# The dumbest thing you've heard anyone say this week is... **URL:** \ **Category:** In My Humble Opinion\ **Created:** [July 1, 2009, 9:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630 "2009-07-01T21:13:03Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 4
**Author:** ![Zoe](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/z/a4c791/32.png) [@Zoe](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Zoe)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 5:56am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/61 "2009-07-03T05:56:18Z")
Chris Matthews to Rep. Steve Cohen (D. Tenn) last week on **Hardball** Topic: Apologizing for and the Possibly of Offering Reparations for Slavery Matthews: “I mean you’re from Tennessee. Maybe you should apologize first before you ask the rest, the rest of the country. Why should Pennsylvania apologize for something it fought and died – You’re laughing – It’s not funny --Why should anybody apologize for your sins – For any state – New York, Vermont --they didn’t have slavery – had some of it.” New York had slavery for 215 years including, of course, years before it became a colony and state. Pennsylvania, Mr. Matthew’s home state, had slavery for 201 years including years before it became official. Tennessee, Rep. Cohen’s home state, had slaves from the time of its earliest permanent white settlers until the end of the Civil War – a period of about 100 years. East Tennessee was well known for supporting the abolitionists. [Cite](http://www.slavenorth.com) [Cite](http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/imagegallery.php?EntryID=S044) I grant that the Union fought and died for a just cause. I have no quarrel with who was right. It’s the claim that New York and Pennsylvania had no slavery that is jaw-dropping. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 12:39pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/62 "2009-07-03T12:39:40Z")
> [@Jackknifed\_Juggernaut](#): > > One more…on my commuter train earlier in the week: > > 18-19 year old on her cellphone recalling her recent break-up, in the typical dramatic fashion (I swear, I think kids these days just assume that some reality show is recording them): > > “I cried hysterically. You don’t understand. I hysterically cried!” > > I might not be so dumb, but I thought it was since she didn’t recognize the oxymoron. > [@kaylasdad99](#): > > 😕 > > Perhaps I’m dumb. Where’s the oxymoron? > > Common usage allows “hysterical” to imply a loss of control over one’s emotional responses. > [@Enderw24](#): > > Because the girl didn’t have a uterus! OK, either I’m being whooshed, or I’m in severe cerebral flatulence mode, but I don’t see the oxymoron, either. Where does it say the girl doesn’t have a uterus and why does that make “hysterically crying” an oxymoron? Please explain it to me as if I’m from the planet Ork or someplace similar. ---
**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:** [July 3, 2009, 12:56pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/63 "2009-07-03T12:56:27Z")
Ditto. Scientists are baffled by this one. ---
**Author:** ![Cicero](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cicero/32/3594_2.png) [@Cicero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Cicero)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 3:18pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/64 "2009-07-03T15:18:59Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > Do words we hear in our own heads count? Because as I was walking back to the office in medium-heavy rain, I heard myself say, “God, it’s really humid out.” > > Yeah, 100% humidity, dumbass. :smack: It took me a while and a few searches about relative humidity, but 100% relative humidity doesn’t mean it is raining. Maybe one of our learned friends could explain it? ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 3:37pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/65 "2009-07-03T15:37:44Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > OK, either I’m being whooshed, or I’m in severe cerebral flatulence mode, but I don’t see the oxymoron, either. Where does it say the girl doesn’t have a uterus and why does that make “hysterically crying” an oxymoron? > > Please explain it to me as if I’m from the planet Ork or someplace similar. **Enderw24** was joking. The source of the joke is that “hysterical” comes from the Greek word for “uterus” (hence “hysterectomy”). ---
**Author:** ![Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/eyebrows_0f_doom/32/3119_2.png) [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Eyebrows_0f_Doom)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 3:46pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/66 "2009-07-03T15:46:41Z")
> [@adventures.in.solitude](#): > > Did anyone endure the FOUR hour stretch of the Today Show on NBC Thursday morning… or any of the media vultures now scraping up anything… just ANYTHING… possible about Michael Jackson’s life and or death… now it could be just my hatred for the Today Show… but that and all of this other media BS could have easily won the dumbest things I have heard all week. (ie… ‘Now… Michael Jackson has moved his stuff out of Neverland… but if you could just imagine… this is where the media center might have gone… do you see these cable cords?’ ‘…this is the kitchen… Michael Jackson may or may not have consumed food in this area of the home…’ ‘…this is a wall… a window…’ etc… ) And… it’s… not… over… yet. Ugh, God yes. I had recorded the Today Show yesterday because a friend was going to be performing during the 10-11am time slot, so I had to fast foward through all that crap. Even scanning through it fast I couldn’t believe how much time was spent just walking through rooms in Neverland. ---
**Author:** ![Captain\_Carrot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/c/f0a364/32.png) [@Captain\_Carrot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Captain_Carrot)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 4:55pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/67 "2009-07-03T16:55:24Z")
> [@Zoe](#): > > Chris Matthews to Rep. Steve Cohen (D. Tenn) last week on **Hardball** > > Topic: Apologizing for and the Possibly of Offering Reparations for Slavery > > Matthews: “I mean you’re from Tennessee. Maybe you should apologize first before you ask the rest, the rest of the country. Why should Pennsylvania apologize for something it fought and died – You’re laughing – It’s not funny --Why should anybody apologize for your sins – For any state – New York, Vermont --they didn’t have slavery – had some of it.” > > New York had slavery for 215 years including, of course, years before it became a colony and state. Pennsylvania, Mr. Matthew’s home state, had slavery for 201 years including years before it became official. Tennessee, Rep. Cohen’s home state, had slaves from the time of its earliest permanent white settlers until the end of the Civil War – a period of about 100 years. East Tennessee was well known for supporting the abolitionists. [Cite](http://www.slavenorth.com) [Cite](http://tennesseeencyclopedia.net/imagegallery.php?EntryID=S044) > > I grant that the Union fought and died for a just cause. I have no quarrel with who was right. It’s the claim that New York and Pennsylvania had no slavery that is jaw-dropping. However, PA abolished slavery (kind of) before the Union even existed, and New York abolished it in 1827. The only reason they had it for longer is that they were founded much earlier. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 5:13pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/68 "2009-07-03T17:13:42Z")
> [@fachverwirrt](#): > > **Enderw24** was joking. The source of the joke is that “hysterical” comes from the Greek word for “uterus” (hence “hysterectomy”). Color me whooshed, then. If the girl is a normal female, she has a uterus. No oxymoron there. ---
**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:** [July 3, 2009, 5:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/69 "2009-07-03T17:36:50Z")
Scientists still baffled. I think somebody upthread is using words which mean other than what they think they mean. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 5:45pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/70 "2009-07-03T17:45:03Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Color me whooshed, then. If the girl is a normal female, she has a uterus. No oxymoron there. Well, that’s what makes it a joke. You realize that **Enderw24** wasn’t the source of the original oxymoron quote, right? That was **Jackknifed Juggernaut**. **Enderw24** was just making an obscure etymological joke. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 6:06pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/71 "2009-07-03T18:06:36Z")
> [@fachverwirrt](#): > > Well, that’s what makes it a joke. > > You realize that **Enderw24** wasn’t the source of the original oxymoron quote, right? That was **Jackknifed Juggernaut**. **Enderw24** was just making an obscure etymological joke. Fine. Forget **Enderw24’s** joke. I’ll move on and admit defeat. I still don’t see the oxymoron in **Jackknifed Juggernaut’s** post, either with or without the joke. Continuing on with my day. ---
**Author:** ![fachverwirrt](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/f/94ad74/32.png) [@fachverwirrt](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/fachverwirrt)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 6:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/72 "2009-07-03T18:54:12Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Fine. Forget **Enderw24’s** joke. I’ll move on and admit defeat. I still don’t see the oxymoron in **Jackknifed Juggernaut’s** post, either with or without the joke. Continuing on with my day. Sorry, I know you wanted to drop this. One more comment: There is no oxymoron in **Jackknifed Juggerenaut’s** post. He’s misunderstanding either “hysterical” or “oxymoron”. Discounting **Enderw24** ’s joke, you weren’t whooshed at all. You’re in the same boat as the rest of us. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 7:10pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/73 "2009-07-03T19:10:30Z")
> [@fachverwirrt](#): > > Sorry, I know you wanted to drop this. One more comment: > > There is no oxymoron in **Jackknifed Juggerenaut’s** post. He’s misunderstanding either “hysterical” or “oxymoron”. > > Discounting **Enderw24** ’s joke, you weren’t whooshed at all. You’re in the same boat as the rest of us. I thought that might be the case. Can I be captain of the boat? 🙂 ---
