# The Straight "DOPE" **URL:** \ **Category:** Miscellaneous and Personal Stuff I Must Share\ **Created:** [September 8, 2011, 5:59pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope/595630 "2011-09-08T17:59:25Z")\ **Posts on this page:** 20\ **Page:** 2
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 1:19am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope/595630/21 "2011-09-09T01:19:31Z")
> [@Joey\_P](#): > > I’ve had people give me curious looks several times when walking by my computer. It’s in a place that no one sees it unless they specifically getting something from my desk (or I’m showing them something), but even so, I usually open another tab before minimizing the browser. > If they do see it and ask, I hit the new posts button to show them the wide array of topics we discuss and hope it’s not full of threads suck as “Dogs, Sex, and Morality” or "“So, uh, how do I deepthroat without gagging?”. > > Also, just recently I was at my mom’s house and doing something on the computer when she walked by and asked me when I developed an interest in giraffes. Evil giraffes at that! I was once sharing my screen with a remote coworker, and the SDMB was up in the background (I’m on a Mac). I was showing him how to do something in Photoshop, and it wasn’t until 5 or so minutes in, I realized at the very bottom, right below the photoshop window, you could see only one of the thread topics, and that particular one had something to do with penis sizes, or something. This was a couple years ago or so. Oh, how we laughed once I cleared that up. ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 1:22am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope/595630/22 "2011-09-09T01:22:21Z")
> [@Buttercup\_Smith](#): > > I work for the Federal Government and I do visit the SDMB on my lunch break. I know my computer is monitored but anyone doing the monitoring should confirm the content not just the name of the site. At least one can hope. Get ready for the urine test. ---
**Author:** ![Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/l/e480ec/32.png) [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Least_Original_User_Name_Ever)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 1:45am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope/595630/23 "2011-09-09T01:45:19Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > It’d also give my wife pause if I told here we were hosting a GayFest. Well. That’s why our Dopefests got more fabulous. Also, you reneged on one. \*\*Tracyfish \*\*reminded me of this fact recently. ---
**Author:** ![VOW](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/vow/32/3043_2.png) [@VOW](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/VOW)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope/595630/24 "2011-09-09T01:52:23Z")
Back when I was a working fool, I thought about the policy that computer use was monitored. Then I thought about how long it took IT to answer a repair ticket. Then I thought about coworkers either porn surfing or day trading. Then I decided I wasn’t going to worry. ~VOW ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 1:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope/595630/25 "2011-09-09T01:52:28Z")
> [@Least\_Original\_User\_Name\_Ever](#): > > Well. That’s why our Dopefests got more fabulous. > > Also, you reneged on one. \*\*Tracyfish \*\*reminded me of this fact recently. I certainly did. And I’ll make it up, by holding an even _more fabulous_ one than the one I didn’t have! But you have to promise me you’ll wear those lime-green hot pants. ---
**Author:** ![Tripler](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/tripler/32/21807_2.png) [@Tripler](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Tripler)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 2:52am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope/595630/26 "2011-09-09T02:52:38Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > Try walking up to a random stranger in a bar or restaurant and asking if they’re a Doper. > > “Friend of Cecil” works a lot better. Seconded. Tripler “Yes, put it all on Mister Adams’ tab.” ---
**Author:** ![Gary\_Robson](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/gary_robson/32/3448_2.png) [@Gary\_Robson](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Gary_Robson)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 3:11am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope/595630/27 "2011-09-09T03:11:42Z")
> [@tdn](#): > > “Friend of Cecil” works a lot better. That could lead to some interesting exchanges… TDN: Hello, are you a “Friend of Cecil”? GARY: Why yes, he gets me the “Straight Dope.” COP: Okay, you two - hands where I can see them! > [@Ellen\_Cherry](#): > > The lobbying for The Straight Poop has fallen on deaf ears. Actually, I’ve already got that one! That’s what I call the sidebars in my _[Who Pooped in the Park?](http://www.robson.org/gary/whopooped.php)_ books. ---
**Author:** ![Dallas\_Jones](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/dallas_jones/32/3277_2.png) [@Dallas\_Jones](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Dallas_Jones)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 4:59am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope/595630/28 "2011-09-09T04:59:42Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > I don’t dare visit the SDMB at work because of that. > > I work for Tennessee State Government. > [@Buttercup\_Smith](#): > > I work for the Federal Government and I do visit the SDMB on my lunch break. I know my computer is monitored but anyone doing the monitoring should confirm the content not just the name of the site. At least one can hope. Yeah…NO. Everything I do on the computer at work goes through a Federal Government Citrix portal, even the items on my desktop and email are not local but on some remote system somewhere. I do not access _anything_ other than work sites at all on their machine. I wouldn’t even check the weather lest I end up sitting in the HR dept listening to “you were logged on the [weather.com](http://weather.com) at the same time 'Serious Incident A ’ happened that you should have been aware of.” Anything I want to read or look up on the web at work goes through my Android phone. And I do not go through their wireless hot spot either. Call me paranoid, but call me employed. 😉 ---
**Author:** ![cmyk](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/cmyk/32/3353_2.png) [@cmyk](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/cmyk)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 5:37am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope/595630/29 "2011-09-09T05:37:45Z")
I suppose the only appropriate name change, if there were ever a need, would be to call it the Teeming Millions Message Board. Luckily I don’t work for any State or Federal organization! ---
