to Britain not France. ---
**Author:** ![The\_Second\_Stone](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/t/bbe5ce/32.png) [@The\_Second\_Stone](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/The_Second_Stone)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 6:35pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidity-you-have-heard/694761/264 "2014-08-16T18:35:14Z")
> [@RivkahChaya](#): > > It used to be the AKC’s policy, but now, they run DNA tests if a dog’s background is questionable, or the provenance is unclear. I think the actual reasoning for the policy was that a bitch needed to breed “true,” always, in order to be useful as a breeder, because some dogs look purebred, but are not. People might claim that their supposed purebred Snooty-hound had had a litter of mixed pups because the neighbors mutt had jumped the fence, but the truth was that Snooty-hound had a questionable grandparent. > > The policy discouraged people from lying, and it also made people take extra care with their breeding dogs, so that there were fewer litters of unwanted puppies. > > I’m pretty sure the AKC has done away with the policy, and even has a system of provisional pedigrees for dogs whose DNA tests are not complete. The news has not filtered its way down through the general public yet. I’m definitely general public on dog breeding. I think breeding pure breds is harmful to the genetic diversity of the breed and the individuals. I’ve always preferred mutts or smart Shelties. ---
**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:** [August 16, 2014, 7:16pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidity-you-have-heard/694761/265 "2014-08-16T19:16:04Z")
> [@psychobunny](#): > > I don’t know that this is as much stupidity as me weeping for the future of our country. > I was at the drive-in and my bill came to $6.21. Wanting to get rid of some change and because my mind works like that, I gave the nice teenager $21.21. He started to enter the payment, dropped the change in the register then turned back, clearly staring at the $21 in his hand. “Um-I think I entered it wrong. How many dollars do I need to give you?” he asked. While I was sorely tempted to say “45” I did actually give him the right answer but was very displeased to see a teenager who apparently cannot subtract 6 from 21. I gave the clerk $30 and then the car took $22 worth of gas. I got my change and walked out, looked at the pump, looked at the $6 in my hand, went back inside. The clerk had no clue, she gave me what I was supposed to get. The assistant manager printed out the receipt, to prove it. I told him the receipt was wrong. He sat down _with a calculator_ before finally ponying up. My mistake: I failed to get the receipt. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 7:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidity-you-have-heard/694761/266 "2014-08-16T19:20:44Z")
> [@Tapioca\_Dextrin](#): > > “France? What language do they speak there??” Breton! ---
**Author:** ![brujaja](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/b/4af34b/32.png) [@brujaja](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/brujaja)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 7:33pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidity-you-have-heard/694761/267 "2014-08-16T19:33:54Z")
I know this guy who thinks of himself as a real science buff; he’s always doing things like trying to figure out the equations for time dilation at a non-Earth locus. So one day, we were talking about gravity which is his big field of expertise. And he told me that gravity comes out of a hole at the North Pole, and distributes around the surface \*\*\* over land!\*\*\* He said, “Why, how do you think it works?” ---
**Author:** ![simster](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/simster/32/1047_2.png) [@simster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/simster)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 7:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidity-you-have-heard/694761/268 "2014-08-16T19:52:20Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > To the moderator: Baker’s most recent post makes a good point. If there is an issue about homeopathy here, why not put it in its own thread (and a different forum, if appropriate)? Transferring the pertinent part of Rivakh Chaya’s (sp?) Thread, No. 258, would start it off properly. /thread - as if the “moderator” reads each and every thread and each and every post. ---
**Author:** ![Dr.Drake](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/ad7895/32.png) [@Dr.Drake](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dr.Drake)\ **Post date:** [August 16, 2014, 7:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidity-you-have-heard/694761/269 "2014-08-16T19:56:05Z")
> [@dougie\_monty](#): > > You could have simply provided the links. Your first sentence was unnecessary, at least the way it was phrased; I don’t like being sassed. I’m sorry to have upset you. **Baker** has requested the tone be kept light, so I won’t discuss it further in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 8:25pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidity-you-have-heard/694761/270 "2014-08-18T20:25:43Z")
