# Thank you, Captain Obvious!

**URL:** <https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-you-captain-obvious/618296>\
**Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\
**Created:** [April 9, 2012, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-you-captain-obvious/618296 "2012-04-09T20:20:23Z")\
**Posts on this page:** 5\
**Page:** 1

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**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:** [April 9, 2012, 8:20pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-you-captain-obvious/618296/1 "2012-04-09T20:20:23Z")

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We redecorated over the weekend, and the SO bought some carpet-cleaning spray. She read the directions:

1. Remove cap.

:smack: Oh, boy! I’m glad they put that step in there! I’d hate to think of what would have happened if they’d omitted it!

Only… It didn’t have a cap. Does this mean we can’t use it? i mean, if we can’t remove a cap that isn’t there, how can we proceed to Step 2?

In actuality, I think the intention was that one is supposed to remove the cap if it being used with an applicator accessory. I gather this is some sort of handle so the user doesn’t have to bend over or something. Still, it struck us both as amusing that they’d actually have ‘Step 1. Remove cap’ in the directions. It’s like having a box of mac’n’cheese that says ‘Step 1. Open box.’ (I don’t know, it might say that. I’ve been making mac’n’cheese long enough I don’t read the directions.)

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**Author:** ![Musicat](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/musicat/32/20189_2.png) [@Musicat](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Musicat)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 8:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-you-captain-obvious/618296/2 "2012-04-09T20:28:56Z")

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Step 1. Skip to Step 2

Step 2. Ignore Step 1.

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**Author:** ![Zebra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/c0e974/32.png) [@Zebra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zebra)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 8:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-you-captain-obvious/618296/3 "2012-04-09T20:31:56Z")

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You can’t be wearing a cap when you use it. You can wear a bowler or a stovepipe hat but not a cap.

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**Author:** ![Skammer](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/skammer/32/143_2.png) [@Skammer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skammer)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 9:41pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-you-captain-obvious/618296/4 "2012-04-09T21:41:49Z")

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Comedian Brian Regan has a funny bit about the directions on a box of pop-tarts. I’m sure it’s on youtube but I’m blocked from work.

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**Author:** ![wolfstu](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/d6d6ee/32.png) [@wolfstu](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/wolfstu)\
**Post date:** [April 9, 2012, 11:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/thank-you-captain-obvious/618296/5 "2012-04-09T23:43:49Z")

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A Chinese restaurant of my occasional patronage would supply my order in a bag helpfully labeled “TAKE OUT FOOD”. There were no further instructions after that.