**Author:** ![BigT](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bigt/32/12044_2.png) [@BigT](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/BigT)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 6:41am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope/595630/30 "2011-09-09T06:41:49Z")
And now for my trademarked straight answer while everyone else is having fun: If I ever had that problem, I’d just block the banner image. Would you be able to do that without getting in trouble? ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 7:20am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope/595630/31 "2011-09-09T07:20:32Z")
> [@cmyk](#): > > Evil giraffes at that! > > I was once sharing my screen with a remote coworker, and the SDMB was up in the background (I’m on a Mac). I was showing him how to do something in Photoshop, and it wasn’t until 5 or so minutes in, I realized at the very bottom, right below the photoshop window, you could see only one of the thread topics, and that particular one had something to do with penis sizes, or something. This was a couple years ago or so. > > Oh, how we laughed once I cleared that up. So you cleared that up by explaining that you were just really interested in dope and penis sizes? ---
**Author:** ![Mangetout](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/mangetout/32/19_2.png) [@Mangetout](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mangetout)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 7:23am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope/595630/32 "2011-09-09T07:23:48Z")
If it’s over-the-shoulder reading of the big blue/yellow banner that’s the problem, you might be able to get your browser to block that particular image. ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 7:40am UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope/595630/33 "2011-09-09T07:40:27Z")
I guess I should mention that, when I was in college (the 70s), “dope” was universally understood to mean marijuana. Or “dope”, as we called it. ---
**Author:** ![Mk\_VII](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/m/5f9b8f/32.png) [@Mk\_VII](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Mk_VII)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 2:52pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope/595630/34 "2011-09-09T14:52:40Z")
‘The Dope Bag’ was a section of the NRA’s magazine which gave information, usually about new products and services. ---
**Author:** ![Rachellelogram](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/rachellelogram/32/8689_2.png) [@Rachellelogram](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Rachellelogram)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 7:28pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope/595630/35 "2011-09-09T19:28:08Z")
Why don’t we rename it to the straight derp? ---
**Author:** ![Leaffan](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/leaffan/32/299_2.png) [@Leaffan](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Leaffan)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 7:38pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope/595630/36 "2011-09-09T19:38:48Z")
> [@Mangetout](#): > > If it’s over-the-shoulder reading of the big blue/yellow banner that’s the problem, you might be able to get your browser to block that particular image. I just did that. It never even occurred to me what anyone would think about seeing “The Straight Dope” on my browser at work. Better safe than sorry though. ---
**Author:** ![Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://avatars.discourse-cdn.com/v4/letter/h/4bbf92/32.png) [@Heart\_of\_Dorkness](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Heart_of_Dorkness)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 8:27pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope/595630/37 "2011-09-09T20:27:24Z")
> [@Leaffan](#): > > > [@Mangetout](#): > > > > If it’s over-the-shoulder reading of the big blue/yellow banner that’s the problem, you might be able to get your browser to block that particular image. > > I just did that. And how might one go about doing this? I can block \*all \*images from the site, but then I lose the thread icons and so on. That’s no good. ---
**Author:** ![Johanna](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/johanna/32/8318_2.png) [@Johanna](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Johanna)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 8:42pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope/595630/38 "2011-09-09T20:42:42Z")
Dope comes from the Dutch language and literally means dip. ---
**Author:** ![Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/bosda_di_chi_of_tricor/32/16845_2.png) [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Bosda_Di_Chi_of_Tricor)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 9:11pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope/595630/39 "2011-09-09T21:11:39Z")
> [@Bosda\_Di\_Chi\_of\_Tricor](#): > > I don’t dare visit the SDMB at work because of that. > > I work for Tennessee State Government. > [@Buttercup\_Smith](#): > > I work for the Federal Government and I do visit the SDMB on my lunch break. I know my computer is monitored but anyone doing the monitoring should confirm the content not just the name of the site. At least one can hope. I _ **wish!** _:mad: ---
**Author:** ![Manduck](https://sea3.discourse-cdn.com/straightdope/user_avatar/boards.straightdope.com/manduck/32/256_2.png) [@Manduck](https://boards.straightdope.com/u/Manduck)\ **Post date:** [September 9, 2011, 9:49pm UTC](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope/595630/40 "2011-09-09T21:49:29Z")
> [@Heart\_of\_Dorkness](#): > > And how might one go about doing this? I can block \*all \*images from the site, but then I lose the thread icons and so on. That’s no good. If you have Ad Block Plus, right-click on the image. One of the choices on the menu will be “AdBlock Plus: Block image…”. Click on that. That brings up the filter rule dialog. Under “look for pattern” there are several patterns to choose from. You want the most specific one, which is at the top of the list. Select that pattern, click “add filter”, and you’re done. If you don’t have adblock plus, get it. [Previous page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope/595630.md?page=1) [Next page](https://boards.straightdope.com/t/the-straight-dope/595630.md?page=3)