> [@handsomeharry](#): > > I was talking with a co-worker/friend the other day, about the Jesse Ventura lawsuit. > (Jesse won 1.8 mil from estate of a famous sniper, who libelled Jesse in his book.) > I mentioned that, from this Message Board, it was pointed out that people were shocked that he would sue an estate, leaving the widow desolate. From the SDMB, I pointed out that said widow’s legal costs were paid by others, and she would, at minimum, have something like 4.2 mil left. > My friend said “Yeah, but, I’d have more respect for Jesse if he turned around and gave the widow a check for 1.8 mil.” > My head spun, and is, yet, spinning. I agree with your friend. Mr. Ventura sued because his name was sullied by the statements in the book. He wanted to get some kind of validation that the book was wrong and he hadn’t said more US servicemen should be killed. Since it isn’t possible to get the author to retract the statement, not that the author seemed willing to do so when he was alive, Mr. Ventura’s only recourse was to sue. Which he did and he won. Great. He has done almost everything he can to clear his name. The amount of money awarded in the judgement didn’t change the determination of the jury that Mr. Ventura hadn’t said what was alleged. Returning the money would have been the classy thing (perhaps dumb to many people, but in my opinion classy) to do. And it would have enhanced Mr. Ventura’s reputation with other people. Which is what Jesse said he wants. Of course now Mr. Ventura is 1.8 million $ richer and perhaps that is worth more than giving up the money to enhance his reputation. ---
**Author:** ![rbroome](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/838e76/32.png) [@rbroome](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/rbroome)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 8:30pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidity-you-have-heard/694761/271 "2014-08-18T20:30:55Z")
I apologize for this post. The OP is right. We shouldn’t be commenting on the non-humorus contents of posts in this thread. ---
**Author:** ![MrsTime](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/d26b3c/32.png) [@MrsTime](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/MrsTime)\ **Post date:** [August 18, 2014, 10:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidity-you-have-heard/694761/272 "2014-08-18T22:06:44Z")
> [@Sahirrnee](#): > > I worked with a woman who thought rabies came from rabbits. Well it could, I was about 5 when a friend of my family’s rabbit bit me a good one, I still have the scar and I am almost 75. Rabbits are mammals, and any mammal can get rabies. My family moved , and a bit later raised both chickens and rabbits, and it just now clicked in my head why I never touched the rabbits. ---
**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:** [August 18, 2014, 10:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidity-you-have-heard/694761/273 "2014-08-18T22:37:05Z")
> [@MrsTime](#): > > Well it could, I was about 5 when a friend of my family’s rabbit bit me a good one, I still have the scar and I am almost 75. Rabbits are mammals, and any mammal can get rabies. My family moved , and a bit later raised both chickens and rabbits, and it just now clicked in my head why I never touched the rabbits. I think the “stupid” part is that she thought there was an etymological relation. She might as well think rabies comes from rabbis. Most small “prey” mammals _don’t_ have rabies-- rabbits, squirrels, chipmunks, rats, mice, are all really unlikely to have rabies, because they’d have to be bitten by a rabid predator, like a dog, or fox or coyote, and _survive_. I’m not sure why it is that bats are such good hosts. ---
**Author:** ![Askance](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/askance/32/8281_2.png) [@Askance](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Askance)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 1:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidity-you-have-heard/694761/274 "2014-08-19T13:45:08Z")
My father thinks that we shouldn’t consider CO[suB]2[/suB] sequestration, because that would bury all the oxygen along with the carbon, and we’d have none left to breathe. No amount of explaining 4xx parts-per-million vs 21% O[suB]2[/suB] has had any effect at all. Not to mention that the oxygen in carbon dioxide is already unbreathable. And yes, he’s my genetic father. ---
