# 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:** 6
**Author:** ![It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/it_s_not_rocket_surgery/32/312_2.png) [@It\_s\_Not\_Rocket\_Surgery](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/It_s_Not_Rocket_Surgery)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 3:43pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/101 "2009-07-06T15:43:19Z")
> [@Eyebrows\_0f\_Doom](#): > > šŸ˜• Why is this dumb? Are you under the mistaken impression that New York City is a cesspool of crime with rapes, murders & robberies being committed on every street corner? This is 2009, not the 1980s. New York City is [the safest large city in the United States](http://www.bloomberg.com/apps/news?pid=10000103&sid=aHWGwSJjpbOU&refer=us). Sure, if you are the wrong person in a bad street at the wrong time, of course a crime could happen to you, but like your ex-girlfriend said, that is the same for anywhere. > > I guess if she said that during the heyday of the cityā€™s crime, then OK I can see your point, but crime _can_ happen anywhere. (And I am curious, even when NYC had a lot of crime, were people who did not hang out in the bad areas \*actually \*at much of a risk?) This was 1992. NYC crime was definitely higher than it is now. And of course crime CAN happen anywhere, but her point was that risk = 1 for ANY location - which is the opposite of what her profession exists to determine. Iā€™m a real estate appraiser - itā€™s as if I had said ā€œThe average home is valued at $170,000. Therefore your home is worth $170,000ā€. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 3:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/102 "2009-07-06T15:52:40Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I believe the name _Peter_ actually comes from the Greek _petros_, and that _Paul_ comes from the Latin. Thatā€™s your two main apostles right there, neither with a Hebrew name. Well, Peter was a nickname - his given name was Simon. Paul is a Latinized form of the Hebrew Saul. ---
**Author:** ![Arglefraster](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/3bc359/32.png) [@Arglefraster](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Arglefraster)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 6:44pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/103 "2009-07-06T18:44:24Z")
This weekend my father-in-law told me that he heard on the radio that heartworms were caused by a dog swallowing fleas. The fleas then laid eggs inside the dog, which hatched into heartworms. Flea eggs only hatched into heartworms if they hatched inside the dog. Otherwise they hatched into fleas. The only thing I could figure was that the guy on the radio was saying that the heartworms infested the fleas, and then spread to the dog (or cat or whatever) that ate the fleas, and that my father-in-law just misunderstood what he said. According to a google search, though, heartworms spread via mosquito bites, so thatā€™s not it either. ---
**Author:** ![Larry\_Mudd](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/f14d63/32.png) [@Larry\_Mudd](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Larry_Mudd)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 7:03pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/104 "2009-07-06T19:03:57Z")
> [@Arglefraster](#): > > The only thing I could figure was that the guy on the radio was saying that the heartworms infested the fleas, and then spread to the dog (or cat or whatever) that ate the fleas, and that my father-in-law just misunderstood what he said. According to a google search, though, heartworms spread via mosquito bites, so thatā€™s not it either. Itā€™s tapeworms, not heartworms. Other than that, youā€™ve worked out the rest. ---
**Author:** ![gigi](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/g/a587f6/32.png) [@gigi](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/gigi)\ **Post date:** [July 6, 2009, 7:17pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/105 "2009-07-06T19:17:29Z")
> [@kaylasdad99](#): > > Note that he said it is **his wifeā€™s** pastor. > > **Skald** , to the best of my knowledge, is not a congregant. **Skald** just goes to ogle his wife in the choir. Iā€™m surprised he even registered what the guy was saying. šŸ˜› ---
**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 6, 2009, 11:53pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/106 "2009-07-06T23:53:24Z")
> [@gigi](#): > > **Skald** just goes to ogle his wife in the choir. Iā€™m surprised he even registered what the guy was saying. šŸ˜› In my defense, Iā€™d like to point out that my wife is remarkably cute when sheā€™s singing and dancing in praise of the Lord. Iā€™m sure Iā€™m not the only one ogling, just the only one whoā€™ll admit it. ---
**Author:** ![Satellite\_Guy](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/258eb7/32.png) [@Satellite\_Guy](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Satellite_Guy)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 1:38am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/107 "2009-07-07T01:38:45Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > In my defense, Iā€™d like to point out that my wife is remarkably cute when sheā€™s singing and dancing in praise of the Lord. Iā€™m sure Iā€™m not the only one ogling, just the only one whoā€™ll admit it. Iā€™m sure youā€™re not the only one whoā€™ll admit it, just the only one who hangs out in here. šŸ˜› S^G ---
**Author:** ![Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/brown_eyed_girl/32/3574_2.png) [@Brown\_Eyed\_Girl](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Brown_Eyed_Girl)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 2:30am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/108 "2009-07-07T02:30:10Z")
> [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](#): > > If you name your kid after one of the Apostles youā€™re still giving him a name thatā€™s Jewish in _origin_, you know. I didnā€™t even know that Isaiah was a book in the old testament; you expect me to know who the apostles are? šŸ˜‰ ---