**Author:** ![Other\_Dreams](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/f4b2a3/32.png) [@Other\_Dreams](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Other_Dreams)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 11:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/74 "2009-07-03T23:52:02Z")
\ “You’re going to write this assignment _for_ me.”\ As in, _I am not going to do any of the work myself; you will risk your academic career so that I may get an A._ I want to do another, less serious stupid thing…but…the -est at the end refuses. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [July 3, 2009, 11:58pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/75 "2009-07-03T23:58:20Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > Scientists still baffled. > > I think somebody upthread is using words which mean other than what they think they mean. Perhaps I can help. At one time the uterus was believed to go off on unscheduled road trips around a woman’s body at time of stress: these uteruses gone wild triggered a wild emotional surge known as hysteria. ---
**Author:** ![cochrane](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cochrane/32/10441_2.png) [@cochrane](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cochrane)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2009, 4:18am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/76 "2009-07-04T04:18:17Z")
> [@Scissorjack](#): > > Perhaps I can help. At one time the uterus was believed to go off on unscheduled road trips around a woman’s body at time of stress: these uteruses gone wild triggered a wild emotional surge known as hysteria. In which case, “crying hysterically” makes perfect sense. The two words used together do not contradict each other, thus they do not constitute an oxymoron. Examples of oxymorons would be phrases like “army intelligence” or “congressional ethics.” Hence all the confusion. ---
**Author:** ![Olentzero](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/o/90ced4/32.png) [@Olentzero](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Olentzero)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2009, 4:57am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/77 "2009-07-04T04:57:04Z")
> [@LSLGuy](#): > > I think somebody upthread is using words which mean other than what they think they mean. Inconcievable! ---
**Author:** ![WotNot](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/w/e19b73/32.png) [@WotNot](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WotNot)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2009, 8:03am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/78 "2009-07-04T08:03:32Z")
> [@Olentzero](#): > > Inconcievable! Well, if she hasn’t got a uterus she… Okay, sorry. ---
**Author:** ![Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/ecccb3/32.png) [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Skald_the_Rhymer)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2009, 6:36pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/79 "2009-07-04T18:36:29Z")
> [@Other\_Dreams](#): > > \ “You’re going to write this assignment _for_ me.”\ > > As in, _I am not going to do any of the work myself; you will risk your academic career so that I may get an A._ > > I want to do another, less serious stupid thing…but…the -est at the end refuses. Who was it who wanted you to cheat on his or her behalf? ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [July 4, 2009, 10:40pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/80 "2009-07-04T22:40:33Z")
> [@cochrane](#): > > Examples of oxymorons would be phrases like “army intelligence” or “congressional ethics.” Hence all the confusion. I think a lot of people confuse oxymorons, or self contradictions, with tautologies, or repetitive redundancies: brutal elegance is an oxymoron; frightened coward is a tautology. Crying hysterically is neither, since it is quite possible to cry without being hysterical, and it is equally possible to be hysterical without crying. Either way, it pales in comparison with the woman at work who announced that she wasn’t going to succumb to swine flu because she’d made up an aromatherapy antidote. She’s a really sweet lady, but sometimes I’d like to seize her by the shoulders and shake her roughly. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630.md?page=3) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630.md?page=5)