**Author:** ![dougie\_monty](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/d/439d5e/32.png) [@dougie\_monty](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/dougie_monty)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 2:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidity-you-have-heard/694761/275 "2014-08-19T14:37:50Z")
> [@Askance](#): > > My father thinks that we shouldn’t consider CO[suB]2[/suB] sequestration, because that would bury all the oxygen along with the carbon, and we’d have none left to breathe. No amount of explaining 4xx parts-per-million vs 21% O[suB]2[/suB] has had any effect at all. Not to mention that the oxygen in carbon dioxide is already unbreathable. > > And yes, he’s my genetic father. According to Dave Barry, a woman went into a store and asked for a package of "those cheap genetic cigarettes. " ---
**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:** [August 19, 2014, 2:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidity-you-have-heard/694761/276 "2014-08-19T14:59:52Z")
I had a friend who thought that the reason you got a discount for buying mortgage/renter’s insurance from the same place you buy you auto insurance is that the insurance company thinks the odds of something happening to both your house AND your car are pretty low. No amount of explaining that your house has no way of “knowing” whether you’ve been in a car accident that year, that 50 houses and 50 cars will statistically come to the same amount of ill whether they are owned by 50 people or 100 people, or the fact that what the insurance companies are going for is trying to sell the maximum number of policies possible, and “bulk discounts” keep you from shopping around for the lowest rates for each individual policy at different companies could convince her that her reasoning was wrong. I even tried pointing out that if you have a house fire, there’s actually a good chance your car will be in your garage, and get damaged in the fire, or you could damage your house _with_ your car, so the odds that something could happen to both actually might be better than she thought. Still couldn’t convince her. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 19, 2014, 9:32pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidity-you-have-heard/694761/277 "2014-08-19T21:32:58Z")
I was in a Mexican restaruant with friends when one asked “I wonder how they pronounce ‘tequila’ in Spanish?” ---
**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:** [August 19, 2014, 10:24pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidity-you-have-heard/694761/278 "2014-08-19T22:24:43Z")
> [@Sahirrnee](#): > > I worked with a woman who thought rabies came from rabbits. > > > [@RivkahChaya](#): > > > > I think the “stupid” part is that she thought there was an etymological relation. She might as well think rabies comes from rabbis. You know, a thought just occurred to me-- maybe this isn’t so much “Duh,” as a misunderstanding. It may not be a stupid etymology, as a misunderstanding of the development of the rabies vaccine. Pasteur did in fact, use rabbits to develop the vaccine. He infected rabbits with rabies that originally came from some other infected wild animal, then dried out the rabbits spinal cords, and made the vaccine from the attenuated virus in the dried-out cords. So, the rabies _vaccine_ came from rabbits, sort of. I can see how someone could incorrectly remember that as rabies coming from rabbits, or else incorrectly assume that rabbits were used because they were the origin of rabies (they were used because they were easy to handle, and their spinal cords easier to remove than those of smaller animals, like rats-- also, once dessicated, the spinal cord of the rabbit was pretty small. A small rodent’s spinal cord would have been tiny and hard to work with). Or maybe this woman was just dumber than a rock. I don’t know her. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidity-you-have-heard/694761/279 "2014-08-20T06:41:20Z")
> [@Doctor\_Jackson](#): > > I was in a Mexican restaruant with friends when one asked “I wonder how they pronounce ‘tequila’ in Spanish?” Valid question though. “Paris” is pronounced differently in English and in French, for a start. In this case I don’t believe there is a significant difference but it’s not axiomatic that there wouldn’t be. ---
**Author:** ![Doctor\_Jackson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/doctor_jackson/32/32_2.png) [@Doctor\_Jackson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Doctor_Jackson)\ **Post date:** [August 20, 2014, 7:01pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidity-you-have-heard/694761/280 "2014-08-20T19:01:19Z")
ESL speakers do not pronounce English words like a native English speaker. For instance, an English first speaker would generally say “whiskee”, a Spanish first speaker would generally say “weeskee”. We were in a Mexican restaurant where the workers were native Spanish speakers and could be overheard saying the word to the barkeep, using the same pronunciation that the native English speakers did. That should have been a clue that we were all using the Spanish pronunciation. Sorry that I didn’t go into detail, I didn’t realize it would be required in this type thread. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidity-you-have-heard/694761.md?page=13) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/stupidity-you-have-heard/694761.md?page=15)