**Author:** ![Alex\_Dubinsky](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/a/dbc845/32.png) [@Alex\_Dubinsky](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Alex_Dubinsky)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 2:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/109 "2009-07-07T02:41:20Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > Old Testament. But what of it? Plenty of good Christian boys are called Daniel, also the name of an Old Testament prophet, and no-one thinks anything of it. and iā€™m sure thereā€™s plenty of hispanic jews named jesus? ---
**Author:** ![Lynn\_Bodoni](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e47c2d/32.png) [@Lynn\_Bodoni](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Lynn_Bodoni)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 6:26am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/110 "2009-07-07T06:26:20Z")
> [@Lacunae\_Matata](#): > > ā€œYou know, thereā€™s a natural history museum - I forget where - that has the skeleton of Goliath in it.ā€ From the guy who cuts my grass. Same guy who recently told me about someoneā€™s 155-lb. Bassett hound. Eventually, Iā€™ll learn to just leave a jug of cold water outside and disappear, instead of feeling obligated to let him come indoors to cool offā€¦ Yeah, that kind of stupidity is catching. Even if you start out fairly bright, by the time you get done beating your head against a brick wallā€¦ ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 8:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/111 "2009-07-07T08:22:02Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > In my defense, Iā€™d like to point out that my wife is remarkably cute when sheā€™s singing and dancing in praise of the Lord. Iā€™m sure Iā€™m not the only one ogling, just the only one whoā€™ll admit it. So sheā€™s definitely a lapsed atheist, then? ---
**Author:** ![FriarTed](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/friarted/32/1052_2.png) [@FriarTed](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/FriarTed)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 8:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/112 "2009-07-07T08:41:54Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > In my defense, Iā€™d like to point out that my wife is remarkably cute when sheā€™s singing and dancing in praise of the Lord. Iā€™m sure Iā€™m not the only one ogling, just the only one whoā€™ll admit it. You know, Skald, you keep extolling the cuteness of your wife & I totally believe it, BUT some of us would still like a cite. Nothing inappropriate- we just wanna see your cute wife! A pic of you with her would be good also, so we could then go on about how you sure married over your head!šŸ˜ƒ Oh- and does she have any cute single sisters? ---
**Author:** ![palindromemordnilap](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/p/db5fbb/32.png) [@palindromemordnilap](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/palindromemordnilap)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 2:31pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/113 "2009-07-07T14:31:07Z")
Do public statements count? Samuel ā€œJoe the Plumberā€ Wurzelbacher, when asked if he would consider running for office, said: ā€œI hope not. You know, I talked to God about that and he was like, ā€˜No.ā€™ā€ In addition to the obvious ā€œcasual conversation with Godā€ moronics, itā€™s bizarre that he _hopes_ he wonā€™t run for office, as if it might happen against his will. At least God was talking sense. ---
**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 7, 2009, 3:23pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/114 "2009-07-07T15:23:44Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > So sheā€™s definitely a lapsed atheist, then? Iā€™m not sure what she is right now. But she feels better when she goes to that church regularly. ---
**Author:** ![WOOKINPANUB](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/wookinpanub/32/132_2.png) [@WOOKINPANUB](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/WOOKINPANUB)\ **Post date:** [July 7, 2009, 5:00pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/115 "2009-07-07T17:00:45Z")
My co-worker whose stupidity Iā€™ve mentioned here several times, has taken ā€œhe verbally told meā€ as her latest standard operating phrase. She still doesnā€™t recognize the company name ā€œSonyā€ as in, she pronounces it as if it rhymes with ā€œJohnnyā€ and doesnā€™t seem to know who they are or what they do. And her response to Michael Jacksonā€™s death? ā€œYeah, I know him from listening to his music when I was growing upā€. Technically true, I suppose, but how can anyone think that is even a remotely useful or neccessary comment to make? One of these days Iā€™m going to start a thread about the stupid crap that comes out of her mouth all day long. ---
**Author:** ![Scissorjack](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/s/c67d28/32.png) [@Scissorjack](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Scissorjack)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 9:12am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/116 "2009-07-08T09:12:54Z")
> [@WOOKINPANUB](#): > > And her response to Michael Jacksonā€™s death? ā€œYeah, I know him from listening to his music when I was growing upā€. Technically true, I suppose, but how can anyone think that is even a remotely useful or neccessary comment to make? Thatā€™s probably the first sensible thing Iā€™ve heard anyone say about Jacksonā€™s death. ---
**Author:** ![Malacandra](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/45deac/32.png) [@Malacandra](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Malacandra)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 10:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/117 "2009-07-08T10:40:07Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > Iā€™m not sure what she is right now. But she feels better when she goes to that church regularly. Sheā€™d integrate seamlessly into the Church of England, then. šŸ™‚ ---
**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 8, 2009, 5:54pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/118 "2009-07-08T17:54:47Z")
> [@Malacandra](#): > > Sheā€™d integrate seamlessly into the Church of England, then. šŸ™‚ I know youā€™re joking, but I donā€™t get it. ---
**Author:** ![Push\_You\_Down](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/push_you_down/32/9095_2.png) [@Push\_You\_Down](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Push_You_Down)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 6:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/119 "2009-07-08T18:11:57Z")
> [@Scissorjack](#): > > Thatā€™s probably the first sensible thing Iā€™ve heard anyone say about Jacksonā€™s death. Oddly enough, I agree. ---
**Author:** ![Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/r/e8c25b/32.png) [@Really\_Not\_All\_That\_Bright](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Really_Not_All_That_Bright)\ **Post date:** [July 8, 2009, 7:04pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630/120 "2009-07-08T19:04:22Z")
> [@Skald\_the\_Rhymer](#): > > I know youā€™re joking, but I donā€™t get it. The [Church of England](http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=PwkI6PZhm4A) explained. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630.md?page=5) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-dumbest-thing-youve-heard-anyone-say-this-week-is/501630.md?page=7)